Refrigerator Not Cooling But Freezer Is Fine

The short answer: if the freezer is cold but the fridge is warm, cold air isn’t reaching the fresh food section. A frosted-over evaporator fan is the most common reason.

Dirty condenser coils and a weak start relay are next.

What usually causes it

• Frozen or blocked evaporator fan. Frost jams the fan, so cold air doesn’t reach the fridge.
• Failing fan motor. The fan may not turn even without frost.
• Dirty condenser coils. The sealed system can’t shed heat, so cooling suffers.
• Faulty start relay or compressor. The compressor may not start or run reliably.
• Blocked air damper. It controls airflow between the freezer and fridge.

What you can check yourself

• Check the settings. Make sure the controls weren’t bumped and that demo, sabbath or vacation mode is off.
• Clear the vents. Move food away from the vents so cold air can flow to the fridge side.
• Look for frost. A frosted freezer back wall or a running fan with a warm fridge suggests a frozen evaporator. Defrosting helps only temporarily.
• Clean the coils. Unplug it and vacuum the condenser coils at the back or under the front grille.

How to prevent it

• Vacuum the condenser coils twice a year.
• Don’t block the air vents inside with food.
• Keep the door seals clean and make sure doors close fully.

When to call a technician

Call us if:

• The fridge is warm even with clear vents and clean coils
• There is heavy frost on the freezer back wall
• The fridge has been above 40°F for more than a few hours

These repairs involve live voltage, gas or hidden parts, so we recommend leaving them to a professional.

Service call: $89, waived when you go ahead with the repair. Warranty: 90 days on every repair.