11 Reasons Why Your Refrigerator Isn't Cooling: 2025

1. The Temperature or Thermostat Setting Is Off

Let’s start with the basics. Sometimes, the refrigerator thermostat or temperature setting accidentally gets changed. Children love to play with dials and buttons.

Check the temperature or thermostat settings. Ideally, the fridge should be set to 37°F and the freezer to 0°F. For a fridge with a numbered dial cold control thermostat, you’ll likely need to choose the middle setting to maintain the proper refrigerator and freezer temperatures.

Adjust the thermostat or temperature control if you find it set wrong.

2. Dirty Refrigerator Condenser Coils

Condenser coils, usually located at the back or bottom of the refrigerator, release heat from the fridge. When they get coated heavily with dust and debris, they struggle to do their job, causing cooling issues.

Unplug the refrigerator and clean the coils using a vacuum cleaner or a coil-cleaning brush. Aim to clean them every six months to maintain efficiency.

Here’s a helpful video that provides expert tips for cleaning refrigerator condenser coils:

3. Faulty Door Gaskets

Worn-out, loose, damaged or dirty door gaskets let warm air seep into your fridge, overworking the cooling system.

Check to see if your door gaskets have any cracks or tears or are loose. If a gasket is loose, push it back into the channel around the door or replace it if necessary. You’ll also need to replace any cracked or torn door gaskets.

Here’s a DIY video that shows how to replace a common type of refrigerator door gasket:

If the door gaskets are intact but dirty, clean them with mild soap and water to remove spills and deposits.

Coat the door gaskets lightly with petroleum jelly to keep them lasting longer and sealing properly.

4. Blocked Air Vents

Cool air circulates inside your fridge through vents. Overloaded shelves or misplaced items can block these vents, disrupting airflow and causing uneven cooling.

Check the owner’s manual for your refrigerator to find the location of air supply and return vents so you know what areas to avoid blocking. Here’s an image of a common refrigerator that shows air vents inside the fridge:

Don’t overload the refrigerator and avoid blocking air supply and return vents inside your refrigerator (and freezer).

5. The Evaporator Fan Isn’t Working

The evaporator fan blows cold air through the freezer and into the refrigerator section. If this fan fails, you’ll notice the fridge warming up even though the freezer may remain relatively cold.

When you find that the evaporator fan isn’t running, you’ll typically need to schedule refrigerator repair service to have a Sears Home Service technician visit your home and fix the problem.

In some refrigerators, you may be able to safely diagnose and repair the problem yourself if you’re adept in DIY appliance repair. Here’s a YouTube video that shows how to safely diagnose and repair an evaporator fan failure in a common type of refrigerator:

6. Frost Buildup in the Freezer

Excessive frost can clog the evaporator coils, restricting airflow and hindering the cooling process. This often happens due to a malfunctioning defrost system.

Here’s a DIY troubleshooting video that shows how to safely diagnose and repair an automatic defrost system failure in a common fridge:

If you’re unable to find the cause of an automatic defrost system problem and fix it yourself, schedule refrigerator repair service to have a technician visit your home and fix the fridge.

7. Poor Air Circulation Around the Refrigerator Cabinet

Adequate airflow around the refrigerator helps dissipate the heat generated by the fridge, preventing it from overheating.

Make sure there is enough space between the refrigerator and the surrounding walls or cabinets. Most fridges need at least 1-inch of clearance around the cabinet and on top. Move the refrigerator if necessary to gain proper clearance.

Ensure the vents on the back of the refrigerator are not obstructed by dust and lint.

8. Locked Up Control Board

In refrigerators that use electronic control boards, a power surge or glitch through your home’s electric supply line can freeze up a circuit board and prevent the fridge from cooling.

Power surges often happen during thunder storms and other extreme weather events. Brown-outs of your power supply can also disrupt control board operation.

When you suspect that a control board in your fridge is locked up, reset the circuit board using this procedure:

1. Unplug the power cord or shut off the house circuit breaker for the refrigerator to completely disconnect electrical power.
2. Leave the power off for at least 2 minutes.
3. Restore electrical power to the fridge by plugging the power cord back in or resetting the house circuit breaker.

The electronic control board(s) inside the fridge will reboot and reset. The fridge may resume normal cooling.

If not, you’ll likely need to have your refrigerator repaired by a technician.

9. Compressor Issues

The compressor circulates refrigerant through the system. If it’s malfunctioning, the fridge won’t cool.

Check the compressor to see if it’s running. If it’s silent, a bad start relay could be preventing it from running. That’s a failure that you may be able to safely repair yourself.

Here’s video that shows how to diagnose and repair refrigerator compressor problems including a failed compressor start relay:

If you’re unable to resolve a refrigerator compressor problem on your own, you’ll likely need to have a service technician fix the fridge.

10. Low Refrigerant Levels

Low refrigerant can hinder cooling, usually due to a leak in the sealed system. Signs include a fridge that cools inconsistently or not at all. If you unplug the refrigerator and pull off the evaporator cover, you’ll see an uneven frost pattern on the evaporator fins.

Only licensed service technician can deal with repairing and recharging a sealed refrigerant system so you’ll need to schedule refrigerator repair service to fix this failure.

DIY Tip: While you can’t recharge refrigerant yourself, you can inspect visible areas for signs of leaks (like oil residue). A licensed technician must handle refrigerant-related repairs.

11. Failed Condenser Fan Motor

The condenser fan blows air across the condenser coils in the machine compartment to help cool down and condenser refrigerant so it cools the refrigerator properly.

When the condenser fan fails, the refrigerant won’t cool efficiently and the compressor typically overheats to compound fridge cooling problems.

Check to see if the condenser fan is running when the compressor is running. If no, you may need to replace the compressor fan motor.

Here’s a DIY video that shows how to safely replace a condenser fan motor in a common type of refrigerator:

Schedule appliance repair service if you’re unable to resolve a condenser fan failure on your own.

Fixing a refrigerator cooling problem on your own can be a rewarding experience. It can also save you big money if you’re able to accurately and safely fix the issue. Hopefully, these expert tips will help you find and fix your fridge when it stops cooling.

Refrigerator Preventative Maintenance Tips

Avoid future refrigerator cooling issues by staying proactive:

• Clean refrigerator condenser coils regularly (usually every 6 months) to maintain cooling efficiency.
• Inspect door seals for wear and tear at least yearly.
• Keep food stored in the fridge organized to ensure proper airflow.
• Schedule professional refrigerator maintenance every year to make sure your fridge stays in top shape and cools efficiently. A Sears Home Services technician can spot potential problems during a maintenance check and make adjustments or suggest repairs that will prevent unexpected refrigerator breakdowns during the year.

By tackling these 11 common refrigerator cooling problems and keeping your fridge well-maintained, you can save money, extend the life of your appliance, and keep your food safe. And remember, Sears Home Services is always here to help you with any refrigerator or home appliance problem.

Trust Sears Home Services to help you manage your home with ease so you can relax and enjoy life.