Kenmore freezer not cooling

Why is my Kenmore freezer not getting cold?

Power supply issues are a leading cause of your Kenmore freezer not working. If your freezer has an interior light, open the door to see if the light turns on. If it does, then you know the appliance is getting electrical power.

If your freezer is completely dead, follow these basic troubleshooting steps to restore power:

1. Check the power cord to make sure that it’s fully plugged into the electrical outlet. Check the power cord for damage and replace the power cord if it’s cut, frayed or damaged.
2. If the power cord is okay and the freezer is completely dead, reset the house circuit breaker for the freezer outlet.
3. If the freezer is still dead, test the electrical outlet for power by plugging a nightlight or other small electrical device into the outlet. If the outlet is dead, have an electrician fix the outlet.

If the outlet works and the freezer won’t power up, it may have a defective electronic control board or a bad cold control thermostat. A wiring failure or a number of other failures could also be preventing the freezer from getting power.

Freezer Control Failure

If you know the freezer has electrical power, but the compressor won't run, a failed cold control thermostat could be the problem if your freezer has a dial control.

To determine if the freezer cold control thermostat is working, unplug the freezer and check for continuity from the power cord wire that connects to the cold control thermostat and the wire that supplies power to the compressor from the control. If your meter doesn't measure continuity between those wires, then you'll likely need to replace the freezer cold control thermostat because it isn't sending electrical current to the compressor.

Here’s an illustrated guide that shows how to replace the cold control thermostat in a freezer:

How to replace the cold control thermostat in a freezer.

Freezer Electronic Control Failure

When the freezer is getting electrical power but the condenser fan and compressor won’t run because they’re not getting electrical current from the electronic control board, you’ll likely need to replace the circuit board.

Here’s a video that shows how to replace the electronic control board in a freezer:

If you’re uncertain that the electronic control board is bad or you need help resolving your freezer problem, schedule freezer repair service and we’ll send a Sears Home Services technician to your home to fix the problem.

What to expect when you experience a Kenmore freezer not cooling issue

How is the not cooling problem fixed?

Correcting most not cooling problems usually involves replacing the compressor, electronic control board or evaporator. However, there are many potential causes, so a thorough diagnosis is key to fixing the problem. An accurate diagnosis is essential to understanding how much the repair will be.

Sears Home Services recommendations for a freezer that is not cooling

When the freezer is not cooling it can be for many reasons. To avoid replacing unneeded parts we recommend having a Sears Home Services professional perform diagnostic tests to identify the root cause of the problem. Our technicians are experienced at diagnosing all types of freezer failures.

What to look out for with a freezer not cooling diagnosis

Diagnosing modern appliances without proper knowledge and training can be difficult. Without using proper diagnostic techniques, fixing your freezer problem will only be achieved through changing parts on a hunch. Appliances, especially in the last 10 years, have become extremely advanced, and many models have electronic parts that are difficult to test. DIY repairs on the latest appliance models are becoming increasingly difficult.

Kenmore Upright Freezer Not Cooling Troubleshooting

If you hear the compressor running but your Kenmore upright freezer is not cooling, a sealed system problem such as a refrigerant leak or a failed compressor may be causing the problem. A service technician will need to fix a sealed system failure in your Kenmore upright freezer because the repair involves the recovery and recharge of the refrigerant.

If the freezer cools but doesn't cool down to 0 degrees, a failed thermistor may be inaccurately detecting freezer temperature or the electronic control board in the freezer may be inaccurately detecting the thermistor signal. Using the freezer's tech sheet as a guide, unplug the freezer and check the resistance of the thermistor using a multimeter. Replace the thermistor if its resistance differs from its expected resistance. If thermistor resistance is okay, check the resistance of the thermistor circuit from the wires that connect the thermistor circuit to the electronic control board. If you measure the same resistance through the wires that connect to the control board as you measured directly at the thermistor, then you'll need to replace the electronic control board because it isn't accurately detecting the thermistor signal. If the thermistor circuit resistance differs from the thermistor resistance, then a wiring failure in the thermistor circuit is interfering with the thermistor signal going to the control board. Find and repair the bad wiring. If your freezer uses a dial control, the cold control thermostat may not be sensing and controlling freezer temperature properly.

Problems in the automatic defrost system can also prevent the freezer from cooling. You'll typically see frost on the evaporator cover when the defrost system isn't working because the defrost heater isn't turning on to melt frost off the evaporator fins. The evaporator won't be able to cool the freezer well when the evaporator cooling fins are caked with frost because the frost blocks air passages over the fins. To check the defrost heater, unplug the freezer and check for continuity through the defrost heater element using a multimeter. If you don't measure continuity through the defrost heating element, replace it. If you measure continuity through the defrost heater, it's likely okay.

Check the defrost bi-metal thermostat next. A failed defrost bi-metal thermostat won't allow current to reach the heater. You can check for continuity through the defrost bi-metal. (Note: When the bi-metal warms up, it trips open to shut off the defrost heater to prevent the heater from overheating and damaging the evaporator so you can't check the bi-metal when it's above 15 degrees.) If you don't measure continuity through the bi-metal, replace it because it isn't allowing the defrost heater to turn on.

A failed defrost timer won't advance into the automatic defrost mode so the defrost heating element would never turn on to melt frost off the evaporator fins. You can check to see whether the defrost timer advances by manually advancing the defrost timer to the defrost cycle. Turn the dial on the defrost timer with a screwdriver until the compressor shuts off. If the compressor isn't running when you're ready to test the defrost timer, open the freezer door until the compressor turns on and then advance the defrost timer until the compressor shuts off. The defrost cycle takes about 30 to 45 minutes to complete then the compressor should turn on to cool the freezer. If the defrost timer doesn't advance through the automatic defrost cycle and allow the compressor to start after 30-45 minutes, it's likely the timer is broken and needs to be replaced.

A failed evaporator fan can also cause cooling problems because it won't circulate air through the freezer cabinet. Replace the evaporator fan if it doesn't run when activated.

Clean dirty condenser coils because dirty coils won't cool down refrigerant before it enters the evaporator, resulting in poor cooling performance. Replace the condenser fan if it isn't running when the compressor runs because the condenser fan blows air across the condenser to help cool the refrigerant before it enters the evaporator.

If these troubleshooting tips don’t help or you prefer to have a Sears Home Services technician fix a Kenmore upright freezer not cooling problem, schedule freezer repair service.