Refrigerator door not closing

How do you fix a refrigerator door that won't close?

Level the refrigerator properly

When your refrigerator door won’t swing gently shut on its own, you’ll often need to adjust the leveling feet.

The refrigerator should have a slight tilt from front to back (about ½ bubble).

The cabinet must be horizontally level with the leveling feet stable on the floor. Press down on diagonally opposing corners of the cabinet and adjust the leveling legs to eliminate play if necessary.

Here’s a video that shows how to level a refrigerator properly so the doors align and shut properly:

If you’re unable to level your refrigerator so the doors close properly, schedule professional refrigerator maintenance and we’ll send a technician to your home to level the fridges and perform thorough cleaning and maintenance of the appliance.

Adjust refrigerator door hinges

To fix a problem with the flipper mullion not retracting and extending properly on a French door refrigerator, you may need to adjust door height using shims, snap rings or by adjusting a leveling screw.

Over time, the weight of items that you store in a refrigerator door can bend the hinge and cause the door to sag.

The right-hand door that houses the flipper mullion on a French door refrigerator can eventually sag so much that the top tab of the flipper mullion fails to engage with the flipper mullion guide channel at the top of the opening to the refrigerator compartment.

Follow the instructions in your owner’s manual to adjust the door hinges and flipper mullion height so that the door opens and closes properly. The image below shows an example of how to adjust the door height and flipper mullion height on a common type of French door refrigerator.

If you need to have a service technician make these adjustments, schedule refrigerator maintenance service and we’ll send a Sears Home Services technician to your home to adjust the doors as well as to clean and maintain your entire refrigerator.

What to expect when you experience a refrigerator door not closing issue

How is the door not closing problem rectified?

Fixing most door not closing problems usually involves replacing the door, electronic control board or power supply. However, there are many potential causes, so a thorough diagnosis is essential for understanding the extent of the repair needed and effectively resolving the issue.

Recommendations for a refrigerator door that is not closing

If a refrigerator door is not closing it can be for many reasons. To avoid replacing unneeded parts we recommend having a Sears Home Services professional inspect the refrigerator and repair the issue. Our technicians are experienced at diagnosing all types of refrigerator failures.

Things to look out for with a refrigerator door not closing diagnosis

Diagnosing issues with modern appliances can pose significant challenges for individuals lacking adequate knowledge and training. Without employing proper diagnostic techniques, rectifying refrigerator problems may involve merely replacing parts based on guesswork. In the past decade, appliances have undergone substantial advancements, incorporating intricate electronic components that are increasingly difficult to troubleshoot. As a result, do-it-yourself repairs on contemporary appliance models have become progressively difficult.