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KitchenAid fridge not cooling: what's going on and how to fix it
The milk is warm, the light still comes on, and the freezer may be doing just fine. That combination points to a short list of faults, and two of them cost nothing to rule out. Here's how to sort the simple stuff from the repair.
Answered by an independent Phoenix-area appliance repair company. Not a call center.
- Independent local companies
- One call, no forms
- Phoenix metro only
A KitchenAid fridge that runs but won't get cold has either lost airflow over its coils or lost the fan that pushes cold air into the fresh food side. Dirty condenser coils are the most common cause by a wide margin, especially in homes with pets.
Check these first
Safe to do yourself. Unplug the appliance before you start.
- Make sure it's actually turned on and out of demo mode
Some models need the cooling function switched back on after a power outage or surge. If the display reads Showroom or Demo, the lights work but nothing cools. Your owner's manual has the button sequence for your model.
- Clean the condenser coils
Unplug the fridge, pull the base grille off the bottom front, and vacuum the coils with a brush attachment. Techs who do this for a living say coils solve a large share of no-cooling calls, and pet hair is usually the culprit. With pets in the house, plan on doing this every two to three months.
- Listen for the evaporator fan
Open the freezer and press the door switch in with your thumb. You should hear a fan spin up behind the back wall. Silence, grinding, or squealing points at the evaporator fan motor or ice jammed against its blade.
- Look for a wall of ice in the freezer
Pull the rear freezer panel and check the coils. A solid sheet of frost means the defrost system quit, and the ice is blocking the air that's supposed to reach the fridge section. Melting it will bring cooling back for a few days, then the frost returns.
- Clear the vents and the door seals
Tall bottles parked in front of the fridge vents, or a plastic bag sucked against one, will leave the fresh food side warm while the freezer stays cold. Wipe the gaskets with warm soapy water. Grime keeps the door from sealing, and torn rubber leaks cold air all day.
- Give it room to breathe
Half an inch at the sides and an inch behind is the usual minimum. A fridge shoved tight to a wall or cabinet can't dump heat. Same goes for one sitting next to a range.
What's different in the Phoenix area
Desert dust adds to lint and coil buildup
Fine dust from monsoon storms and dry months gets into dryer vents, refrigerator condenser coils and dishwasher filters. Coils and vents in Valley homes usually need cleaning more often than the once-a-year rule of thumb.
Garage installs run hot from May through September
A lot of Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler homes keep the washer, dryer or a second refrigerator in the garage, where afternoon temperatures pass 120°F. Control boards, compressors and drain pumps age faster there, and refrigerators can't hold temperature at all when the ambient is above what they're rated for. Tell the repair company the appliance is in the garage so they plan for it.
Common questions
Will unplugging the fridge reset it?
Sometimes. Pull the plug or flip the breaker, wait five minutes, then restore power and watch the temperature for 24 hours. It clears a confused control board, though it won't fix a failed fan or a clogged coil.
Why is my freezer cold but the fridge warm?
Most KitchenAid models make all their cold in the freezer and blow it into the fridge through a duct. When the evaporator fan stops, or ice blocks the coils, the freezer stays cold while the fresh food side climbs into the 50s.
Are KitchenAid parts hard to find?
No. Anything built after 2007 is a Whirlpool underneath, so the parts and service literature are Whirlpool branded and widely stocked. A local repair company will have most common parts on the truck.
Does a garage fridge have different problems?
Yes. These units are rated for rooms between about 55 and 110 degrees, and a hot garage pushes them past what the cooling system can keep up with. Long run times and a warm interior in summer often trace back to where the fridge is sitting.
How long should I wait after adding groceries?
Several hours. A big load of warm food or a recent install both need time, and a new fridge takes a full 24 hours to pull down. If it's still warm the next day, start on the checks above.
Still showing the problem after the checks?
Call and describe what you tried. A local company can tell you what a visit involves.