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Troubleshooting >>
Appliance Repair Troubleshooting DIY or Start Your
Refrigerator Troubleshooting:
Problem:
Refrigerator is working but it is warm.
1. Check condenser fan under the unit. Make sure it’s working.
2. Check condenser. Make sure it is clean.
3. Make sure the fan in the freezer is working.
4. Make sure the door is shutting properly.
5. If there is an icemaker; carefully put your hand under the icemaker. You are feeling for heat coming from the icemakers’ heater. If it’s hot the icemakers heater is stuck in the heat position.
- Disconnect the icemakers’ plug in harness and change the icemaker.
- Icemakers are not worth repairing
- Order a new and complete icemaker kit.
6. There have been times when the light inside the refrigerator is staying on when the door is closed. Make sure the light is turning off. A light that will not turn off will generate a tremendous amount of heat.
- If the light stays on it is a bad light switch and must be changed.
Problem:
No Light.
1. Bad Bulb.
- With a meter check the bulb for continuity.
- If you have continuity the bulb is good.
- No continuity the bulb is bad.
- Change the bulb.
2. Bad light switch or Contact in the receptacle.
- With the meter check the light switch for an open circuit.
- If the circuit is open you need to replace the receptacle.
Problem:
Frost on the back wall of the freezer or floor.
These conditions indicate the defrost system is not working.
1. Remove the back wall or freezer floor covering the evaporator coils.
- Advance the timer manually to the point until the refrigerator turns off.
- If the glass heater turns red hot or if tubular heater gets hot you need to
Change the defrost timer.
If the heater does not get hot within 2 minutes.
1. Unplug the refrigerator.
2. Defrost the evaporator with a hair dryer to gain access to where the heater leads connect to the harness.
- Disconnect both ends of the heater leads; check for continuity from
one end of the wire threw the heater to the other end.
- If you have no reading: replace the heater, it is open
Meaning the current is not going threw the heater.
- If the heater is good: locate the small metal switch called the
Limit switch.
Limit switch:
You can remove this switch by disconnecting it.
- Take a jumper wire and connect it to where the limit switch was plugged in.
- Make sure no bear leads are touching any metal of any kind and that your alligator jumper is plugged in firmly at each end where the limit switch was connected to the harness.
- Plug the refrigerator back in. The refrigerator should still be in the defrost mode, the heater should not go on.
If the heater does not go on: Unplug the refrigerator.
- Remove the alligator clips; put your leads into the harness where the limit switch was plugged in.
- Set your meter to AC Voltage 150 to 300 Volts; take a reading.
If you have no reading your timer is faulty.
With the power off, change the timer.
Install the new timer, hook up all your leads, and make sure all connections are secure. Put all covers back on.
Problem:
Compressor is hot and goes on and off frequently, (every minute or so).
This is a very common problem with Whirlpool Brands.
1. Remove plastic cover on compressor this will expose your relay and motor protector.
2. Pull straight back on the relay it will pull off. The motor protector will also pull off. This will leave 3 metal pins sticking out of the compressor.
3. With your OHM Meter on the Rx OHM Scale touch one pin at a time with one lead and touch any copper line coming off compressor with the other lead.
You should not have any reading. If you do it means the compressor is shorting to ground and not worth the repair, due to cost.
If you have no reading:
1. Touching 2 pins at a time. You should have deflection. Test all 3 pins; remember you are touching only 2 pins at the same time.
2. If you are touching 2 pins at the same time and do not get deflection it means a winding is open and not worth repair, due to cost.
3. If all the readings check good install a 3 in 1. Instructions are on the card with a picture. All wires are color coded and easy to install.
***I suggest you have a cheap clamp on AMPS Meter. This meter clamps over the wire like a lobster claw. You will not have to cut any wires.
4. When you turn the power back on your meter will be clamped around the run winding wire. The meter will deflect 3.5 amps and should remain at this reading.
If over 5 amps or higher the compressor is wearing out.
Computer Circuit Board Controlled Units:
The changing of any defrost control timer or defrost control board is necessary when the defrost heater and termination switch check good. There will be times when your diagnostic can be narrowed when you have a condition as follows
1. Defrost timer has no drive in either cycle-run or defrost
2. Timer is stuck
3. Circuit board keeps trying to reboot continuously or every minute or so.
4. Evaporator or condenser running at very low RPM.
a. The latter only applies to electric control board and not to standard defrost timers
b. There may be other factors that can cause this condition but very seldom.
On newer GE refrigerators go behind the refrigerator while standing behind the unit look at the bottom corners if there is a metal plate 8x10 this is where your auto defrost control board is. It also covers electrical components that supply your evaporator-condenser fan motor and so on.
For Example:
Problem:
Evaporator fan motor works slowly or intermittently.
If you have the correct operating voltage.
1. Replace the board.
a. The new board should be handle with care.
b. It will come with instructions and is relatively simple to change.
c. Avoid touching the electrical components with your bare hands. Electrical discharge from your body may change the electrical value of the components.
d. After you have installed the new board, install the ground wire and metal protective cover to its proper location.
e. Plug the unit back into the wall outlet. It may take a minute or so to start. The circuit board will start making clicking sounds-booting up. Then the board and refrigerator will resume normal operation.
On the Maytag refrigerators if the standard defrost timer cannot be located in side by side units, the defrost control board will be located in the upper right hand rear corner of the refrigerator section.
1. You must disassemble the front of the slide controls for air temp and cold control. This will be required to gain access to a small 3x4 module mounted with 2 small screws. You will have to disassemble other additional components, screws, plates, cover; to gain a workable area to access the component. It is a plug in component.
2. Make sure the power is off to the unit before changing this board.
3. Make note of how the connector is plugged in. There is no changing of the wire configuration, but you will need to unplug the old board and remove it to install the new one.
Changing a door gasket:
1. Always take the new door gasket and hold it up to the original gasket while it is still on the door.
2. If it measures evenly ask the customer for a large pot, like you would use to cook pasta.
3. Fill the pot ¾ full and place it on the range and wait until the water is very hot.
4. Feed the gasket threw the hot water at least 2 to 3 times. NEVER LEAVE THE GASKET IN BOILING WATER. You want to just pass the gasket gently through the hot water and remove it. You only want to make the gasket more pliable and remove the kinks in it.
5. Next you will want to loosen (not remove) the screws under the original door gasket, at the top and 1/3 down on the sides.
6. Peel 1/3 of the door gasket off and install 1/3 of the new gasket in its place and tighten screws.
I always do this in stages. It always works well and this way you will keep the liner in the correct position. When changing any gasket ALWAYS TAKE YOUR TIME.
Some of the newer style ice makers for side by side refrigerators are mounted to the top inside of the freezer. These also have an inlet valve with multiple solenoids located behind the refrigerator in the right rear back corner behind the bottom cover.
The inlet valves may have the water lines connected with standard plastic nuts, but the replacement may have push on lines. Meaning you would have to remove the plastic nuts from your lines, these same lines will now be pushed into the replacement valve. Once the line is inserted into the new valve it will lock in place; if not seated properly it will leak. You may not be able to remove the line again after you have pushed it in. There is no second chance to reseat the line. The manufacturer recommends you use a special tool for cutting the lines, to avoid creating a burr. When you order the kit, the tool does not come with it. I strongly recommend you know what the cost of the replacement parts cost before committing to the repair. As with all parts, but especially with these, they can be very costly, so check first.
(revised 3/2010)
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