Many of us take our refrigerator for granted and only really notice it when something goes wrong. Like any complex machine, there are a wide variety of things that can go wrong causing refrigerator repair problems.
Refrigerator repair problems are fairly common, so we’ve collected the issues we see most often into a helpful guide for you. If you’re experiencing trouble with your refrigerator, check out our list of refrigerator repair common problems to see what you can do to fix it.
Refrigerator Repair Problems & Causes
Broken Ice Maker
Malfunctioning ice makers are one of the most common refrigerator repair problems. There are many different things that can cause your ice maker to stop making ice. Here are the top reasons for a defective ice maker:
- Frozen Water Lines
- Inadequate Water Pressure
- Clogged Water Filter
- Incorrect Temperature in Freezer Cabinet
Poor Seal Around Door
Another extremely common problem we see with refrigerators is doors that don’t seal properly. A bad seal around the door can consistently leak cool air, making the inside of your fridge much warmer than it should be. If this isn’t remedied quickly, your food could become unsafe.
A bad seal can come from something that is preventing the gasket from shutting completely, like stuck on food. In our experience, we’ve found that jellies are commonly the culprit when it comes to one of the most common refrigerator repair problems. Wipe away any food on your door gasket to ensure a tight seal.
Gaskets will also dry out or peel off over time, so if you’ve got an older model of fridge, take a look to make sure your gasket is attached properly and isn’t cracking or showing signs of age.
Refrigerator Won’t Cool
One of the most frustrating refrigerator problems is a fridge that won’t get cold or stay cold. Obviously, this is something that needs to be fixed right away, or you could end up losing tons of money on wasted food. Here are the most common reasons for a refrigerator that doesn’t cool:
- Incorrect Temperature Setting
- Dirty Condenser Coils
- Too Many Items in Fridge
- Broken Condenser or Evaporator Fan Motor
- Defective Temperature Control Thermostat
- Defective Control Board
- Compressor Malfunction
Most of these issues will need to be addressed by a certified repair technician. Trying to fix the issue yourself could end up voiding your warranty or causing more problems that will need to be fixed later.
Noisy Refrigerator
There are several things that can cause your refrigerator to make odd noises. These noises can range from high-pitched squealing to rattling and vibration. We regularly get calls from people asking us to fix their noisy refrigerators, and we’ve found these parts to be the most common problems:
- Fan Blade – The evaporator fan blade can get misaligned, causing it to rub or rattle against the housing.
- Evaporator Fan Motor – When an evaporator fan motor malfunctions, it usually makes a lot of noise. The noise will be significantly louder when the door is open.
- Water Inlet Valve – Mineral deposits from your water can accumulate in the water inlet valve, causing it to be noisy. The noise will be most noticeable when the ice maker is filling.
