The situation when the refrigeration chamber stops cooling food while The freezer compartment continues to operate normally, which is one of the most common problems among owners of household appliances. This behavior of the unit often takes you by surprise, because visually the device seems to be working: the light is on, the motor is humming, and ice is forming on the back wall of the freezer. However, this symptom cannot be ignored, since a violation of the temperature regime in the upper compartment will quickly lead to spoilage of products.
The reasons for such dysfunction can be hidden both in banal operating errors and in complex technical breakdowns of the refrigerant circulation units or control system. It is important to understandwhich is the design of most modern models, be it Indesit, Atlant or Bosch, are designed so that the cold is first generated in the freezer and then distributed into the refrigerating compartment. If this process is disrupted, it means that the obstacle is located precisely in the path of cold air movement or in its supply mechanism.
Before calling a technician or buying a new unit, it is worth conducting an initial diagnosis. In many cases, the problem can be solved by simply defrosting or adjusting settings that do not require special tools. Below we will analyze in detail the algorithm of actions that will help identify the cause of the failure and, possibly, eliminate it yourself.
Primary diagnostics and checking settings
The first step should always be to check the user settings and loading status of the cameras. It often happens that an accidental temperature change or too dense loading of food blocks normal air circulation. Make sure that the temperature regulator is not set to the minimum value, and the air duct dampers are not blocked by pots or bags.
Pay attention to how long ago the defrosting was carried out. Even in systems No Frost the evaporator may gradually become coated with ice if the drainage hole is clogged with crumbs or dirt. If you notice that the back wall of the refrigerator compartment is covered with a “coat” of frost or, conversely, is absolutely dry and warm, this is an important diagnostic sign.
Check the tightness of the sealing rubber on the refrigerator door. If the rubber is worn out, contaminated with grease, or simply does not fit due to the door being skewed, warm air enters inside. The compressor will work continuously, trying to compensate for heat loss, but due to the design features, the cold can only accumulate in the freezer, without reaching the top in the required volume.
Full defrosting as a method of eliminating ice jams
The most common and easily eliminated reason why a refrigerator stops freezing in the upper compartment is the formation of ice called "ice plug" in the cold air supply channel. In systems with manual defrosting or a drip system (Drip System), moisture condenses on the back wall, flows into the drain and freezes. Over time, ice blocks the channel, and cold air from the freezer stops flowing into the refrigerator compartment.
To eliminate this problem, you must completely defrost the unit. This is not just turning off for a couple of hours, but a long procedure that takes from 12 to 24 hours. Critical important keep the doors open all this time so that the ice inside the air ducts has time to melt and evaporate. If you turn off the refrigerator for 3-4 hours and turn it on again, the ice plug may remain, and the problem will return in a day.
☑️ Correct defrosting algorithm
After defrosting is complete, turn on the refrigerator and let it run idle for 2-3 hours. During this time, the system should reach operating mode. If after a few hours the temperature in the upper chamber began to drop, then the problem was precisely the ice blockage. In the future, keep the drainage hole clean and do not put warm foods inside.
Malfunctions of the No Frost system and defrosting heating elements
B In refrigerators with a system No Frost the situation looks different: there is no ice on the visible walls, since the evaporator is hidden behind a plastic panel. If the refrigerator does not freeze the top, but the freezer works, the defrost heating element or timer is often to blame. The system is designed so that the fan drives the cold from the evaporator into the chambers. If the evaporator becomes overgrown with ice due to a non-working heating element, the fan stops pumping air, and the cold remains in the freezer.
It is difficult to diagnose a breakdown of the heating element or defrost thermostat without disassembling the back panel, but you can pay attention to indirect signs. For example, if the back wall of the freezer is covered with a thick layer of ice, but the refrigerator compartment is warm, this is a sure sign that the defrost cycle is not starting. In such cases, replacement of the heating element or sensor is required.
⚠️ Attention: Replacing the heating element yourself requires disassembling the inside of the freezer and having a multimeter to check the circuit. It is better for inexperienced users to contact a specialist, as there is a risk of damaging the plastic latches or breaking the seal.
It is also worth checking the fan. If it stops due to icing of the blades or motor failure, air circulation stops completely. In some models Samsung or LG when the fan stops, a characteristic crackling or humming sound is heard, which may indicate the nature of the malfunction.
Problems with the compressor and freon leakage
A more serious reason why the upper chamber does not work lies in refrigerant circulation problems. In two-compressor models, a separate motor is responsible for each chamber, and everything is simple: if the top doesn’t cool, it means the top compressor has died. However, in most budget and mid-range models there is only one compressor, and it pumps freon through a single circuit.
If a freon leak occurs, the pressure is not enough to drive the refrigerant through the entire circuit to the evaporator of the refrigeration chamber. The gas only reaches the freezer, cools it, but does not reach the top or does not reach the top in sufficient quantity. Signs of a leak include long operation of the compressor without shutting down, hot side walls (in places where they should be heated) and the absence of the characteristic noise of flowing liquid.
| Symptom | Probable cause | Necessary actions |
|---|---|---|
| The compressor hums, but does not turn off | Freon leak or capillary blockage | Call a technician to find a leak and refill |
| The compressor turns on for 10-20 seconds and clicks | Malfunction of the start relay or compressor | Replacing the start protection relay |
| The freezer is freezing, the top is warm | Ice plug or leak | Complete defrosting (24 hours), then diagnostics |
| Frost only at the entrance of the tubes | Partial leak or blockage | Requires professional repair |
Restoring the tightness of the circuit and charging with freon are works that cannot be done at home without a vacuum pump, a pressure gauge station and a supply of refrigerant. Attempts to simply “add gas” without eliminating the leak will give a temporary effect for several weeks.
Why can’t you ignore the wear and tear of the compressor?
If the compressor works without stopping, trying to compensate for the leak, its windings overheat. This can lead to an interturn short circuit and complete combustion of the motor, the replacement of which costs up to 50% of the cost of a new refrigerator.
Clogged capillary tube and malfunction of sensors
Another technical reason for the lack of cold in the upper chamber is a clogged capillary tube. There are very narrow areas in the freon circulation system where oil oxidation products or moisture can accumulate over time, turning into an ice or dirt plug. This disrupts the pressure in the system: in the freezer it is still sufficient for cooling, but in the refrigerator compartment it drops to zero.
Only a specialist can diagnose a blockage by the nature of the noise of the operating compressor and the temperature of the filter-drier. To eliminate the malfunction, it is necessary to purge the system with nitrogen at high pressure or replace the capillary tube. This is a complex procedure, comparable in labor intensity to repairing a leak.
Temperature sensors are worth mentioning separately. In modern models with electronic control (Electrolux, Beko), sensors and solenoid valves are responsible for the distribution of cold. If the sensor “lies” and shows that the chamber is already cold, the controller will not open the damper or turn on the fan. You can check this by switching the refrigerator to super-freeze mode: if after a few hours the cold has not appeared, the problem is in the “electronics” or the mechanics of the damper.
⚠️ Attention: Control interfaces and error codes differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. If the alarm icon lights up on the display, check with the official instructions for your model, since the same symbols can mean different malfunctions for Indesit and Bosch.
When you need to call a professional technician
To summarize, we can identify situations where self-repair is not only useless, but also dangerous. If after defrosting for a day the problem does not disappear, then the problem is a technical malfunction of the components. Attempts to disassemble a sealed circuit, solder pipes or change a compressor without a license and equipment are prohibited.
In addition, if you hear a burning smell, see sparking in the compressor area, or feel that the motor is operating unnaturally loudly and with vibration, immediately turn off the power to the device. Operation of such a unit can lead to a fire or electric shock.
A professional technician will arrive with the necessary supply of spare parts: heating elements, sensors, filter-drier and freon. He will carry out diagnostics with a multimeter, check the pressure in the system and give a guarantee for the work performed. Remember that high-quality repairs are often cheaper than buying a new refrigerator to replace spoiled products and a failed unit.
How long should defrosting last to remove the ice jam?
To completely eliminate the ice plug in the cold exhaust channel, the refrigerator must stand unplugged from the network with the doors open for at least 24 hours. A short defrosting of 3-5 hours will melt the visible ice, but the ice plug in the depths of the case may remain, and the problem will return after 1-2 days of operation.
Is it possible to use a refrigerator if the upper chamber does not freeze?
You can only use the refrigerator in this mode for a short time (1-2 days) while you carry out diagnostics or wait for a technician. Operating the compressor for a long time without turning it off (due to the fact that it cannot reach the temperature) will lead to its overheating and failure. The food in the upper chamber will quickly deteriorate.
Why did the refrigerator start to freeze after defrosting, but after a week it stopped again?
This is a classic sign of a malfunction of the defrosting system (heating element, defrost sensor or timer) in No Frost models, or repeated formation of an ice plug due to a loose door. The system again becomes overgrown with ice, which blocks the air supply channel. Replacement of defective elements of the defrost system is required.
Is replacing a compressor expensive?
Replacing a compressor is one of the most expensive types of repairs, as it includes the cost of a new motor, consumables (freon, filter, solder) and the complex work of soldering and vacuuming the system. Often the cost of such repairs is 40-60% of the price of a new refrigerator, so the feasibility of repair depends on the age and class of the model.