Dometic Refrigerator Freezing Up [How To Fix]

This article shows you what to check and do if your Dometic refrigerator is freezing up.

Table of Contents

Dometic Refrigerator Coils Freezing Up – Quick Fix

If the coils of your Dometic refrigerator are freezing up, check the following:

1. Defrost Heater

Assuming your Dometic refrigerator comes with a defrost assembly, which all modern refrigerators do, then check the heater. It is usually wrapped around the coils. Test it with a multimeter to see if it has continuity. If there is no reading on the multimeter, the heater is faulty and could be the reason for the frost buildup on the coils.

During the defrost cycle, the defrost heater comes on to defrost the frost on the coils. If it doesn’t do this, the ice will build up and with time, freeze the coils.

2. Defrost Timer

Locate the timer, usually at the back or inside the compartment that houses the temperature control inside the refrigerator. Turn it counterclockwise with your hand or with a screwdriver. Wait for a click. The compressor and fans should go off and the defrost heater should come on. If this happens as explained here, you know the timer is faulty. You shouldn’t have to turn it manually; it should come on automatically if it is in good working order.

3. Defrost Thermostat

Test the thermostat using a multimeter to see if it still has continuity. If there is no continuity, replace the thermostat.

The thermostat is responsible for sensing the coldness of the coils and allowing the heater to come on during the defrost cycle. If it is defective, it can’t allow the heater to work. Hence, the coils will freeze over time if they are not defrosted.

Additionally, how often you open and close the door of the refrigerator can affect the coils. Opening the door too often will let in a lot of humid outside air. The air which carries a lot of moisture will pass over the cold coils and condense. After some time, the condensate will refreeze and if this process continues, the coils will freeze.

Dometic RV Refrigerator Freezing Up – What to Do

Here are things you can do if a Dometic RV refrigerator is freezing up:

1. Check the Thermostat

If the temperature control thermostat is bad, it will affect the refrigerator. Turn the thermostat from low to high and wait for a click. The click will tell you the thermostat is working fine. But no click means the thermostat could be bad. To be sure, test it for continuity with a multimeter. If there is no continuity at any setting, replace it.

2. Check the Thermistor

Using a multimeter, check the thermistor. The resistance should change with the refrigerator temperature if the thermistor is working fine. If it doesn’t, check for continuity. If you don’t see continuity, change the thermistor.

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3. Check the Temperature Setting

You could have set the temperature too low, making the refrigerator too cold. So check the setting of the refrigerator’s temperature to be sure it is at the recommended point. If it is not, adjust it but if it is, try setting it one or two degrees higher. Watch it for a day or two to see if there is any change.

Here is a video that explains how to fix a Dometic refrigerator that is freezing up…

Check out these other in-depth articles on refrigerator freezing up for other refrigerator brands…

Important Note: Let a qualified technician look at your Dometic refrigerator and fix it for you if you are not sure of what to do. And always power off your refrigerator before any repair work begins. This is the first thing to do to keep yourself and your refrigerator safe.

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