Want to know how to fix a Frigidaire refrigerator that is freezing up? Read this article to learn how…
Table of Contents
Frigidaire Refrigerator Freezing Up – What to Do
If you find that your Frigidaire side by side refrigerator is freezing up, here is what to check:
1. Evaporator Unit
Check the evaporator unit behind the rear panel of the freezer section. You will have to open the panel to take a look at the coils and the motor. Check the fan motor for life by turning the blades of the fan by hand. If they don’t spin well, the motor is bad. But if they do, test the windings of the motor using a multi-tester. If you find no continuity, the motor is bad and should be replaced.
In the event the motor is not the problem, then the coils could be. If the coils are frozen, that will explain the frost buildup. Thaw them by manually defrosting the refrigerator. Leave it unplugged for about 24 hours so that all the ice will defrost. Plug it in again and see if the freezing continues.
However, the frost buildup on the coils means something is wrong with the defrost system of the side-by-side. That takes us to the next point…
2. Defrost System
If any component of the defrost system of the Frigidaire side-by-side is faulty, it will affect the freezing capacity of the unit. But checking the system is technical as it consists of a heater, a timer and a control board. You will need to find a qualified technician to help you check the components one by one and find the faulty one.
Note: These steps apply to all Frigidaire refrigerator models, including the side-by-side and French-door models.
Frigidaire Refrigerator Coils Freezing Up – What to Check
Check the defrost system of the refrigerator. The system has a heater, a timer and a control board. The defrost heater is right under the evaporator coils, which are behind the rear panel of the freezer section of the refrigerator. If the coils are freezing up, then the heater is not coming on to defrost the ice.
And if the heater is not coming on, then it could be faulty or the defrost timer is stuck on the cooling mode. Additionally, it could be that the control board is defective.
To check all of these, you will need to find a technician to accurately diagnose where the fault is and fix it.
Why Does My Frigidaire Refrigerator Keep Freezing Up?
Your Frigidaire refrigerator keeps freezing up due to any one or more of the following reasons:
1. Faulty Thermistor
The thermistor keeps an eye on the temperature of the air and transfers what it reads to the control board. With this result, the control sends power to the evaporator fan and the compressor. If the thermistor is faulty, it will send the wrong readings to the fan and compressor. Then, they will overperform, causing the refrigerator to become too cold.
With a multimeter, test the resistance of the thermistor. If it does not change with the temperature of the refrigerator or there is no continuity, the thermistor is bad and should be replaced.
2. Defective Thermostat
The thermostat is responsible for directing voltage to the evaporator fan motor, compressor and, where it applies, to the condenser fan motor. If it doesn’t do this efficiently, the refrigerant could run too much and cause the refrigerator to get too cold.
Check the thermostat by turning the knob from the lowest setting to the highest setting. If you don’t hear a click when you get to the end of the dial, test for continuity. If there is no continuity, the thermostat is bad and must be replaced.
3. Broken Air Damper
The damper closes and opens in order to let in the right amount of cold air into the refrigerator. If it is broken and remains open or doesn’t close as it should, too much cold air will get into the refrigerator. This, in turn, will make the section too cold.
Check it by taking a look between the fresh food compartment and the freezer. If it is only partially closed or all the way open, change it.
Why Does My Frigidaire Ice Maker Keep Freezing Up?
Several issues can cause the ice maker in your Frigidaire refrigerator to freeze up. The first thing to check is the temperature setting in the freezer. It may be lower than the recommended settings, which affects the amount of cold air flowing in the section. Adjust the temperature setting if that is the case, and see if it fixes the ice maker issue.
However, if the problem persists, check the following:
1. Water Line
The water line may be frozen due to extremely low temperatures inside the refrigerator and outside the house. In winter, you do not need to lower the freezer or refrigerator temperature. Increase it if you notice food freezing. This nay also affect the ice maker and water line.
2. Water Pressure
The ideal water pressure in any refrigerator is between 20 and 60 psi. If it is lower or higher than this range, the water will overflow and freeze or not be enough and the ice maker contnues to generate too much cold air, freezing everything. testthe water pressure with a prssure gauge,and if it is too low or too high, have a plumber fix it or usea pressure regulator.
3. Water Inlet Valve
A defective inlet alve can cause the ice maker to overfill with water. The inlet valve regulates the amount of water flowing into the ice maker. It ensures the ice mold does not overfill by opening for seven seconds and closing afterward. You can run a check with a multimeter or have a technician fix the part and replace it if necessary.
4. Ice Maker Fill Tube
The fill tube is the pipe that connects directly to the ice maker. It feeds it with water from the inlet valve. If it is clogged or frozen, the ice maker will have no water, which causes it to freeze while it runs without water. Clear the fill tube and ensure it is not damaged to fix the freezing ice maker.
Note that the ice maker may be faulty, which can cause it to overfill or freeze. Therefore, have a technician test individual parts and replace the defective ones, or replace the entire ice maker assembly.
Frigidaire French Door Refrigerator Ice Maker Freezing Up – What to Check
If the ice maker in your Frigidaire French door refrigerator keeps freezing up, check the following and fix:
1. Water Filter
A clogged water filter will affect the water pressure. The flow of water will be impeded, causing the ice maker not to have enough water to freeze. Consequently, it will overwork and freeze up. Simply change the water filter.
2. Freezer Temperature
Water will freeze too quickly if the freezer temperature is too cold. Just set the temperature to a medium setting, say, -18 degrees Celsius or 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Ice Maker
Check the motor of the ice maker motor or the circuit board if it has one. If any of these is faulty, it could make the ice maker freeze. Get a qualified technician to check it for you to see if the problem is coming from it.
4. Ice Fill Chute
You can check behind the ice maker to find this part. If it is clogged with ice, it won’t be able to supply water to the ice maker. This will cause the ice maker to freeze. Thaw the ice with hot water in a baster.
5. Water Line
Pushing the water line too deeply into the valve will result in a splashback effect. The water that spills out will then freeze around the ice maker. Be sure that the water line is properly positioned so that there will be no splashback.
6. Water Inlet Valve
If the valve is defective, it could cause water to fill the ice cube area, more than is needed. In the end, the excess water freezes, leaving the ice maker frozen.
With a multimeter, check the solenoid to be sure it is working. If it is not, replace the solenoid.
Note: These steps also work for other Frigidaire refrigerator models.
Here is a video showing why an ice maker freezes up…
Frigidaire Refrigerator Evaporator Fan Motor Freezing Up – Solutions
You can take a look at the evaporator fan motor. If it is faulty, it will affect the moisture that gets to the fan. This is because it won’t work efficiently to blow it away. Instead, it will form around the fan and freeze.
Check for any air leak from holes where screws enter or from loose gaskets. Air leaks will affect the fan’s performance.
Also, check the defrost drain. If it is clogged, water from the defrost process will not reach the drain pan and so, will evaporate. Instead, it will freeze.
In addition to the above, check the thermostat. If it is defective, the heater will not defrost ice as it should. This will cause a buildup of frost.
Watch this video to learn how to fix a frozen evaporator fan…
Frigidaire Refrigerator Freezer Freezing Up – Quick Fix
Check the evaporator coils behind the panel of the freezer. If they are frozen over, then something is wrong with the defrost system. It is either the heater is not working, the timer is faulty, the thermostat is bad or the control is broken.
Contact the Frigidaire Service Center and have someone take a look at it and fix it. But first, defrost the freezer manually by leaving it unplugged for a day. This will defrost the coils.
Why Is My Frigidaire Upright Freezer Not Freezing?
1. Broken Door Seal
If the door seal is not working properly anymore or if it has holes, the cold air will leak and cause a drop in the cooling capacity of the freezer. Replace the seal and always close the door properly.
Sometimes, this explains why the top shelf of the freezer is not freezing but the bottom shelf is freezing.
2. Faulty Thermostat
Check the thermostat to be sure it is still working. Turn it from low to high and listen for a click. If you hear none, it is broken and won’t be able to regulate the temperature of the freezer efficiently.
3. Evaporator Fan Motor
Check the fan motor by turning the blades of the fan. If there is any restriction, the motor has a problem. But if there is no restriction, test the windings of the motor with a multimeter. If there is no reading, the motor is bad.
You can also check it by manually activating the freezer door switch and checking the motor. If it doesn’t run even with the activated switch, replace it.
A bad evaporator fan means there will be no cold air in the freezer.
4. Evaporator Coils
Frozen evaporator coils means they will perform poorly in removing heat from the freezer. Remove the ice manually by leaving the freezer unplugged for some hours. But you should also check the defrost heater for faults because it is supposed to defrost the coils during the defrost cycle.
5. Start Relay
Test the relay for continuity between the start and run terminals. If there is no continuity or you smell a burnt odor, the relay is bad must be replaced.
Without the relay, the compressor will find it hard to even run or could run but only intermittently. So, the freezer will not get cold.
Below is a video to further explain how to fix a Frigidaire upright freezer not freezing…
Important Note
Fixing a poorly freezing refrigerator and freezer can be a huge feat. So don’t force it if you find that it is proving to be more than you can handle. Find a good and trusted technician to help you fix it. Better still, let a Frigidaire service agent fix it and save you some money, especially if you have an active warranty.
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