GE Freezer Not Freezing [Solutions]

Is your GE freezer not freezing? There are different reasons why this happens. In this article, we discuss them and how to fix them.

GE Appliances 3.1 Cubic Foot Freestanding Double Door Compact Refrigerator, White

Why Is GE Refrigerator Freezer Not Freezing?

Several issues can cause the freezer part of your GE refrigerator to stop freezing. Before going into a detailed repair process, check the door seal. It may be weak or dirty, keeping it from sealing tightly. While the seal is one of the easiest fixes, it is often overlooked. So, consider cleaning it if dirty or replace it if weak.

Another reason for the fault is dirty condenser coils. Dirty coils can affect the entire refrigerator, but they have more bearing on the freezer. The reason is that the freezer section needs more compressor power to cool and freeze than the refrigerator section. If the coils are significantly dirty, the compressor overheats and may shut off as a protective measure.

Overstocking the freezer plays a role in how well it cools. If you put too much in the freezer, the cold air cannot circulate as it should. Consequently, the freezer stops freezing; sometimes, it stops cooling while the refrigerator section continues cooling. You may want to reduce the items and see if its freezing capacity improves.

These are the primary reasons your GE freezer is not freezing. However, they are not the only reasons, and we explain other possible causes below in detail.

GE Freezer Not Freezing – How to Fix

If your GE freezer is not freezing, faults in the following parts of the refrigerator are the possible reasons:

1. Evaporator Fan Motor

Open the door of the freezer and activate the door switch manually. When you activate the switch and find that the evaporator fan motor does not run, then you know it is bad. Replace it.

The fan is responsible for drawing air over the evaporator coils so that the air can circulate in the freezer. If the motor of the fan is faulty, the fan won’t be able to perform its duty efficiently. Consequently, the GE freezer will not freeze or cool.

2. Condenser Coils

Some freezers have the condenser coils within the walls of the freezer so they can’t be reached easily. But if the coils of your freezer are under or behind the freezer, move the freezer to check if they are dirty. Clean them well if they and maintain the cleaning process every 6 months.

If the condenser coils are dirty, they will not be able to efficiently remove heat from the refrigerant. This, in turn, will carry the heat to the freezer and make it grow warm. When this happens, it reduces the freezer’s cooling capacity.

3. Evaporator Coils

If your GE freezer is not freezing, check the evaporator coils. Frost on the evaporator coils reduces their efficiency. The coils make the cold air that makes the freezer to freeze. If they have a frost buildup on them, they won’t be able to perform maximally. In the same vein, if they have dust on them, it will impede their performance.

Open the inside rear panel of the freezer to locate the evaporator coils. If you find that there is frost on them, thaw it by manually defrosting the freezer.

To manually defrost it, remove every item in the freezer. Store perishable items in another freezer or wrap them in newspapers and store them in a cooler.

Unplug the refrigerator and place towels or rags around the base of the freezer to absorb water from the melting ice. Leave the door of the freezer open and give it about 24 hours to fully defrost. This will take care of the frost on the coils.

However, this is an indication that something is wrong with the defrost system of the unit. That is if the freezer has an automatic defrost system. It should go into an automatic cycle and take care of the evaporator coils.

The likeliest defective component is the defrost heater. So test the continuity of the heater using a multimeter. If there is no continuity, replace the heater but if there is, test the defrost timer.

To test the timer, turn it anti-clockwise with your hand or with a flathead screwdriver. The defrost heater should come on as the compressor and fans go off. If this happens, then you know that the timer is the defective component and you should replace it.

4. Start Relay

Remove the start relay from the side of the compressor to check if it is bad. Remember to unplug the freezer first before you do this. See if the relay has a burnt smell. If it doesn’t, test for continuity between its start and run terminals. If there is no continuity, replace the relay.

Without the start relay, it is possible the compressor will not run at all. And if the compressor does not run, the freezer will not cool or freeze.

5. Temperature Control Thermostat

Turn the thermostat from the lowest point to the highest point and wait to hear a click. The click tells you that the thermostat is working fine. So if you hear it, the thermostat is fine but if you don’t, test it for continuity using a multimeter. If there is no continuity, replace the thermostat.

The thermostat is responsible for directing voltage to the motors of the fan and the compressor. If it cannot do this, then the refrigerant system will not operate at all. Thus, the freezer will not cool or freeze.

In rare cases, the fault could be from either the compressor, the user control and display board or the main control board. Even rarer is the cause of the problem being from a leak in the sealed system. However, it can happen. So if you check all the parts above and none is defective, check the boards, the compressor and the sealed system for leaks.

You will need the services of a qualified refrigerator technician, especially for the sealed system check. So contact GE and request service or find a trusted technician. They are in a better position to ascertain if your GE freezer not freezing is from leakage or something minor.

Watch this video to learn more about fixing a freezer that is not freezing…

Check out these other related articles…

GE Ice Maker Not Freezing – What to Check

In the event the ice maker in your GE refrigerator is not freezing in order to make ice, check the following:

1. Water Filter

If the water filter in the refrigerator is up to 6 months and has not been changed, it will be clogged and impede the flow of water to the ice maker. Change the water filter and replace it every 6 months.

And if you live in an area where a lot of construction work goes on, you will need to replace the filter more frequently. This is because there will be a lot of dust flying around in the air. So the water filter will get clogged faster.

2. Refrigerator Temperature

The temperature inside the refrigerator affects the freezing ability of the ice maker. If you set the temperature too low, the ice maker will not freeze or make ice.

Set the temperature of the freezer at 0⁰F and the temperature of the refrigerator at 37⁰F. Doing this will speed the freezing of the ice maker and the production of ice.

3. Ice Maker

One part of the ice maker or the entire ice maker could be defective. If this is the case, then the ice maker will not be able to freeze up to the point of making ice.

You may need the help of refrigerator technician to check different parts of the ice maker such as the fan, the inlet valve and the water line. After checking and none of these parts is faulty, you will probably need to replace the ice maker itself.

4. Water Pressure

Low water pressure will affect the ability of the ice maker to freeze and produce ice. The water inlet valve that supplies the water to the ice maker needs at least 20psi to work. So if the pressure is low, the ice maker will not be able to get enough water to freeze and make ice.

GE freezer not freezing — Photo Credit: Pixy.org

GE Refrigerator Not Cooling or Freezing – What to Do

If you find that your GE refrigerator is not cooling or freezing, check the following and fix them:

1. Check the Condenser Fan Motor

Turn the blades of the fan to see if they turn without a hitch. If they turn without a hitch, then the motor is probably good. But if they don’t turn freely, it is an indicator that something is wrong with the motor. To make sure, test the motor with a multimeter to check for continuity. If there is no continuity, replace the fan motor.

The condenser fan is responsible for drawing air through the condenser coils and taking it over the compressor. If it can’t do this effectively, the compressor will heat up and cause the refrigerator to get warm.

2. Check the Evaporator Fan Motor

Try to turn the fan blades with your hand to see if they turn without restriction. If they turn freely, then the motor may not be faulty. But if there is a restriction when you try to turn them, the motor could be bad. To be sure, test the windings of the motor to check for continuity. If you don’t find continuity, replace the motor.

If the evaporator fan motor is faulty, the fan won’t be able to circulate the cold air in the refrigerator. The freezer could remain somewhat cold but the refrigerating section will not cool.

3. Check the Condenser Coils

Check the condenser coils, usually at the base behind the refrigerator, to see if they are dirty. If they are, take the soft brush head of a vacuum cleaner and clean them thoroughly. Then, dust any remaining dirt with a soft cloth. Repeat this process every 6 months.

Doing this will keep the coils in top shape, able to release heat from the refrigerant and condense it as it passes through them. This way, the refrigerant won’t carry the heat into the refrigerator, causing the unit to work extra hard to keep cool. This will ramp up the heat in the refrigerator and reduce its cooling capacity.

4. Check the Temperature Control Thermostat

Turn the temperature control thermostat from the lowest to the highest setting to see if you will hear a click. If you hear the click, the thermostat is functioning. But if you don’t hear the click, test it with a multimeter to check for continuity. If you don’t find continuity at any temperature setting, replace the thermostat.

Without the thermostat, there will be no voltage directed to the fan motors and the compressor. And if these parts of the refrigerator do not run, the refrigerant system won’t work. So, the refrigerator will not cool.

5. Check the Start Relay

With a multimeter, test the start relay between the start and run terminals for continuity. If there is no continuity or if the start relay smells burnt, replace it as soon as possible.

The compressor runs with the help of the start relay. If the relay is defective, it is possible the compressor will not run. And if the compressor doesn’t run, the refrigerator will not cool.

6. Check the Start Capacitor

Test the start capacitor using a multimeter to see if it has continuity. If there is no reading, replace the capacitor because it is bad.

The start capacitor sends a power boost to the compressor to enable it to start. It is possible the compressor will not start at all if the capacitor is defective.

7. Check the Thermistor

To know if the thermistor or temperature sensor of the refrigerator is faulty, run a test on it using a multimeter. You should find its resistance changing along with the temperature of the refrigerator. If this doesn’t happen and you don’t find continuity in the thermistor, replace it.

The control board is able to regulate power to the evaporator fan motor and the compressor based on the temperature reading of the refrigerator sent by the thermistor. A bad thermistor will send wrong readings or no readings at all. And if this happens, the fan and compressor may not run, leaving the refrigerator warm.

Other refrigerator parts that could contribute to its inability to cool or freeze are the compressor, temperature control board and main control board. However, they are hardly ever the cause of the problem.

So it is important that you run a diagnostic on the other parts first before touching any of the boards or compressor. If you find it difficult to check them, contact a refrigerator technician to check and fix them.

Here is a video to further explain the cooling and freezing problem in your GE refrigerator…

Important Note

To find out why your GE freezer is not freezing, it is important to unplug it from the wall socket it is connected to before touching any part of it. To keep you safe, this is the first step. But you also do this in order to keep your refrigerator from damage.

Get Instant Help — Ask An Experienced Verified Appliance Technician

Need expert help? Click here to use the chat box on this page to speak with a verified appliance technician right away. No need for expensive in-home service calls. No appointments. No waiting.