Is your Kenmore fridge freezing food and you need to stop this, then you are in the right place. In this article, we will discuss the most common reasons why your Kenmore fridge is freezing food. We will also give solutions to each problem.
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How Do I Stop My Kenmore fridge From Freezing Food
To stop your Kenmore fridge from freezing food, try out the following solutions.
1. Turn Up the Temperature
A possible reason your Kenmore fridge keeps freezing food is a low temperature.
The temperature of your fridge should be set between 37° to 42 °F. If it is anything below this, we advise that you turn up the temperature.
2. Keep Food Away From Air Vents
There is a certain point in your fridge that is considered a cold spot. This is an area where the fridge’s air vent is located.
The air vents are used to supply cold air from the freezer to the fridge. If you store your food close to the cold spot, it may begin to freeze.
Simply locate the air vents and keep your food away from them to solve this issue.
3. Diagnose and Replace Faulty Parts
There are some parts of your fridge that when bad will make the fridge colder than desired. A few of these parts can be repaired and some need to be replaced altogether.
You can diagnose these parts by yourself. However, replacing some of these parts is complex and you may need the help of a repair technician.
Below, we will discuss these parts and how you can diagnose them. We will also walk you through replacing the less complex ones.
i. Thermistor
The thermistor reads the air temperature of the fridge and sends the reading to the temperature control board. This enables the temperature control board to direct the required voltage to the refrigerant system.
A bad thermistor will result in the fridge being too cold or hot. To check for fault in your thermistor, get a multimeter, and ensure continuity between the thermistor’s resistance and the fridge’s temperature.
Check out this video for further explanation.
How to Replace a Kenmore Fridge Thermistor
If the thermistor is bad, then you have to replace it. Follow the procedures below to do this…
Step 1: Disconnect the fridge from the power supply.
Step 2: Locate the thermistor; it could be located at the fridge’s back or sidewall or ceiling. Detach the cover of the thermistor and then pull it out.
Step 3: Remove the thermistor from the mounting clip and disconnect the wires. Then remove the thermistor.
Step 4: Get the new thermistor and attach it to the mounting clips. Reconnect the wires accordingly.
Step 5: Reattach the cover and then connect the fridge back to the power supply.
ii. Damper
The damper controls the amount of cold air that is supplied to the fridge. If the damper is faulty, it may stay open, causing too much cold air to enter the fridge.
You need to look to see if the damper is broken. Simply locate the damper control assembly in your fridge. Remove the screws attaching it to the fridge and take it out. You will be able to access the damper now.
If it broken, get a new damper suitable for your fridge and replace it.
iii. Thermostat Control
The thermostat control turns the fridge off and on periodically to monitor the fridge’s air temperature. It also directs voltage to the refrigerant system.
A malfunctioning thermostat control will cause the fridge’s compressor to overwork. This in turn will lead to the fridge being too cold and freezing food.
To check if the thermostat is malfunctioning, do the following:
i. Keep the fridge on and ensure the compressor is running.
ii. Rotate the temperature dial from the lowest to the highest.
iii. Listen closely for a click as you do this. The click sound is an indication that the refrigerant system has shut down.
iv. If you hear the click sound, then the thermostat is in good working condition.
v. If there is no click, it’s most likely that the thermostat control is defective and should be replaced.
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How to Replace a Kenmore Fridge Thermostat Control
To replace the thermostat control of your Kenmore fridge, do the following…
Step 1: Remove the shelving and screws; then take out the damper covers and conduit.
Step 2: Remove the sensor of the thermostat from the damper and remove the control panel.
Step 3: Remove all the wires connected to the thermostat
Step 4: Take out the old control thermostat from its housing and insert the new one.
Step 4: Place the insulation of the old control thermostat on the new one.
Step 5: Put back the control panel, plug back all the wires and screws.
Step 6: Replace the damper covers and conduit in position and tighten the screws back on.
iv. Main Control Board/ Temperature Control Board
The main control board regulates the voltage that is supplied to all parts of the fridge. While a temperature control board directs voltage to the refrigerant systems.
If faulty, both these parts can send continuous voltage to the compressor and evaporator fan. And will result in the fridge being too cold.
These should only be considered if the other solutions do not solve the problem. The main control board is difficult to diagnose and the temperature control board is rarely the issue.
We recommend that you contact a repair technician if any of these need replacement.
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