Reality dictates that many things in life will let you down, but, quite honestly, a failing freezer should not be one of them. Even more so if you have recently stocked up for the months ahead and you suddenly walk into uncertainty in the kitchen.
In the event of a freezer issue, the best course of action is to switch the unit off and then determine the cause and extent of the problem after consulting the user manual supplied with every GE refrigerator. Most often, icing up is the fundamental cause.
As you will see, very little can go wrong with the freezer, and most are easily repairable for the home handyman or woman. This article will discuss the various problems related to freezing, thawing, clogging, etc., that you may find in GE Refrigerator units, including their freezer section.
GE Refrigerator Freezer Problems
GE has been in the business of producing high-quality refrigerators for over 125 years, and you can have every confidence in any GE refrigerator and freezer and the after-sales service. Between your owner’s manual and this article, there will be very few problems you cannot rectify.
Before rushing to repair or replace a freezer part, make sure that there is a fault in the first place. A strange noise might be the clicking of a thermostat switch or water dripping on a hot pipe during defrosting. A build-up of ice might be due to a door not closing fully.
GE Refrigerator Freezer Ice Build-up
Freezers of any kind will suffer a build-up of frost if left unchecked, and sometimes your freezer can build up ice very quickly for no apparent reason at all. I suggest that you check for ice build-up whenever you open the freezer door rather than leave this to get out of hand.
The Defrost Timer, Thermostat, and freezer door should be checked by you first. The thermostat might not provide accurate readings, or the defrost timer may be iced up or broken. Close a standard piece of paper in the door jam and pull gently. If it releases reasonably quickly, your door’s seal will need replacing.
GE Refrigerator Freezer Not Working/Cooling
Be aware of the hum that the fridge/freezer produces so that if there is suddenly no sound coming from the unit, you will know that something is amiss. You may find that this lack of sound is often accompanied by noticeably warm air escaping when you open the door, depending on how long the refrigerator/freezer has had no power.
First things first:
- Check the freezer has power.
- Open the door and check if the light comes on.
- Confirm the compressor is working by feeling the size for vibrations
- Check the control board for any visible signs of damage. If nothing is visible, consult a trained technician if your refrigerator/freezer is still under warranty.
GE Refrigerator Freezer Stopped Working
If your freezer suddenly stops working, you need to determine if the freezer is getting power from the wall outlet. Check the usual suspects detailed below, and remember to be careful around electricity, even if it appears the supply is off.
- Check any fuses
- Check that the interior light comes on when you open the door.
- If you have power, the chances are good that your compressor has stopped working.
- Place your hand on or near the compressor, checking for the vibrations to confirm it is working. If not, it will need replacing.
GE Refrigerator Freezer Cold but Not Freezing
A cold freezer is as helpful as a chocolate steering wheel on a NASCAR ride. The freezer box’s entire point is to keep goods frozen – not cold – sometimes for months. Anything less than this is going to cost you money, in increased running costs and spoiled food. Keep the temperatures as low as the freezer will allow. In this way, if there is a problem, you can solve it with minimal financial loss.
Turn the dial thermostat as far to the left as it will go. If you don’t hear a click, you may need to replace the thermostat. If you do hear the click, the thermostat is working, so progress to the defrost sensor. Have a trained technician assist you in checking the Control Board.
GE Refrigerator Freezer Not Cold Enough
A freezer freezes food if the temperatures inside it are zero degrees Celcius / 32 degrees Fahrenheit or less. Anything less than this, and you have an extremely cold refrigerator rather than a freezer, and your food cannot last long in this situation. ‘Cold enough’ in a freezer is frozen.
Turn the dial thermostat as far to the left as it will go. If you don’t hear a click, you may need to replace the thermostat. A click would suggest that it’s working, so check the defroster next. Have a trained technician assist you in checking the Control Board.
GE Refrigerator Freezer Not Freezing
Provided the unit is getting cold, this is not a lack of electricity but can almost certainly be attributed to the thermostat, control board, or defrost timer. Remember, the only temperature acceptable in a freezer is – freezing!
Turn the dial thermostat as far to the left as it will go. If you hear a click, the freezer will become colder and probably freeze. If no click, have the control board and defrost timer checked by a trained technician.
GE Refrigerator Freezer Thawing
A freezer should never thaw unless it does so under your control. If this is occurring, you will need to work swiftly to find the fault and rectify it before your food starts to spoil, but remain calm and follow the following steps:
- Check for power from the wall unit by opening the door and checking if the light comes on, listening for the usual refrigerator hum, or placing your hand against the fridge to feel if the normal vibration is present.
- Ensure the thermostat dial is turned far to the left (Anti-clockwise). If not, turn it now
- If your freezer is still thawing, the thermostat is likely broken and needs replacing, but remember to check the defrosting sensor, which might be open more than it should be.
GE Refrigerator Freezer Not Defrosting
A freezer that is no longer defrosting may have a damaged defrost sensor. Still, it could also be the thermostat giving a false reading or the control board that is misinterpreting the thermostat’s data and not instructing the defrost sensor to turn on.
Electrical power is not the issue here, or you would have no ice in the freezer. Your freezer’s defrost sensor is not functioning but is not necessarily the cause of the problem. Check also the thermostat and the control board, or have the latter done by a technician.
GE Refrigerator Freezer Keeps Defrosting
Provided your freezer has power, four things can cause a defrost problem on a GE electronic refrigerator, and they are:
- The control board might misinterpret readings and send incorrect signals out,
- The defrost thermostat may be damaged,
- The evaporator thermistor might be faulty and
- The defrost heater might have iced up in an open position
I suggest you use a qualified technician to check the control board and defrost heater, but you can check the thermostat in the usual manner by turning the dial to coldest and listening for the click. If your freezer is still defrosting, use the link in the source section to test the thermistor.
GE Refrigerator Freezer Drain Clogged
A clogged drain is rare, but you can quickly remedy this. (You may want to check this drain every three to six months)
Remove the ice from the drain hole with a piece of stiff wire or similar. Fill a syringe with cold water. Place the end of the syringe deep into the draining hole and force the water into the hole. This action should remove any remaining ice from the drain, thus unclogging it.
Handy Tip – Once you have cleared any of the errors and need to get the freezer temperature down quickly, use the TurboFreeze setting. This setting gives the freezer compartment a fast boost, cooling it swiftly after frequent door openings. This boost will maximize the cooling ability of the freezer compartment and can be used together with the cool compartment’s TurboCool setting for maximum effectiveness.
Always make sure you have disconnected the power to the fridge before attempting any action. (This includes sourcing the problem, not just repairing it)
Please consider that attempting any repair on a machine still under warranty yourself might render that warranty void. If your freezer is an older model, you might find that searching the web will assist you in finding any parts you need.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on April 25, 2021.