I’m pretty good at repairing appliances and recently my partner let me know that our KitchenAid fridge isn’t cooling. I got to the bottom of the issue, and did a bunch of research about how to fix it, and thought I’d summarize how to get it working again.
Generally, this can happen if the surrounding air is too warm. This can happen if the fridge has been installed in the wrong location, the temperature isn’t set to the climate, or the weather is particularly hot. The fridge can also have turned off due to a power outage.
Other reasons are that the fridge has been turned off due to a power outage, the air vents are blocked, a large amount of food items have been placed in the fridge recently, or the door has been opened and closed a lot. Below, I will explain how to check to see what’s causing it step by step.
KitchenAid Fridge Not Cooling
I’ve noticed a clear indication a fridge isn’t working is when the fan at the back of the fridge isn’t blowing cool air, but there are also a range of issues it can be so below I’ll summarize the top 12 reasons why your KitchenAid fridge isn’t cooling and how what to do in each case.
- New install
- Cooling is turned off
- The power went out recently
- Vents blocked
- Dirty condenser coils
- The fridge is located in a garage
- Wrong temp setting
- It’s in ‘demo’ or ‘showroom’ mode
- Fridge next to a heat source
- Lots of food items recently added to the fridge
- Extra hot day
- Door open and closed often
1. New fridge install – it takes 24 hours to cool down
When you first install a fridge it can take as long as 24 hours to fully cool down to the right temperature. Just thought I’d cover this one first, as you simply need to give it more time if you’ve recently had your KitchenAid fridge installed.
Check back again once it has been on for 24 hours, and see if it’s the right temperature. If it’s not a new install or you’ve waited 24 hours then move on to the next step.
2. The cooling setting can have accidentally been turned off
There is a switch that turns the cooling function on and off, which can have been accidentally bumped or triggered while cleaning. Following a power surge or a power outage KitchenAid fridges can also need to be turned back on.
During a power surge the cooling switch can click off to protect the electrical components. Each KitchenAid fridge is slightly different in how you turn the cooling feature on and off, so it’s best to check the owners manual for your fridge make and model.
The model number is located on the inside of the fridge on the left wall. You can use your model number on the official KitchenAid website to find an online version of your owners manual.
3. Power outage gives your a error message that needs to be cleared
On certain KitchenAid fridges the digital display will show ‘PO’ or say power outage. It won’t cool down until the error message has been cleared. Press any button to acknowledge the message, and then press any other button to resume normal operation. It can take 30 minutes before you notice the temperature in your fridge begin to get cooler.
4. Air vents blocked by an item that is stopping cool air circulation
There are air vents in both the freezer and the fridge. They appear as grills or gills that allow cool air from the freezer to flow into the fridge. Or, from what is called the evaporator fan.
Visually inspect the interior of your fridge and freezer to check that the air vents aren’t blocked. They’re fairly easy to spot and appear as thin slits in the sides of the fridge.
Move any food items that can be blocking the vents, and keep your fridge closed for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Then check back to see if it’s cooling now.
5. Temp setting is set to medium or high when it needs to be on low
The climate where you live affects what temperature your fridge needs to be set at. There is a dial or a digital display on KitchenAid fridges – depending on what model you have – that you can set to low, medium, or high.
If you live in a hot climate such as Florida, or you’re deep into summer, the surrounding air is too hot, and your fridge can’t cool itself enough based on the setting it’s on. Simply turn the setting down one, and give about 24 hours to cool down.
Then check back. The reason is that the fridge sucks air from the room it’s in, and if the air is particularly warm it has a hard time cooling it down enough. The temperature dial differs by model, so refer to your owners manual to see how to change the temperature on your fridge.
6. It’s set to ‘demo’ mode or ‘showroom’ mode which won’t cool
When fridges are displayed in retail stores they have a showroom mode, which can also be called demo mode. It will display all the lights, and some functionality but won’t cool the fridge.
There is no indication on a KitchenAid fridge that it is in showroom mode, except for when it’s first put into showroom mode. So, to see if your fridge has showroom or demo mode, and how to turn it off take a look at your owners manual.
7. Dusty condenser coils that stop them from working correctly
Generally, this only happens if you’ve had your fridge for a long time, or if you live in a particularly dusty location. Also, if you do a hobby that causes a lot of dust such as working with wood. Pet hair can also accumulate over time and create a layer that insulates them from the air.
Visually inspect your condenser coils using the instructions in your owner’s manual. It’s important to note that not all condenser coils on KitchenAid fridges can be cleaned, and some need a qualified technician to clean them.
8. The fridge is located in a garage which gets too hot
A garage door can tend to get really hot as the sun shines on it. They also have less insulation than other rooms in your home. Because of that the air in the garage can be much warmer and your fridge can struggle to cool enough.
It may be a matter of moving your fridge to a cooler location, such as a different room. Or, turning down the setting on your fridge which I covered in step 5, above.
9. Fridge is installed next to a heat source that’s too hot
Certain parts of your home can get heated up more than others such as a window that gets direct sunlight all day. Or, if your fridge is located close to a fireplace or heater. If that’s the case, move your fridge to a place where it will get the least amount of heat possible. Such as in a shaded part of your home.
10. Lots of food items recently added to the fridge
Although fridges appear to work like magic and are very convenient they do take a while to cool down items. And if you recently added a large amount of items, for example, if you did a week’s worth of grocery shopping then give it 24 hours for the fridge to cool everything down.
11. Extra hot day making the room temperature hotter than normal
When the air temperature is hot a fridge needs to work harder to cool the air. And if it’s too hot out it can’t cool it down enough to make the inside of the fridge cool.
If it’s a particularly hot day, or you’re experiencing a heat wave then it’s a good idea to turn the temperature setting down to the lowest setting. Full instructions on how to do that are explained above in Step 5.
12. Door opened and closed a lot – warms up the inside of the fridge
If you’re having a party, or lots of people are helping out in the kitchen to cook something, the fridge can get opened and closed a lot. When that happens the fridge can’t cool down enough in the time in between when the door is open and closed.
Give the fridge a few hours to cool down a bit. But, if it’s still not cool after 24 hours and you’ve been keeping the fridge closed a normal amount then it can indicate the temperature is set too high or one of the other issues listed above.
If you have a different brand fridge, be sure to check our troubleshooting guide for your refrigerator that is not cooling.
KitchenAid Refrigerator Keeps Freezing Food
I’ve found that when food gets frozen accidentally I need to throw it out, which is a bit of a waste. So, I was curious about what causes it and how to stop it from happening. Since I’ve got a KitchenAid fridge, I started with that, and here’s what I found to do if your KitchenAid fridge keeps freezing food.
This happens if your ice maker is turned on but the water supply to the fridge is turned off. It can also occur if the vents on the inside of the fridge or freezer are blocked by food items. Finally, the fridge could be set to too low a temperature for your climate.
If the water supply line is on, and the ice maker is on it will produce ice. But, if it’s not producing ice then check that the ice maker is turned off. Each ice maker is slightly unique so refer to your owners manual for how to turn it off.
Then see if the issue persists. But, the other fixes are quite easy so it’s good to do them as well in the meantime as it can take a few days before you can tell if the fridge still freezes your food.
The next step is to check the air vents. I’ve covered that above in the list of steps. Look for ‘Step 4. Air vents blocked by an item that is stopping cool air circulation’. And follow the instructions there.
Finally, see what temperature setting your fridge is set to using, and adjust it if necessary. Follow the instructions in step ‘5. Temp setting is set to medium or high when it needs to be on low’.
KitchenAid Fridge Won’t Stop Beeping
I’ve found the beeping feature very helpful for letting me know when there’s an issue with my KitchenAid fridge. But, once no matter what I did it just wouldn’t stop beeping. I found out how to get it to stop and here’s what you should do.
The door being ajar, or a power outage can cause your KitchenAid fridge to continue beeping. Ensure the door is closed completely. After a power outage the digital display will continue to beep until you clear the message by pressing any button, and then pressing any button again.
If it continues to beep after you close the door, there might be something blocking the tab that registers when the fridge is closed or it may be faulty.
In that case use your owners manual to see where the door switch is located. And inspect it to see if it’s damaged or worn. It can be located in the hinge of the door or around the edge. There are also a range of other error codes that can be displayed on the digital display that will tell you what the issue is.
For a full list of what they are, refer to the official KitchenAid website. On that page click on ‘Other’, and then ‘Error Codes or Flashing Lights’ to bring up the list of error codes and what they mean.
KitchenAid Refrigerator Keeps Losing Power/Turning Off
When a fridge won’t cool it can often be because only the lights come on, and the rest of the fridge isn’t running at all. The fridge can also just randomly turn off from time to time. I researched how to solve this issue, and here’s what I found.
First, verify that the outlet is working correctly by plugging another appliance into the same outlet your fridge is using, such as a lamp or alarm clock. The fuse can also be blown, or the circuit breaker can have been triggered.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on September 2, 2021.
If another appliance works without turning off then you can be sure it’s not an issue with your wall outlet. And there’s something wrong with your fridge. In that case it’s best to have a repair technician have a look at it.
The other issue that could cause it is if you’re using an extension cord or a 4-way plug adapter. The extension cord or the multiport plug can be faulty so try plugging your fridge directly into the wall outlet. Or try a different extension cord or 4-way plug adapter.
Where another appliance also turns off then it can be that the wiring in your home is the issue. In that case, plug your fridge into a different outlet, or have an electrician fix the outlet in question.
KitchenAid Fridge Not Cold Enough
When I first got my KitchenAid fridge I noticed it was slightly cool but I wanted it to be colder to keep the items fresher for longer, and to make drinks more refreshing. So, I looked into what causes it to not be cool enough, and how to make the temperature cooler and here’s what I found.
The temperature can be turned down using the controls. Other than that, the vents may be blocked which stops the evaporator fan from pushing cold air into the fridge. The condenser coils can also be covered in dust or pet hair and cause them not to function correctly.
To reduce the temperature on your KitchenAid fridge, perform the 12 steps I’ve covered at the top of this article one by one, until you’ve figured out what’s causing the issue. If one of the steps is too difficult or seems too time consuming feel free to skip to the easier steps.
If you try all of them and it still isn’t cooling properly then it’s best to get a repair technician to take a look at it, and repair it for you.
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Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on September 2, 2021.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on September 2, 2021.