The main purpose of a fridge is to keep your food cold, so when it isn’t working it kind of defeats the purpose! I recently had an issue with my Whirlpool fridge and freezer not working, and it wouldn’t cool at all. So, I researched how to get it working again, and thought I’d summarize the steps you need to take in this article.
A Whirlpool refrigerator that does not cool the food is generally caused by the temperature not being set low enough. Environmental factors such as where the fridge is located can also impact how well it cools during normal operation.
You can adjust the temperature quite easily, but it’s important to do a quick check to see that your fridge isn’t located somewhere that is causing the issue.
So, below I will explain the steps you need to take in detail with exactly what you should do when your fridge or freezer isn’t working.
Whirlpool Refrigerator Not Cooling and Freezer Not Working
The fridge can not get cool enough to keep your food cold and at the same time the freezer can not freeze your food. It can be due to a few reasons. Here’s what they are:
Generally, start by adjusting the temperature using the temperature settings on your Whirlpool refrigerator. Those with an electronic control pad on the front can be adjusted by pressing the button that says fridge temperature, and the other button that says freezer temperature.
The fridge temperature that Whirlpool recommends is 33–40°F (0–4°C). And the freezer temperature that Whirlpool recommends is 0°F (-18°C). On some models there is only one button.
So when you press the button it will go up in temperature until it gets to the maximum and then it will start at the lowest temperature again. As a result, you just keep pressing the button until it’s on the right temperature of around
If the settings are set to the correct temperature, of 33–40°F. The same is true for the freezer. When you get stuck your best resource is the user manual. The Whirlpool website makes it very easy to find the manual for your refrigerator.
Some models have a low, medium, and high setting. So, turning it up to a higher setting can fix the temperature issue.
If that is not the issue, then here are the additional steps you should do:
Step 1: Reset the motherboard – easy
There is a small tap on the inside of the fridge that controls the LED light. When the door is closed the tab is pushed in and the light turns off. To reset the motherboard you press this tab 3 times.
It can take up to 15 minutes to restart. So, check back on your fridge and freezer in about 30 mins to see if it’s cool enough. There is an identical tab inside the freezer. So, press that 3 times as well.
Step 2: Check the air vents are clear
There are air vents inside your freezer and your refrigerator that allow the air to flow between your fridge and your freezer. When there is a food item blocking them air can’t flow between the fridge and the freezer and can cause temperature issues.
They are easy to identify. They are the square holes in the sides, top and bottom, of the fridge and freezer. Visually inspect the sides, top and bottom of your fridge and freezer to check that there is nothing blocking them.
After you’ve checked and cleared them, close your fridge and freezer and wait for the temperature to adjust for about 30 minutes or so, and see if your fridge and freezer is getting cooler.
Step 3: Disconnect and reconnect the power to your refrigerator
You can easily turn off your refrigerator by unplugging it at the wall. Wait for around 5 minutes then plug it back in.
Sometimes the plug can be located behind the refrigerator and is very difficult to access.So, an easier when the plug is difficult to access is to turn it off at the circuit board for your house. You can turn the fuse switch off, wait for 5 minutes and then turn it back on.
If you’re unsure about how to use your circuit board, then it’s best to watch a youtube video about it. Or, ask someone in your household whether they know how to do it. It’s quite common for people to know how to turn fuses on and off. But, not everyone has come across doing it.
This commonly happens if you have a temporary power outage. For example, sometimes the power can go off for about 3 seconds and then comes back on again. When that happens the fridge can go into protection mode to protect the internal components from being damaged by a power surge.
So, doing the above resets can return it to normal operation.
Step 4: Check where it’s located
If your fridge is located next to a heater, or gets very hot then it can make it difficult for your fridge and freezer to cool. And it can end up not getting as cold as it should because the outside air is too hot.
Therefore, you should ensure your fridge freezer is not located somewhere where it gets quite warm. For example, some garages can get very hot.
Whirlpool Refrigerator Not Cooling but Freezer Is Working
The food you use everyday is located in the fridge, so even though your freezer may be working perfectly, here’s how you can fix it:
First, check the temperature setting for your refrigerator is set to 33–40°F (0–4°C). The controls to change the temperature are located on the outside on the digital display or can be on the door hinge. It may also be on a low setting, so turn it up to a higher setting.
If the temperature is set to the correct temperature, the air vents that go from the freezer to the fridge may be blocked by a food item.
The steps to fix a fridge freezer that isn’t at the right temperature are the same for fixing a fridge when the freezer isn’t working. So, simply follow the steps I’ve outlined above starting with step 1 above, which is how to reset the motherboard.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on August 3, 2021.
Whirlpool Refrigerator Not Cooling Compressor Hot
If you’re a bit more advanced in working with fridges you may have noticed that the compressor is hot. A compressor issue can be related to the fridge not cooling. But, the compressor coils can also be clogged, here’s what you should do.
It’s normal for a refrigerator compressor to run very hot and reach temperatures of 300 °F (148 °C). But, the steps to troubleshoot a refrigerator cooling compressor require you to test it using a voltmeter, then you need to remove the start relay.
If you shake the relay and you hear a rattle it’s a telltale sign that it’s broken. After that you should check that the start relay has continuity by checking using your volt meter. If the compressor is
However, this means that your fridge isn’t cooling because of another factor. Above I have listed the steps you should take when your Whirlpool fridge and freezer isn’t cooling. Scroll up to the top of this article to see the steps. Starting with resetting your motherboard which is step 1.
If the tips above didn’t help our troubleshooting efforts check out our refrigerator not cooling article.
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Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on August 3, 2021.
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