Freezer cold but refrigerator warm; ice buildup on back wall of freezer.
Safety Warning
This repair may involve working with high voltage components or water connections. Always unplug the appliance before removing any panels.
If you are not confident in your ability to perform this repair safely, we strongly recommend contacting a professional technician.
Possible Causes
How to Fix / Troubleshooting
Safety: Unplug the refrigerator before defrosting or accessing the evaporator. Water may leak during manual defrost.
- Inspect back wall: If the freezer back panel is covered in frost, the defrost system is likely not working.
- Manual defrost: Unplug the unit and leave doors open for 24–36 hours to melt all ice. Place towels to catch water.
- Short-term recovery: After manual defrost, the refrigerator will cool normally for a while, but the problem will return if the defrost system is not repaired.
Long-term repair requires testing and replacing the defrost heater, defrost thermostat, or main control board. This is often a moderate to advanced repair.
Repair Difficulty
Required Part
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