Skip to content 
Defrost problems can quickly undermine your refrigerator’s performance. That’s because they will let ice buildups grow and affect fans and vents, preventing the compartment from cooling normally. Some Samsung models are known for recurring defrost problems, but there are ways to solve them for good.
Is your Samsung refrigerator not defrosting? First, use the Force Defrost feature to melt away existing ice buildups. Then, you can start to investigate the issue at hand. Sometimes, repositioning the defrost sensor to the evaporator will help it defrost for longer. Also, be sure to replace any torn or flattened weather stripping to prevent air intrusion and moisture. You may need to invest in a defrost booster kit to make the fridge more effective at melting away ice regularly.
Preventing a recurring defrost problem is tricky but possible. Read through to the end to understand how you can do this in your refrigerator.
Why Is My Samsung Refrigerator Not Defrosting?
When your Samsung refrigerator experiences defrost problems, it’s not necessarily due to a failing component. Unfortunately, several Samsung fridge models are known to have recurring issues where the frost and ice buildup overwhelms the built-in defrost system.
So, here are a few ways you can solve recurring defrost problems in Samsung refrigerators:
Step 1: Force Defrost (As Many Times As Needed)
The first and most important thing you need to do is learn how to trigger the Forced Defrost feature in your Samsung fridge. That will immediately put the appliance into defrost mode to melt away as much built-up ice as possible.
Firstly, this will melt away the ice buildup that’s overwhelming the defrost system. More importantly, it will melt away ice, so you can remove the evaporator cover to perform further troubleshooting and repairs.
Depending on the severity of your ice buildup, you might have to repeat this process several times before doing anything else. That’s because each Forced Defrost cycle will run for approximately 30 minutes, which may or may not be enough in your case.
Typically, you can trigger the Force Defrost mode by pressing and holding the Power Freeze and Fridge buttons for 8 seconds. After that, the display will go blank, and you can press any button until you see “Fd” on the display.
The exact steps might differ between models, so be sure to refer to the user manual for information specific to your unit.
While forcing your appliance to defrost might help in the short term, it’s not a permanent solution. If you have had defrost problems before, there’s a strong chance they’ll reoccur in the future.
Connect with an Appliance Repair Tech
Click here to use the chatbox to speak with one of our technicians.
No in-home service calls. No appointments.
That’s why you must implement the other steps below as well.
Read: How To Setup WiFi On Samsung Refrigerators?
Step 2: Invest In A Defrost Booster Kit
If you’re experiencing defrost problems in your refrigerator, it’s likely because the existing defrost system isn’t strong enough.
Another way to solve your refrigerator’s defrost problems is to invest in a defrost booster kit. Essentially, it’s an additional heating element that you can attach to the one that’s already inside the unit, behind the evaporator cover.
The defrost booster kit will provide your fridge with more power to melt away frost and ice build ups around the evaporator. As a result, the defrost system will no longer become overwhelmed and give way to defrost problems you’ve experienced in the past.
Defrost booster kits are straightforward to mount above the existing heating element. Plus, you can quickly wire them up to the same circuit from which they’ll draw power.
In other words, investing in a defrost booster kit doesn’t require any intensive modifications to your refrigerator.
Read: 3 Ways How To Reset Samsung Refrigerator Ice Maker?
Step 3: Test And Reposition Defrost Sensor
Aside from the heating element, the most crucial component in the refrigerator’s defrost system is its sensor. That’s a temperature sensor that ensures the defrost cycle begins and ends when it should.
For example, the sensor can tell when all the ice has melted away and no additional heat is necessary. When that happens, the sensor will cut power to the heating element and prevent your refrigerator from becoming too warm.
Firstly, you must ensure that your existing sensor is working. A standard
More importantly, you must also reposition the sensor to prevent future defrost problems.
The defrost sensor’s existing position isn’t optimal. There, it’ll mistakenly sense that all the ice has melted away, even though there’s still plenty a little further away.
As a result, the sensor ends the defrost cycle sooner than it should. That will quickly result in ice building up behind the evaporator cover.
Instead, you’ll want to relocate the sensor onto the evaporator coil, where it will get a more accurate sense of how long to run the defrost cycle.
Doing so will ensure the defrost cycle runs longer each time, preventing future defrost problems.
Read: What Is Samsung Refrigerator Defrost Mode And How To Activate? – Troubleshooting Guide
Step 4: Replace Factory Weather Stripping
Another vulnerability in the refrigerator’s defrost system is its weather stripping. Typically, its purpose is to prevent moist air from reaching behind the evaporator cover, where it quickly turns to frost and ice.
Unfortunately, the weather stripping in your refrigerator isn’t as effective as it should be. Instead, it allows air intrusion, particularly around where the evaporator coil enters the refrigerator compartment.
Over an extended period, that intrusion leads to a frost buildup which gradually becomes solid ice. Given that the ice is nowhere near the defrost heater, that buildup simply gets worse with time.
You can solve this problem by removing the factory weather stripping and replacing it with more effective versions bought from a hardware store. More importantly, you can use a spray can of polyurethane foam to fill any gaps where air intrusion occurs.
When done correctly, you’ll successfully stop moist air from leaking into the refrigerator compartment. Effectively, you’ll be preventing defrost problems at their source.
Read: Why Samsung Refrigerator Ice Maker Freezing Up? – Troubleshooting Guide
Why Are Defrost Problems Harmful To A Refrigerator?
The defrost problems you experience in your refrigerator might not be severe enough to cause concern. Yet, you should follow the steps detailed above before the situation worsens with time.
There are a few reasons why defrost problems are harmful to your appliance. Firstly, ice build ups will prevent cold air from getting where it needs to be.
Even if your appliance’s components work correctly, the cold air won’t reach the refrigerator compartment. That will leave your food items warm and unsafe for consumption.
Besides, these defrost problems also force your fridge to work harder than it needs to. That will quickly lead to excessive wear on its parts and raise the likelihood of them wearing out.
Overall, you’ll want to solve and prevent defrost problems because it limits the value you get from your refrigerator. You’ve invested your hard-earned money into the unit, and you should ensure that it works as intended.
Read: How To Fix Samsung Refrigerator Fan Noise? – Troubleshooting Guide
Final Thoughts
Defrost issues are typical for any refrigerator model from any brand. However, some brands and models are more susceptible to those problems than others, including the Samsung unit you have.
You can fix and prevent them by forcing a defrost cycle to run. That will melt any built-up ice and allow you to remove panels safely. It’ll also be an excellent idea to invest in a defrost booster kit and attach it to your unit. Next, test your defrost sensor and reposition it to the evaporator coil so it’ll keep the defrost cycle running longer. Lastly, replace the factory weather stripping and seal any gaps where air intrusion might occur.
