Frigidaire Freezer Not Freezing But Fridge Is Cold? How To Troubleshoot 6 causes

Is your freezer not freezing, but the refrigerator is cold? Let’s troubleshoot six problems that could be impacting the chill on your Frigidaire appliance.

Your Frigidaire freezer keeps foodstuffs frozen by using a refrigerant that circulates through a closed system of coils and compressors. Frigidaire is an excellent refrigerator and freezer brand, and it’s uncommon for their appliances to give major issues. Occasionally, Frigidaire freezers might not work, but the refrigerator will work fine – why is this? 

When a Frigidaire freezer doesn’t freeze, and the fridge is cold, it may be due to dirty condenser coils, a faulty

temperature control thermostat, or a faulty condenser fan. A broken start relay, malfunctioning evaporator fan motor, or compressor issues could also be to blame.

In the rest of this article, I’ll take you through the different reasons your Frigidaire freezer is not freezing when the fridge is cold. I’ll also discuss how to fix these problems to get the freezer working again. Let’s get started!

1. Dirty Condenser Coils

Freezers have condenser coils that dissipate heat from the refrigerant so that the freezer and the refrigerator can attain the desired temperature.

When condenser coils become dirty, they cannot dissipate heat efficiently, and this can cause the freezer not to freeze, even though the refrigerator may still be cold.

How To Fix?

The solution for dirty condenser coils is to clean them. 

Here’s how to do it:

1. Unplug your Frigidaire freezer/refrigerator from the wall.
2. Pull the unit gently from the wall.
3. Access the condenser coil unit by removing the top cover.
4. Inspect the condenser coils for any dirt.
5. If the coils are dirty, use a vacuum cleaner and brush attachment to clean them.
6. Reassemble the unit and turn the power supply back on.

Read: Frigidaire Refrigerator Troubleshooting Guide

2. Temperature Control Thermostat Malfunction

The

temperature control thermostat is the voltage controller in the freezer. The device controls the voltage flowing to the evaporator fan motor, the compressor, and the condenser fan motor.

A malfunctioning

temperature control thermostat impairs the freezer’s ability to work correctly. The leading problem, in this case, is that the refrigerant system fails to power on due to insufficient power. 

Since the refrigerant system is responsible for supplying cool air to the freezer, a faulty control thermostat can make it malfunction.

How To Fix?

To fix this issue, you need to inspect and replace the

temperature control thermostat if it’s faulty. 

You can confirm if the

temperature control thermostat is faulty by rotating it from the lowest to the highest setting. If you hear a clicking sound, then the thermostat is not defective. However, if you don’t hear a clicking sound, you’ll need to use a multimeter to test for continuity in the thermostat.

The

multimeter should read zero ohms if the thermostat has continuity. If not, the thermostat is faulty and needs to be replaced.

Here is how to access the

temperature control thermostat and replace it:

1. Open the freezer door and access the thermostat. It’s usually located behind a cover on the freezer’s wall.
2. Unscrew the thermostat and remove it from its housing.
3. Replace it with a new one, ensuring that all connections are secure.

Read: Frigidaire Refrigerator – Ice Maker Not Making Enough Ice. How To Fix It?

3. Faulty Condenser Fan Motor

The condenser fan motor circulates air over the condenser coils to help dissipate heat from the refrigerant.

A faulty condenser fan motor cannot provide enough airflow over the condenser coils, causing the freezer not to freeze. Such a condenser fan motor may also make loud or unusual noises.

How To Fix?

To fix this issue, you need to inspect and replace the condenser fan motor in your Frigidaire refrigerator if it’s faulty.

Here are the checks and fixes needed for a problematic condenser fan motor:

• Check for obstructions: Inspect the fan blades for any obstructions. If the fan blades are obstructed, remove the obstruction and see if that fixes the issue.
• Check the fan blades’ rotation: The blades should rotate freely for efficient freezing. If they are not rotating freely, it means that the motor bearings are worn-out. In this case, you should replace the fan’s motor.
• Test for continuity in the fan motor: If the blades rotate freely without obstruction, test for the motor’s continuity using a multimeter. If the motor lacks continuity, replace it with a new one.

Read: Frigidaire Refrigerator – Ice Maker Not Working. How To Troubleshoot It?

4. Faulty Start Relay (freezer not freezing)

A start relay is crucial in a Frigidaire freezer since it powers the compressor, which is the freezer’s “heart.”

The compressor circulates the refrigerant throughout the freezer’s system. It also pressurizes the warm parts of the circuit to cool them, resulting in the freezer’s cold temperature. However, the compressor can only achieve this when powered on by the start relay.

A faulty start relay can cause the compressor not to power on, leading to the freezer not being able to freeze correctly. Alternatively, it can make the compressor run intermittently without freezing.

How To Fix?

You need to determine if the start relay is defective. Here’s how:

1. Unplug the freezer from the power source.
2. Eject the start relay from the compressor.
3. Use a multimeter to test for continuity in the start relay.
4. If the multimeter reads zero ohms, then the start relay is not defective. You need to check for other faulty parts if this is the case.
5. If the multimeter doesn’t read zero ohms, then the start relay is faulty and needs to be replaced with a new one.

If you don’t feel comfortable performing this task, ask a Frigidaire technician to assist.

Read: Frigidaire Fridge Troubleshooting Guide 

5. Faulty Evaporator Fan Motor

An evaporator fan motor is responsible for drawing air over the evaporator coils before circulating it throughout the freezer.

A faulty evaporator fan motor means it cannot provide sufficient airflow over the evaporator coils, leading to a lack of freezing in the freezer. It may also cause unusual noises or uneven cooling within the freezer.

How To Fix?

The solution is to check if the fan motor is faulty and replace it. You can do this by opening the freezer door and activating the freezer’s door switch manually. The evaporator fan motor is defective if it doesn’t run after activating the freezer door switch. In this case, the only solution is to replace it.

After replacing a faulty evaporator motor fan, ensure the blades rotate freely without obstruction.

6. Compressor Issues

If you’ve come to this point and the freezer is still not freezing, it’s time to inspect the compressor for any issues. The compressor can only run when all its components are functioning correctly.

Some of the inspections you can do for the compressor include the following:

• Burned-out or faulty wires
• Capacitor functioning
• Check for proper voltage using a voltmeter
• Check for the compressor’s continuity using a multimeter

How To Fix?

Address any issue that came up during the inspection appropriately. Here are some of the things to do:

• Replace any burned-out or faulty wires.
• Replace any defective capacitors.
• Ensure the voltage is within the acceptable range for the compressor to function correctly.
• If the compressor lacks continuity, it’s time to replace it.

Read: Frigidaire Refrigerator – SY EF Error Code – How To Troubleshoot It?

Summary

A Frigidaire freezer that doesn’t freeze can be a frustrating experience. The problem can result from a simple issue like dirty compressor coils or a complex one like a defective compressor.

Knowing how to test for the potential problem will help you fix it appropriately. However, you can contact an experienced technician for further assistance.