Why Is My Refrigerator Not Cooling? Common Causes & When to Call a Pro

A refrigerator that suddenly stops cooling is one of the most stressful appliance failures because the clock is ticking on every dollar of food inside. Across the Bay Area we get this call multiple times a week, and the cause is usually one of a small handful of issues. Here is what to check before you panic — and the moment when it makes sense to stop and call a pro.

First, rule out the simple stuff

Pull the fridge two inches away from the wall. Vacuum the condenser coils on the back or underneath. Coils packed with dust can drop cooling performance by 30% even on a brand-new unit. Then make sure nothing is blocking the freezer vents inside (overstuffed freezers are a top cause of "the fridge isn't cooling but the freezer is fine"). Check the door gaskets too — slide a dollar bill in the door and pull; if it slides out without resistance, the seal is failing.

Common real causes

• Failed evaporator fan motor. The freezer stays cold but the fridge section warms up. You'll often hear a chirping or grinding noise from the back wall of the freezer.
• Clogged defrost drain. Frost builds up in the freezer and water pools at the bottom of the fridge. A common fix on Samsung and LG French-door units in particular.
• Bad start relay or compressor. The compressor won't kick on, the unit gets warm, and you hear a click every few minutes. This is the one that needs a technician.
• Thermistor failure. The sensor lies to the control board, so the fridge thinks it's cold when it isn't.

When to call us

If the fridge has been off for more than four hours, food safety becomes the priority — anything in the danger zone (40°F to 140°F) for two-plus hours should be tossed. From there, if cleaning the coils, checking the door seals, and pulling the back panel for obstructions hasn't fixed it, you're into compressor, control board, or sealed-system territory. Those repairs need diagnostic equipment and refrigerant handling that just isn't a DIY job.

Spark Appliance Repair handles refrigerator repair across Mountain View, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, and the rest of the Peninsula same-day in most cases. The diagnostic fee is $85 — and that's free when you hire us for the repair.

Need help right now? Call us at (650) 691-3065 and we'll get a tech out today.