When a refrigerator's compressor won't run, the diagnosis first asks whether the control is calling for cooling at all, and only then tests the start parts, the compressor's windings and the board that drives it. You can help by noting any clicking from the back, any codes on the display, and when the fridge last cooled normally.
Before the visit
- •Model and serial number. The label is usually inside the fresh food section, on a side wall or the ceiling near the front. A photo is enough.
- •Sounds. A click every few minutes from the back, a hum that stops, or complete silence.
- •The display, including any code, odd symbols or the word "OFF."
- •When it started, and whether there was a power outage, storm or move first.
- •Access. Clear the front grille and the floor in front of the fridge so it can be rolled out.
Safe pre-checks:
- Check the display for a demo or cooling-off mode. Samsung's cooling troubleshooting page says its refrigerators won't cool in Cooling Off Mode and that turning it off restores cooling.
- Make sure the temperature setting wasn't turned off or set warm.
- If the power just came back, give it a few minutes before deciding the compressor is dead. Some compressors wait before restarting; KitchenAid's manual for one French-door model describes a protection delay of about two and a half minutes.
- Move food to a cooler if the fridge is above 40°F.
The checks, in the usual order
| Step | What's tested | What it rules in or out |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Display modes and settings | Rules out a demo, showroom or cooling-off mode |
| 2 | Compartment and sensor temperatures in service mode | Shows whether the control thinks cooling is needed |
| 3 | Whether the unit is in a defrost period | A fridge in defrost won't run the compressor until it ends |
| 4 | Commanding the compressor and condenser fan on in a service test | Separates "not being told to run" from "can't run" |
| 5 | Start relay and overload, on compressors that use them | A failed start device produces the click-and-quit pattern |
| 6 | Compressor winding resistance and any short to ground | Out-of-range windings point to the compressor itself |
| 7 | Current draw when it tries to start | A very high draw that trips the overload points to a compressor that can't turn |
| 8 | Inverter or compressor control board, on variable-speed models | The board can fail to drive a healthy compressor |
Whirlpool's tech sheet for one refrigerator (W11448653) shows the tools behind steps 3 to 7. Its service test mode includes a test that energizes the compressor and condenser fan and one that checks the defrost circuit, and its compressor section lists the start relay, the overload, the run and start winding values, and the normal running current next to the much higher locked-rotor current. KitchenAid's service manual for a French-door refrigerator (W11366204) adds service tests for compressor speed on a linear compressor, as well as thermistor readouts the technician can compare against a thermometer.
Tools you may see
- •Service test mode. Entered with a key sequence on the control, it reads sensors and runs individual parts on command.
- •Multimeter, with the fridge unplugged, for the relay, overload and compressor windings.
- •Clamp meter, to read the current the compressor draws when it starts and runs.
- •Thermometer, to check the compartments against what the control reports.
Refrigerant gauges usually aren't needed for this symptom. If the compressor runs but the fridge stays warm, the next steps are different; see how a suspected refrigerant leak gets diagnosed.
Questions you'll probably be asked
- •Do you hear a click from the back every few minutes?
- •Have you noticed a hot or burning smell from the back of the fridge?
- •Did this start after a power outage, a storm or a move?
- •Are the freezer fan and the lights still working?
- •How warm are the freezer and fresh food sections now?
What the findings usually mean
- •A display mode or setting: not a fault; the fridge was told not to cool.
- •The control isn't calling for cooling: a temperature sensor reading wrong, a defrost period that isn't ending, or the main control.
- •Compressor starts when commanded in service mode: the compressor is fine, and the problem sits upstream in the control or sensors.
- •Click-and-quit with good windings: the start relay or overload.
- •Windings open or shorted to ground: the compressor itself has failed electrically.
- •Very high starting current with good start parts: the compressor can't turn over.
- •Variable-speed compressor with no drive signal: the inverter or compressor control board.
A standalone freezer that runs but won't hold temperature is covered in what a technician checks when an upright freezer won't freeze.
Sources
- •Cooling issues with Samsung refrigerator or freezer, Samsung
- •Tech Sheet W11448653 (refrigerator), Whirlpool
- •Service Manual, French-Door Bottom Mount Refrigerator (W11366204), KitchenAid
Good to know: A click from the back every few minutes means the compressor is being asked to start, which tells the technician to begin with the start circuit.
To book a refrigerator repair visit, call TrueFix San Antonio at (210) 401-3007.