The temp is now set to -3 and wondering. A tech has come out 5 times and it does not appear to be the compressor, so I am lost for what the problem might be. Please advise.
SOURCE: kenmore elite refrigerator
If this appliance is new, I would suggest to contact the vendor or manufacturer and ask them for in home service.
It could be the thermostat that might be not working properly or not set properly.
Check the user manual for more info on the thermostat settings.
SOURCE: Kenmore Elite bottom freezer refridgerator
I just went through this with my refridgerator and actually posted one of the questions. Here is what I found ........
In the freezer compartment behind the panel there is an evaporator fan which pulls cold air from the freezer and pushes it up into the refrridgerator compartment. If the fan is not working it is one of three things.. 1) there is so much frost in the fan area the fan blade is stopped and cannot push the cold air into the refridgerator compartment or the air channel is blocked. 2) there is no electricity going to the fan (usually tied to the door switch of the refirdgerator compartment, and 3) the motor is dead and will have to be replaced.
Solution to #1 - defrost but there is another problem in the "frost-free" part of the system which must be addressed or the frost will return and it will happen again in the future.
Solution #2 - check to see there is power to the fan. (most are 110VAC but some are 100VDC. Use a meter and check)
Solution #3 - If there is power, the motor is dead. Replace the motor. Be aware that AC and DC motors are different and replace per manufacture's specifications.
SOURCE: Kenmore 596.73502201 Not cooling. Compressor , fan, seal ok
If the refrigerator isn't cool, you need to answer some questions, then see if the compressor is running.
First, answer these questions:
Next, see if the compressor motor is running
The compressor is a football-sized case with no apparent moving parts. It's on the outside of the refrigerator at the back near the bottom. If it is humming or making a continuous noise and your refrigerator is still not cooling, there may be a more serious problem with one or more of several different components, we recommend contacting a qualified appliance repair technician for further help.
If the compressor is not running but you do have power to the refrigerator, there may be a problem with one or more of these:
Cooling is poor
For an overall understanding of how refrigerators should work, read about refrigerators in the How Things Work section of our website. A refrigerator or freezer that is cooling, but cooling poorly, may have a problem in one of several areas:
Evaporator coils
Condenser
Poor cooling is often the result of a heavy frost build-up on the evaporator coils or a condenser that is clogged with dust, lint, and dirt.
Evaporator coils
Poor cooling is often the result of a heavy frost build-up on the evaporator coils. You can't see these coils without removing a panel on the inside of your freezer. A sure sign that there is a build-up is the presence of any frost or ice build-up on the inside walls, floor, or ceiling of the freezer. Such a frost build-up usually indicates a problem in the self-defrosting system or damaged door gaskets.
The refrigerator is supposed to self-defrost approximately four times in every 24 hour period. If one of the components in the self-defrosting system fails, the refrigerator continues to try to cool. Eventually, though, so much frost builds up on the evaporator coils that the circulating fan can't draw air over the coils. There may still be a small amount of cooling because the coils are icy, but with no air flow over the coils, cooling in the refrigerator compartment is quite limited.
Here's an inexpensive, though inconvenient, way to determine if the problem is with the self-defrosting system. Remove all of the perishable food from the refrigerator and freezer, turn the thermostat in the refrigerator to Off, and leave the doors open for 24 to 48 hours. (Be sure to have several towels ready in case the melting frost and ice causes the drip pan to overflow). This allows the refrigerator to defrost "manually." When the frost and ice build-up has completely melted away, turn the thermostat back to a normal setting. If the refrigerator then cools properly, it indicates a problem with one of three components in the self-defrosting system:
If it still does not cool properly, there may be a problem with the refrigerant level or the compressor. You may need to consult with a qualified appliance repair technician to further diagnose the problem
Condenser
Self-defrosting refrigerators all have a set of coils and a cooling fan, usually under the refrigerator, that need to be cleaned regularly. If these coils get coated with dust, dirt or lint, the refrigerator may not cool properly. The coils may appear to be a thin, black, wide radiator-like device behind the lower kick-panel. To clean them, disconnect the refrigerator from the power source, use a refrigerator condenser brush (see the Appliance Accessories section) and your vacuum cleaner to clean the coils of any lint, pet hair, etc. You may not be able to get to all of the condenser from the front, it may be necessary to clean the remainder of the condenser from the rear of the refrigerator.
SOURCE: Kenmore Frig-bottom freezer/freezer door pops open
Replace a door gasket on a refrigerator....
Replace a door gasket on a refrigerator: The first thing to do when changing a door gasket is to check and see if you have the proper part before taking the old gasket off. Hold the new gasket up to the fridge door to make sure the gasket is the same size as the old one. Next step is to remove the wrinkles in the gasket caused by folding for shipping. Instructions with the gaskets say to soak the gasket in hot water. Another way is to use a hair dryer to heat the gasket and remove the wrinkles. Be careful not to burn the gasket with the hair dryer. Almost all gaskets in use today are magnetic. I am placing instructions here for the most common one. They have strips of magnetized material inside the gasket material to adhere to the cabinet when the door is closed. Therefore there is sometimes no up or down on the gasket. Some fridge's have magnets on only 3 sides and the side without a magnet is the hinge side gasket. But to be safe, check this before installing. You will certainly want to check for this on older refrigerators that have magnetic door latches. Some of these have no magnets on the latch side of the gasket. There are about three different ways of attaching gaskets. All will be addressed on this page. Remove the food from the shelves on the door. Loosen the screws that hold the metal strips that keep gasket in place on the top half of the door. Back the screws out about 1/4 inch. The gasket has a lip on it that seats in a groove under the top part of the metal strip. Pull the old gasket off. Work the groove on back side of the new gasket under the cutout in the metal strips that holds it on the door liner. Straighten and get good install before tightening screws. Run screws back up against the metal holding strip snugly, not fully tight. Go to the bottom and do the bottom half. By doing the top half first and tightening, then doing the bottom half, you will minimize any warping of the door. If there is warping of the door, we have not yet fully tightened the screws. so you can realign the door easily and then tighten the screws. Check the alignment of the door and be sure the gasket is sealing properly before fully tightening the screws. If the door is warped, (see picture) simply warp it back to a sealing position, then tighten the screws. There are instances where the gasket is too tight on the hinge side, and you may have to shim the door hinges out from the cabinet to keep the gasket from scrubbing when closing. .also use a little petroleum jelly on the gasket on the hinge side will allow the gasket to "settle" better. The hinge side must slide along the cabinet edge while the other 3 sides just close up against the cabinet. The jelly will allow the gasket to rub smoothly and also prevent squeaking noises. Maintenance of the gasket is important also. It should be cleaned on a regular basis. Clean the gasket and the mating cabinet surface with warm soapy water, rinse clean and dry it good. Putting a little baby powder on the sides (except the hinge side because we put the jelly there) will prevent the gasket from sticking and tearing. The heaters in the refrigerator used to keep moisture from forming on the cabinet attracts airborne materials and make the gasket sealing surfaces sticky. The powder will help stop this. Probably 75% of the fridge's made a few years ago use this edge under the metal track....some American made fridge's use the U shaped metal strip and the gasket pushes into the metal strip, (see a picture) the screws that hold this metal strip do not have to be removed or loosened. A lot of fridge's also use the metal strips with out the edge. Some Maytag's and Woods come to mind. The screws go through the metal strip and the gasket as well. The screws have to be removed completely to replace the gasket.
Gasket sheet to assist you in replacing a common door gasket.
Freezer door pops open when I shut the fresh food door:
This happens because the refrigerators of today are air tight, the fresh food door pushes the air into the cabinet as it closes and the air has no place to go but up the air vent into the freezer and "pops" open the freezer door. First thing is make sure the freezer door is capable of closing properly and is not rubbing or catching anywhere. I sometimes add a washer or 2 to the center hinge under the freezer door so it doesn't rub anything. Put a little Vaseline ( or food grade silicone lubricant ) on the hinge side of the seal. I then raise the front of the refrigerator so that the front of the refrigerator is a little higher than the back of the refrigerator. Never level a fridge with a level. Once you have the door closing properly and front slightly higher than the back...let the fresh food door close from 90 degrees on it's own and the freezer door may "pop" open a little but will close again on it's own...and stay closed once all is set up properly. We see this more often now and have no trouble with the door staying open again after setting up the refrigerator properly.
I hope this helps, and if you need more information On solutions just let me know, Thanks Sea Breeze
SOURCE: I have a Kenmore coldspot side by side- not cooling properly
Setting it to 5 is what the manufacturer recommends. If you set it to 1 and the frig is still not cold, then you probably have a faulty cold control (thermostat)
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I have the exact same issue. The repair tech told me its a design flaw and cannot be repaired. It's out of warranty and I will have to buy a new one. Have you had any luck getting it fixed?
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