The refrigerator offers a luxury to which all people have become accustomed quickly. But if the fridge fails, you have to react quickly. Without a functioning refrigerator, it is challenging to store food and provide for the care of the family.
We advise you to go through the list from top to bottom and check the corresponding function of your device. If you have excluded a reason, you can check the specific part and learn how to repair your refrigerator.
#1 Most common reason for broken fridge : Power supply has failed
Getting along without a fridge is hardly possible anymore. Many of our foods are designed to stay in the refrigeration unit until they are consumed. One of the main reasons for a “broken fridge” is a failed power supply.
It sounds simple, “who forgets the power plug on the fridge?”
Whether from a renovation, repair or carelessness when cleaning – if the plug is not in the socket, the device doesn’t get any power and hence cannot work.
– Our recommendation –
If the fridge stops working, first check whether the appliance is correctly connected to the power.
It might be the electric socket problem. We recommend you to check with another device with the socket. The power cable on your fridge may also be defective. This part is usually quite easy to replace.
#2 reason for broken fridge : the lamp is defective
Usually, when people open the refrigerator door and its dark, they assume that the refrigerator is not working. But maybe only the light is faulty, and your fridge is working fine.
The built-in lighting unit of the refrigerator lamp is subjected to relatively frequent use. Each time the door is opened, it is switched on. Therefore, it is also fairly common that the bulb is not working anymore.
– Our recommendation –
In this situation, first, monitor the temperature inside the refrigerator. Also, pay attention to the compressor sound. Remember that the compressor doesn’t work continuously (the device will start and stop again). It is quite simple to replace the lamp of the refrigerator.
Find out which lamp is right for your device and replace it. You can check out this link to buy a suitable light from Amazon.
#3 reason for broken fridge : compressor
Have you noticed that your refrigerator is not cooling correctly?
It can be a problem as many food items might get spoil. Also, in this case, you might get a bad odor from the fridge.
Check out tips to get rid of bad smell in the fridge
The compressor may be one of the reasons why the fridge is broken.
The compressor is one of the central components of the cooling system of a refrigerator. In most cases, the compressor is on the lower back of the device.
The typical sound of a running refrigerator comes from the compressor. Usually, it is switched on and off several times throughout the day.
– Our recommendation –
If you do not hear any noise coming from the fridge over a while, then the compressor is not working. In this case, first, altogether remove the power supply of your refrigerator and wait for half an hour before turning on.
If the compressor still doesn’t work, it is best to hire a service technician. They can check whether the compressor can be fixed or you have to replace it entirely.
#4 reason for broken fridge : thermostat
One of the reasons for a broken refrigerator can be the thermostat.
The thermostat in the refrigerator is responsible for continuously comparing actual and setpoint temperatures as well as passing on the corresponding signals to other components. This test is done on the thermostat of the so-called NTC temperature sensor. It gives the result of the measurement to the compressor, which in turn is responsible for starting the cooling circuit.
If the thermostat is defective, the refrigerator can switch to continuous operation (it is always too hot). Or never switch on (it is still too cold, or no signal is transmitted).
– Our recommendation –
To exclude the thermostat as a cause, you should check for continuity and replace if necessary. Usually, the component sits in the lighting unit inside the refrigerator and is easy to change.
#5 reason for broken fridge : fan/fan motor
A defect in the fan or fan motor can also lead to the refrigerator being defective or in this case, no more prolonged cooling.
The fan motor or its fan has the task of extracting air from the evaporator coils and circulating them. In no-frost devices, this is a necessary component to prevent the deposition of water, which otherwise leads to ice formation. If this fan or the fan motor is defective, the fridge will not get proper cooling.
– Our recommendation –
First, turn the fan’s blade by hand – there is a possibility that it is not moving because of an obstacle. If it still doesn’t work, then it is better to replace it entirely.
#6 Reason for broken fridge : heating element
A defective heating element of the defrost heater can also be a reason why the refrigerator is not functioning correctly.
As the name suggests, the defrost heater is there to defrost the refrigerator. This heater is mounted inside the unit on the evaporator. Usually, it is switched on and off by the thermostat.
Over time, condensing water, usually at the back, causes ice to form inside the unit.
This process takes place based on physics laws.
If warm air from outside hits the cold air inside the unit, water in the air condenses on the walls. The cold in the device freezes this water. If too much ice forms on the sidewalls, the refrigerator needs much more energy to maintain the set temperature.
While the defrost heater is running, the compressor cannot run due to the high resistance of the heater. The cooling circuit is interrupted until the radiator has done its job and the ice crystals formed on the evaporator have been liquefied.
The defrost water usually runs through the gutter in the interior of the refrigerator to a hole and then to collecting container.
– Our recommendation –
By measuring the resistance of the defrost heater, you can check whether this unit is functioning correctly. If it does not then replace the heating element or the defrost heater.
#7 Reason for broken fridge : Condenser coils are dirty
Condenser coils are located in almost all cases on the outside rear of the refrigerator. If these are too heavily polluted, it can be one of the reasons why the fridge is not working correctly.
Within the cooling system, the capacitor coil has an essential task in the conversion of heat. The refrigerant, which takes the heat from the interior of the refrigerator, must dissipate this heat.
This happens on the back of the capacitor coils. The cooling gas releases the heat and liquefies it. However, this process of dissipating heat can only work if the capacitor coils are free of dust, grease, or dirt particles.
– Our recommendation –
Depending on the environment of the refrigerator, these coils may be more exposed to dirt. Look at the back of the fridge and, with the refrigerator unplugged, clean these coils thoroughly if they are dirty.
