Kitchen Large Electric Appliances - Refridgerator quit cooling

We have a side by side refridgerator freezer, and it has completely quit cooling. The fridge side gets to about 60 degrees F, and the freezer get about 70. I have tried adjusting the temp controls, there is nothing visible frozen over (we have never had any frost or ice build up at all), and it is still blowing out somewhat cool air inside.
Any ideas?

We have a side by side refridgerator freezer, and it has completely quit cooling. The fridge side gets to about 60 degrees F, and the freezer get about 70. I have tried adjusting the temp controls, there is nothing visible frozen over (we have never had any frost or ice build up at all), and it is still blowing out somewhat cool air inside.
Any ideas?

Does it seem to be blowing as strong as before? Did you take the back panel inside the freezer off section to see if the coil is frozen over? If there's no ice buildup, then it's most likely either a bad compressor or freon leak. How old is the fridge? What is the make and model #? Frigidaire has been having issues with bad compressors.

I think it is blowing about the same. I can here the fan running, It is making a light clicking sound though. It's probably around 7 years old.

I think it is blowing about the same. I can here the fan running, It is making a light clicking sound though. It's probably around 7 years old.

clicking sound? Is it coming from inside the box, or around the back down low at the compressor? If it's at the compressor, the problem might be as simple as a bad compressor start relay or as troublesome as a bad compressor. What is the brand and model #?

Sorry for taking so long. Where exactly might I find those numbers? All I can tell you right now is it is a Whirlpool side by side, with the water and ice dispenser. The noise was coming from the back, but now the fan isn't running at all, from down back below. I have had it unplugged, and when I plugged it back in the fan wasn't working now.

Sorry for taking so long. Where exactly might I find those numbers? All I can tell you right now is it is a Whirlpool side by side, with the water and ice dispenser. The noise was coming from the back, but now the fan isn't running at all, from down back below. I have had it unplugged, and when I plugged it back in the fan wasn't working now.


On that model the data tag should be in the fresh food section up at the top somewhere. You've probably seen it 100 times and not realized it. Which fan stopped working? The one in the freezer section or the one down below at the back near the compressor? If it's the one in the back, is the compressor running but the fan is not? If so, then try spinning the fan blade to see if it's stuck, seized etc. I'm thinking you might have a bad motor.

Got it, ED22COXHW01, the manufacter date is 04-00. I spun the fan (the one down back by the compressor), it didn't seem seized, and I don't hear anything running at all now.

Okay, I left it plug in for a bit and the fans are running, and it is blowing out somewhat cool air, but there is still that really light ticking sound, almost like the fan is just barely touching something, but I don't see anything.

Okay, I left it plug in for a bit and the fans are running, and it is blowing out somewhat cool air, but there is still that really light ticking sound, almost like the fan is just barely touching something, but I don't see anything.



both the freezer fan and the fan underneath are running?
Let it run awhile, see if the fan down below quits after it heats up. The ticking sound? inside the freezer or down below?

No, it keep running inside, and back down below, the ticking is coming from back down below. It sounds kind of like a little piece of paper barely touching the fan while it's running, but I couldn't see anything anywhere near the fan.

Oh, it is only showing 70 degrees in both side.

Anything ideas?

Anything ideas?


the clicking is constant? Is the compressor warm, hot or cold? I'm thinking that either the compressor relay is bad, the compressor is bad or maybe the freon leaked out. Can you tell if the compressor is running? They're quiet, so you'll have tp feel it and check closely.

Well the ticking noise was a piece of paper against the fan. It was brown and back around the fan where it was hard to see. Now where is the compressor, and what does it look like, in case I was looking for the wrong thing. I am not real sure what a refridgerator compressor looks like. I have noticed the air blowing from below, outside seems cooler, and I am not sure exactly how to describe it but the inside has had a smell, kind of like, an old refridgerator that's been sitting a long time, a kind of old musty refridgerator smell.

Well the ticking noise was a piece of paper against the fan. It was brown and back around the fan where it was hard to see. Now where is the compressor, and what does it look like, in case I was looking for the wrong thing. I am not real sure what a refridgerator compressor looks like. I have noticed the air blowing from below, outside seems cooler, and I am not sure exactly how to describe it but the inside has had a smell, kind of like, an old refridgerator that's been sitting a long time, a kind of old musty refridgerator smell.

right near the fan down below you should see a black ball shaped device [like the top half of a soccer ball only somewhat smaller]
that is the compressor. See if it's hot, cold, warm? see if it's running or not?

All I see is what I thought was the freon tank, it is black, cylinder shaped, and rounded on the top, it has two wires going into the side of it through a big white square plug, that plugs onto three little round prongs, is that both the compressor and tank? It is kind of cold, and I am not sure but I don't think it is running.
Is that fan down back below supposed to run constantly?

Is that fan down back below supposed to run constantly?

No. Just when the compressor run circuit is activated. This fan draws in cooler room air through the front toe kick plate grill, through the coils at the underside of the refrigerator, to cool the heated condensor coils.

If that paper had interfered and stopped the fan completely at sometime in it's past, it could have caused problems as this would have caused a hardship on your unit. If you are lucky, like dj suggested, you may only need a cheaply priced part like a run capacitor that may be mounted right next to the compressor.

A cold compressor means it has not even been running. When running, these can get quite warm. If you turn the dial inside the refrigerator to a way colder setting, can you hear any kind of click occur back next to the compressor? or repeated on and off clicking?

Note: You do not want to get carried away experimenting on refrigerators by causing them to actually run and then unplug the unit and then try to run it again, right away. You really need to wait at least 5 minutes for starting all over again, if you ever do this. Same holds true with air conditioners. It has to do with the refrigerant inside and it's pressures.

Okay I bought a compressor relay, but it isn't exactly what I thought it was. Is there somewhere I can download a picture or diagram, of what it looks like, and where it is?

Hi daddy:


The relay should have come with an instruction sheet. You got the exact part for your fridge? I hope you bought the relay and overload kit. Usually when the relay goes out you want to replace the overload as well because it's been stressed. Do you see where the wires go into the compressor? See a cover there? You want to gain access inside that cover. The kit has instuctions, new PTC relay, new overload, new cover. www.appliancepartspros.com has it for about $33. At ther website just input your model # on the home page. BTW- I belive you model # is ED22CQXHW01You had posted COX which I couldn't find. Let us know if that fixes it. Thanks.

The wires I seen went into a big, white, square plug (female), and it plugs onto three prongs coming off the side of the compressor.

What they gave me was,
http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/model.aspx?model_id=261431
Diagram 12, Part 16. I don't see any of those other parts, and that part looks nothing like what I have. There is no cover or anything just a plug with only 2 wires.

Is there anyway I can ad an image to my post, so I can show you a paint brush sketch of the part?

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r25/daddyzaring/fRIDGEPART.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

The parts list shows part 16 as the relay/overload kit. I contacted appliance parts pros.They need the order # and/or your e-mail to check the order. send me a pm with that. I'm thinking they sent you the run cap. if they did, keep it and replace it as well. Is there a part # on the part they sent you? pm that to me as well, we'll get it figured out.

No, it was just that the replacement part isn't exactly the same as the original, or the original is 1 part, actually two, and the replacement is three parts. I just hooked it all back up, so we''l see in a little bit if it works.
Oh, and I bought the part at Arrow Cold Control, my sister works there and got it for $27.

Sounds good. Yes, the relay kit is 3 parts; it includes the overload because a tech wouldn't want a callback because of a stressed out overload. Good price btw.

She gave me dealer's discount, and it is feeling much cooler, So I think that was it. I will post back in a couple hour to let you know for sure, so you can close this, then if you need to. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

You're welcome daddy!! he he


I just wanted to see you get back in operation. The fridge is the one appliance folks have to get fixed right away.

Should it take longer for the fridge side to cool than the freezer? The freezer is freezing, but the fridge is still kind of warm.

Okay, it finally cooled down. Thank you again :D

You're welcome my friend. When a box has been down for a while, you have to just let it run and not be looking inside every hour. he he I like to let them go overnite.

Still working great, but had another question? Can that part I change affect the temperatures? I only ask because I have had to lower my temp controlls quite a bit since fixing it.

Hi daddy:

No, the relay won't directly affect the temperatures. The best place for temp settings is at the midpoint of the control's range. I forget now but did you clean the coils underneath?

Sorry, been have PC troubles. Yes, we did clean the coils. I had asked about the temperature, because it gets alot colder than it ever did before. Before this repair we had always had both side at about 3/4 of the way to high, now we have turned everything down to 1/2, and almost 1/2.

1/2 setting on both controls is the norm