The freezer is used less often than the main one. Therefore, its breakdowns are usually not detected immediately after the appearance. The fact that the freezer is out of order usually becomes known even when a puddle appears on the floor or a strong noise is heard from the compartment.
Further repair and its cost depend on the correct diagnosis. Therefore, if you do not know what to do when the freezer has stopped working, our review will help you.
We will consider the possible causes of the breakdown of the freezer, signs of failure of the refrigeration equipment, and optimal solutions to the problem.
Why does the freezer not work in a two-chamber refrigerator
If you have a two-chamber refrigerator “Indesit”, “Ariston” or “Atlant”, the freezer in it may not work not only for objective reasons, but because of careless use. Check these points before you sound the alarm and call a specialist:
- Thermostat. It is worth installing the selector wheel between the marks 3-4 or 2-3, so that the compressor does not create excessive load. When the mark is higher, the motor does not have time to cool both cameras, so the freezer stops working.
- The tightness of the sealing gum. If the door is not tightly closed, snow or ice builds up in the freezer compartment due to the constant flow of uncooled air flows from the outside. When the motor rests, the ice melts, and the melted water flows to the floor. In this case, you need to defrost the refrigerator and carry out minor repairs of the seal in those places where it leaves.
If in your refrigerator LG (Lji), “Stinol”, “Ariston” or in any other there is no “coat” and the thermostat value is set correctly, and the freezer still does not freeze, then there is a breakdown.
Most likely causes of a freezer malfunction
There are breakdowns directly related to the fact that the freezer compartment is turned off. Knowing their symptoms and signs, you can easily diagnose a failure and save on the initial diagnosis.
All possible reasons for the failure of the freezer in the refrigerators Bosch (Bosch), Samsung, Whirlpool, Liebherr (Liebherr), Minsk and others are collected in the table below.
How does a refrigerator behave | What broke | What to repair |
In the two-compressor model, the freezer motor “starts up” and “stalls” after a few seconds. | The compressor responsible for the operation of the freezer compartment broke down. Reasons: natural deformations during work or increased load. For example, setting the temperature controller to maximum in hot summer weather. | Need diagnostics and motor replacement. |
The compressor functions, but often turns off for a long time (in electronic models). | The air sensor of the freezer has broken. If the sensor malfunctions, the signal does not reach the control board to increase the temperature in the chamber, so the motor does not start. | It is necessary to replace the sensor with a similar part. |
The compressor is serviceable, but frequent and long pauses appear in its operation (for refrigerators with electromechanics). | The thermostat of the freezer compartment has broken. A broken thermostat does not report the temperature level to the control center, so in single-engine models, the compressor does not switch to cooling the freezer. In models with two motors, the second compressor does not turn on at all. | The temperature controller needs to be replaced. |
Weak operation of the freezer compartment. | On models equipped with a single compressor, No Frost system and a “crying” type evaporator, the switching valve may break. If the part “sticks” to the main chamber, there is no more power left on the freezer. | The valve must be removed and a new one installed. |
You have found rust in the freezer compartment, the chamber is malfunctioning or does not work at all (in refrigerators with a lower chamber location). | It is possible that refrigerant will leak in the area of the steel circuit. In models with a lower freezer and a “crying” type evaporator, this problem is not uncommon. It is provoked by blockages of the drainage hole, due to which water accumulates in the main chamber and drains into the area of the lower compartment. Getting on the body of the freezer, water causes rust in the steel circuit in which freon circulates. When microcracks appear, gas begins to flow | It is necessary to seal the system (replace damaged parts of the circuit) and charge the refrigerant. |
The camera stopped working after defrosting, if you “helped” it with a hairdryer, a fan, and sharp objects. | Acting carelessly in the hope of quickly defrosting the refrigerator, you can puncture the chamber, which will cause an inevitable leak of refrigerant from the system. If the Soviet refrigerators could transfer such cardinal methods calmly, then this is strictly contraindicated for modern “delicate” models. | Looking for a puncture site, sealing and refueling freon. |
The freezer does not freeze. There are no related symptoms. | Most likely, the control module broke. When the board fails, the equipment visually remains operational, but in fact, anything may not work in it, right up to the freezer. | You will need the firmware of the unit or its complete replacement. |
Do I need to take care of the freezer? Definitely needed! Even if you bought a model No Frost, it also needs to be defrosted - not as often as a drip refrigerator, but at least 2-3 times a year. It is also worth periodically wiping the walls and containers, inspecting the camera at the time of freezing, throwing away excess products. In summer, lower the temperature slightly so that the compressor is not overloaded. And most importantly: if you are a fan of “freezing” for the winter, freeze fruits and vegetables in batches, never load the camera completely.
Now you know why the freezer in your two-compartment refrigerator may not work. If you have a single-chamber model, a separate freezer compartment cannot fail, since the system of these cameras is common.
Using our table, determine why the breakdown occurred, in order to know what kind of repair to prepare for - minor or major. And if the thermostat or sensor can be replaced with your own hands, then work such as replacing the compressor or refueling freon requires special equipment and experience. Therefore, we recommend that you entrust difficult tasks to the master.