This Pearl of Appliantological Wisdom℠ applies to the Maytag and Jenn-Air side-by-side and wide-by-side refrigerators manufactured in 2001. (How do you know what year your refrigerator was manufactured? Consult The Oracle!) The problem here is that the freezer gets goodncold (that’s a technical term used by us professionals, defined as 0°F or colder) but the all-holy beer compartment (that’s the one that ain’t the freezer, kapeesh?) won’t get below 40°F, or so– certainly not cold enough for any self-respecting lager drinker. We gotta step through the paces on this one so grab ‘hold of your favorite katana and let’s romp.
First order of bidness is to get some hard numbers on the temperatures in both the freezer and beer compartments. If you don’t already, you should have two thermometers specially made for refrigerators living inside your fridge, one in the freezer section and another in the beer section.
“But, Samurai, I know my freezer is cold because the ice cubes haven’t melted. So why do I need to spend money on thermometers?”
Ahh, Grasshoppah, do you have a calibrated palm that can tell the difference between 0°F and 17°F? No? Well, there ya go. A good freezer will easily keep 0°F and indicates that all is well with the sealed system and condenser fan. OTOH, if your freezer has trouble getting much below 20°F or even 10°F, then, Houston, we have a situation– see this page for further guidance. In a freezer at 0°F, the frost pattern on the evaporator (the coils inside the freezer– hidden behind a panel– that make all the cold air for the entire refrigerator) will look something like what’s shown here. Notice how there’s a thin, fine layer of frost evenly distributed over most of the coil as opposed to too much or none at all.
Still here? OK, that means everything I’ve talked about so far checks out on your fridge and you are now ready to learn the advanced repair kata for this problem. All is revealed in this parchment from the Appliantology scriptures.
Now go kick some refrigerator butt!
To learn more about your refrigerator, or to order parts, click here.
if the refrigerator is warm the freezer ok . what could wrong? i observe the fan not working the damper closed . I change the circuit board and it the same problem . I do’nt know if it the haeter or termistor not working
Hi Deane. Without knowing the model number, I can only give some general tips. On some models, the damper is controlled by a damper motor which can burn out. If your fridge has a motorized damper, use your voltmeter to see if it’s getting voltage when you adjust the damper control. If it is, and no movement, then replace the damper assembly.