Fridge Freezer Not Working?
Find Your Fault Below

The most common cause of a fridge not cooling properly is a thermostat accidentally set too warm. Check before anything else.

1. Locate the temperature control - usually a dial inside the fridge (1–5 or 1–7 scale) or a digital display.
2. The ideal fridge temperature is 3–5°C. On a dial, aim for the middle setting (3 on a 1–5 scale).
3. If you have a digital thermometer, place it in a glass of water in the middle shelf and check after 8 hours.
4. Adjust the dial one position cooler and re-check after 24 hours before assuming a fault.

Condenser coils release heat from the refrigeration cycle. When clogged with dust and pet hair, the fridge can't cool efficiently. This is one of the most common preventable faults.

1. Unplug the fridge from the mains before cleaning.
2. On most fridges the coils are either on the back of the unit (a grid of black tubing) or underneath at the front behind a kick plate.
3. Vacuum or brush away dust carefully. A bottle brush or vacuum with a narrow attachment works well.
4. Allow 30 minutes before plugging back in.

Even a slightly damaged door gasket causes warm air to constantly enter, forcing the compressor to work harder and failing to reach temperature.

1. Close the door on a piece of paper or a £5 note. Try to pull it out - there should be noticeable resistance.
2. Repeat this test all around the door edge. Any point where the paper slides out easily indicates a weak seal.
3. Visually inspect the gasket for cracks, tears, flattening or areas that have pulled away from the frame.
4. If the gasket is dirty but intact, clean it with warm soapy water - a dirty seal may not seat properly.

1. Cold air inside the fridge needs to circulate. A heavily packed fridge will not cool evenly.
2. Check that nothing is directly blocking the internal vents or the back wall of the fridge.
3. Remove a third of the contents temporarily and monitor temperature over 12 hours.
4. Do not store hot food directly in the fridge - allow it to cool to room temperature first.

The compressor is the heart of the refrigerator. If it's not running, the fridge will not cool at all.

1. Pull the fridge slightly away from the wall and listen near the bottom rear.
2. You should hear a low humming motor noise when the compressor is running. It should cycle on and off.
3. If completely silent and the fridge is warm - the compressor may have failed, or the overload protector has tripped.
4. Leave unplugged for 20 minutes then plug back in. Sometimes a compressor that has overheated will restart.

Freezers should maintain −18°C to −22°C. A freezer that's −5°C may feel cold but food will slowly defrost over days.

1. Place a freezer thermometer (or a probe thermometer) in a glass of water in the centre of the freezer.
2. Check after 4–6 hours. If above −12°C, there is a definite fault.
3. Check the temperature setting - some freezer dials have been knocked to a warmer setting.

Frost-free freezers run automatic defrost cycles every 8–12 hours. If the defrost timer or thermostat sticks, the freezer remains in defrost mode and never gets cold.

1. If there is a manual defrost timer (an older analogue dial, sometimes behind the back panel), try advancing it manually until you hear a click.
2. If the freezer was previously icing up heavily and is now not freezing, the defrost heater may have burned out after extended use.
3. Listen for the fan - most frost-free freezers have an evaporator fan that runs when cooling. If you can't hear it, the defrost system may have locked up.

1. Check the door seal using the paper test (see Not Cooling section above).
2. Check the freezer isn't overfilled so that the door cannot close fully.
3. On chest freezers, inspect the lid seal and hinge for damage.
4. Ensure the unit is level - a tilt forward prevents the door from self-closing.

This determines whether icing-up is expected or a fault.

• Frost-free models (most modern fridge freezers made after 2000) should have zero visible frost inside. Any build-up is a fault.
• Manual defrost models (older chest freezers, some budget models) will naturally accumulate frost. Defrost manually every 6–12 months when frost exceeds 5mm.
• Check your model handbook or search the model number online if unsure.

Warm, moist air entering the freezer is the most common cause of ice build-up. Every time warm air enters, it freezes on the evaporator coils.

1. Perform the paper/banknote door seal test around the entire door perimeter.
2. Ensure items stored on the door shelves aren't preventing the door from closing fully.
3. If the freezer drawer (on American-style or larder freezers) is not being pushed fully closed, even 2mm of gap causes significant frost build-up.

A full manual defrost resets the system and may resolve a minor defrost fault - but if frost returns within a week, the heater or thermostat has failed.

1. Remove all food (use a cool bag/cool box) and turn the fridge off at the mains.
2. Leave the doors open. Place towels on the floor to catch melt water.
3. Allow 12–24 hours for the ice to melt completely - do not use a heat gun or sharp objects to speed this up.
4. Dry the interior fully, switch on and monitor over 7 days.

All fridges produce condensation which drains through a small hole into a drain pan underneath. When this drain blocks, water pools at the bottom of the fridge interior.

1. Remove all drawers and shelves from the fridge compartment.
2. Locate the drain hole - it is usually at the very back, at the bottom of the rear wall (sometimes beneath a plastic cover).
3. Use a turkey baster, warm water, and a flexible drain brush or pipe cleaner to flush the drain clear.
4. Pour warm (not boiling) water into the drain hole to flush it through.
5. Pull the fridge out and check the drain tube at the back - it should lead into the drain pan on top of the compressor. Clear this tube if blocked.

1. The drain pan sits on top of the compressor at the back-bottom of the fridge. Pull the unit out and locate it.
2. It is designed to overflow if the defrost drain is producing more water than the compressor heat can evaporate.
3. Inspect for cracks or damage - a cracked drain pan leaks directly onto the floor.
4. Empty and clean the pan. A cracked pan can be replaced - search by model number. Parts typically cost £15–£40.

1. American-style and multi-door fridges often have water dispensers or ice makers plumbed into the mains.
2. Check the connection at the rear of the unit where the water supply pipe connects - this can work loose over time.
3. Inspect the water filter housing (usually inside the fridge) for cracks or poor seating.
4. If the ice maker is leaking, check the water inlet valve at the back of the unit - a partially stuck-open valve causes slow drips.

1. Check the fridge is level. Use a spirit level - most fridges have adjustable front feet. A tilt causes the unit to rock and vibrate.
2. Check items on top of or behind the fridge that may be vibrating in sympathy.
3. Ensure the fridge is not touching the wall or kitchen cabinets - it needs a few centimetres clearance.
4. Check the drain pan at the back is seated correctly - a loose drain pan rattles on the compressor.

A single click every time the compressor starts or stops is completely normal. Repeated clicking every few minutes, especially if the fridge is not cooling, indicates the compressor is trying to start but failing.

1. Repeated clicking with no cooling = likely failed start relay or compressor overload protector.
2. The start relay is a small component that plugs into the compressor - it's a cheap part (£10–£30) but requires access to the rear of the unit.
3. Shake the start relay - a rattle usually confirms it has failed.

1. A louder-than-usual hum when the compressor is running can mean the motor is under strain due to dirty condenser coils or a failing fan.
2. Locate the evaporator fan (inside the freezer, usually behind a rear panel) and the condenser fan (behind the fridge at the back). Listen to identify which area the noise comes from.
3. A fan blade catching on ice or debris causes a loud buzzing or ticking in rhythm with blade rotation.
4. Defrost the unit fully - if ice has built up around the evaporator fan it will cause it to knock.

Gurgling, trickling or bubbling sounds are almost always the sound of refrigerant moving through the system - this is normal. It is most audible after the compressor switches off. No action needed.

Paper test: Close the door on a sheet of paper or a £5 note. Pull it - you should feel clear resistance. If it slides out easily, the seal at that point is weak.

Torch test: Place a torch inside pointing outward, close the door, turn off the room lights. Any light visible around the door edge indicates a gap.

Visual inspection: Look for cracks, tears, flattened sections, or areas where the gasket has pulled away from the door frame.

1. Find your fridge model number (label inside the fridge, usually on the side wall or behind a drawer).
2. Search for a replacement gasket using the full model number. Expect to pay £20–£60 for the part.
3. Most gaskets clip or push into a groove around the door - no screws required on modern fridges. Some older models have a liner behind the gasket that requires a screwdriver to remove.
4. Soak the new gasket in warm water first to make it pliable.
5. Work around the door fitting the new gasket from the top corners.
6. Allow 24 hours for it to settle, then re-test with the paper test.

1. Door seal failure - Warm air leaking in means the compressor never stops trying to compensate. Test with the paper test. See the Door Seal section above.

2. Dirty condenser coils - The fridge can't release heat efficiently, so the compressor stays on. Clean the coils (see Not Cooling section, Check 2).

3. Defrost fault - If ice has built up on the evaporator coils inside the freezer, airflow is blocked and the fridge runs constantly. Defrost the unit manually and monitor.

1. Set the fridge to a mid-range setting and check the actual temperature with a thermometer after 24 hours.
2. Target: 3–5°C. Below 2°C will cause ice crystals to form on produce.
3. On digital fridges, the displayed temperature may not match actual - always use a separate thermometer to verify.

The coldest part of most fridges is directly in front of or below the evaporator (the cooling element in the back wall). Produce stored hard against the rear wall will freeze even when the overall temperature is correct.

1. Pull items away from the back wall by at least 2–3cm.
2. Store salad and produce in the drawers at the bottom (the warmest zone).

If adjusting the thermostat doesn't help and food continues to freeze:

• The thermostat may have failed and be stuck in a permanently cold state.
• Fridge freezers with dual cooling use a damper/air diffuser to control airflow between the freezer and fridge sections. A stuck-open damper allows freezing air to flood the fridge compartment.

Both are engineer repairs. A thermostat replacement typically costs £80–£150 including labour.

1. Locate the door switch - a small button, usually in a plastic housing, pressed by the door when it closes.
2. Press it manually with the door open. The light should go off. If not, the switch has failed.
3. Door switches are inexpensive (£5–£15) and usually clip or screw in. Match the part number to your model.

1. Unplug the fridge before touching the light fitting.
2. Older fridges use a standard E14 screw-cap appliance bulb (15W or 25W). Check the rating on the existing bulb and replace like-for-like.
3. Modern fridges use LED modules - these are not individual bulbs but a plastic panel with integrated LEDs. If the module has failed, it must be replaced as a unit. Search by model number.
4. LED modules typically cost £15–£50 and clip into place.