Great video! They do seem to make these more complicated to work on lately but glad there are people like you to show others how to fix these problems without having to dish out a bunch of money to a repair man
Thanks for the video. I had some spoiled milk, watched this video, took my fridge apart and discovered the fan wasn’t working just as you showed. I got the new fan and reinstalled and had my fridge put back together the same day. Couldn’t have done it without you. Keep up the great videos!!
I cant thank you enough for this video! It was sooo thorough and I, too, successfully fixed my refrigerator by ordering a $50 part. I am so proud of myself 😁AND my husband thinks I am amazing so thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!
Ben you are my hero, I will have to check this fridge tomorrow and I wouldn't do it without your help, very detail and informative video, just perfect to follow up, I am also a technician but sometimes we have to be humble and let the masters run the show, thanks and God Bless you always
Ben this video was so helpful. My cousins fridge had about 40lbs of ice at the back he could not open the small drawer. Thanks to you I was able to remove the back clean the condenser coils and check the pan. I have now reset it to mode 2. As I am visiting and do not have access to repair equipment. My cousin was horrified when I took apart all parts. But your explanations were great. Thanks from a Cuban Chick.
I dont even have my new fridge but it is on it's way and I feel so much better knowing we have this level support out there for it! The issue described here is similar to what my Samsung has been dealing with as of late... among a million other things over the last 6 years... Glad to know I now have more insight as to the why and not just a "here is a process to fix this" rather a comprehensive guide with multiple fixes and why, helping us to better understand what the proper fix might be.
Great information; it was mentioned (10:25) adding a secondary defrost heater on a kitchenaid refrigerator video. Where can I find that video? Does the samsung kit also work with the kitchenaid?
I have to say this is one of the best videos I've ever seen on youtube. Great job explaining and showing and detailing every step of the way. I'm in the process of buying the parts but I think all of your great explanations are about to save me about $600 that I just got quoted to do this very thing. Thank you so much you do great work and keep it up.
Thank you so much for this video! I used it to fix my refrigerator. I look like a frickin genius! My husband thinks I am amazing. My family and friends are still gapping! I owe it all to you!
Our fridge was also not cold enough and sitting around 50 degrees. It was not icing over either. I had a Kitchenaid assigned repair person come out and the diagnosed by guessing that the main board needed to be changed. After watching this video and reading through many forums I decided to change the fan and dual thermistor kit (Part W1103316). This worked!!! The fridge is now cooling as it should and sitting at 35 degress.
Made this repair about 7 weeks ago, and I can see ice forming behind the cold drinks/deli meat drawer again. Could you share the video of you adding a secondary heat defroster that you mentioned at 10:24?
Yes, I'm highly interested on that as well. All I can figure freezing the video is that you splice the Supco heater into pink #1 and brown #5 wires at the 7 wire connector to the board.
Yeah same issue. Service guy came out and changed the fan and temp sensors. Still icing over. Seems like it should have a secondary heater standard... I like the fridge but fed up with the coils freezing over.
Thanks again for the video. I ordered the fan and sensor kit from your link. I ordered Friday and it arrived Sunday afternoon. After testing, I think my system was working properly. Fan operated, but I switched everything out with the new set-up anyways. The main thing is that I was able to pinpoint the problem and allow the refrigerator to defrost completely. Then I used the new defrost schedule shown in your video. I would like to make people aware that there will be a lot of water coming out from underneath the refrigerator, more than the drip tray can hold. Be ready with a wet/dry shop vac.
Great video. In my case it was a big solid block of ice back there, but everything functional after the thaw, and thermistor already moved and foil wrapped (probably by previous owner in the past with the same issue) I would like to add that, like many others, I was able to remove the tower without touching the icemaker. You simply work on the clips and slightly shift the tower to the right as you remove it. You really only have to overcome a few millimeters of plastic ridge that the edge of the icemaker overlaps. Also, no disconnecting all of those wire connectors. Another thing to do, clean your dusty coils and check your drip pan under the fridge after all that thawing, as it will be very full.
Thanks to your awesome video I fixed it! Bought 5 sets of 8 pin connectors on Amazon for $8.59. Replaced the male plug that comes out of the fridge wall. Works like new! Thanks so much!!!
Hey Ben! I would like to know where I can find the video of how to add a secondary defrost heater that you had mentioned in your video and the part required to ddo the job. Thanks!
Hey Ben, great informative video. I have a whirlpool 5 door just like the kitchen aid one in this video. A month back my fridge started to warm up and my freezer did as well. Initially, I thought it was the freezer that was the issue as I had a lot of ice built up on the coils in the freezer. I manually defrosted it and checked the defrost heater for continuity which it had and put it back together. A few weeks later, same thing so I opened the freezer up again but there was no ice buildup on the coils. I put it back together and contacted a whirlpool tech. First time he came out, he opened up the panel behind the middle drawers, manually defrosted it, and replaced a part that whirlpool covered. It was some kind of pan. He left, and the fridge was great for about 24 hours. Then the same panel behind the drawer was frozen over again. I called home back and he replaced the thermistor and manually defrosted. Same thing happened about 24 hours later. Third time out, he comes with another guy and they took everything apart. They were on the phone with whirlpools service center and whirlpool seems the fridge non repairable. Tech said he’s never had that happen before but there is nothing he can do. I have a hard time believing it is not repairable as everything works great until that panel behind the drawer freezes over. I assume he verified everything in the video but maybe I have to take it apart to make sure. Have you ever heard of whirlpool claiming a fridge is not repairable for an issue like this?
Hey Ben, Thanks for the very helpful video. You saved us from having to buy a new frig. Our frig is a Whirlpool wrx988sibm01 French Door (4 doors). As expected it was a bit challenging to take apart but with some patience all went well. Our problem started with the ice maker not working. So, this is where I started but learned about 1 week later that the milk was tasting funky--put in a frig thermometer and soon realized frig was not cooling. Freezer seemed to be working okay. Once we got everything apart there was the iceberg. After getting all the ice removed and opening it up, we tested the fan and it passed. Next, came quite a bit of problem solving---the fan was easy to find online; however, the part that includes the 2 sensors was a separate part: Harns-Wire W10837236. (In your video your part for the fan included the sensors.) Hopefully, this will help anyone who has a similar model to know what to buy. Also, in my online research there was a service bulletin put out by Whirlpool and/or KitchenAid about their frigs having this exact problem. The key problem noted in this service bulletin was not the fan but issues with the sensors and their placement--as noted in your video.
@@bensappliancesandjunk Hey Ben, I spoke too soon. I am now having just the opposite problem. The fresh food section is working "almost" okay but now the freezer is not freezing. The fresh food section is staying right at 40 degrees and the freezer at about the same temp 40 to 45 degrees. I have run most of the Service Tests. For Service Test 3, both RC and FC evaporator fan motors come on. For Service Test 6 "Defrost Heater/Bi-Metal I am getting a code 2 or open. I am assuming I should be getting code 2, because since turning the frig back on the freezer's temp has not dropped low enough for it to close. What is weird about this whole thing is that the freezer seemed to be working fine before we turned the frig off and did all the work I noted in first comment (removed the ice, tested the fan, and replaced the 2 sensors via the new Harns-Wire W10837236). I have given it a thorough cleaning inside and out. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
@@davidjohn5331 How long did you wait to check for temps? They tend to take awhile, upto 48hrs to get cold. Make sure to check black condenser coils at back/underneath then check condenser fan as well. Could of had an underlying problem that hasnt been solved yet.
@@bensappliancesandjunk Thanks for the reply. Sorry if this is a dumb question--I am very new to doing frig repairs. I am confused by which fan is which. For the condenser fan, is this the fan you are referring to this video that you showed replacing. I believe this is the evaporator fan, which I tested when we had everything apart and it came on. I have checked the compressor fan in the bottom back and it was caked in some dirt, which I removed and cleaned. I'm not sure where the condenser fan is located. As a side note, I did notice that the compressor at one point when I had the back lower cover off was very hot to the touch.
@@davidjohn5331 Put the cover on and see if the airflow to the compressor helps. Some of those units need the cover on to direct the airflow through the fans to the compressor then out. Sounds odd, but sometimes restricting the air helps the flow directly to the compressor to cool it down. Having a hot compressor is a sign there's an issue. Either with airflow, or potentially refrigerant.
Awesome video and thanks so much for your great and concise explanation. My fridge is working great now after I purchased the parts kit and did the replacement. However I do have to say that you don't have to remove the water assembly, ice maker or air tower. I just removed the two screws from the evap cover panel the and it slid straight out. Much faster and easier. Not sure why you say you have to remove all the other parts.
Hi, would you be so kind and explain how to do put your Kitchen aid refrigerator in FORCED DEFROST mode. I have model KRMF706ESS01 and the service code for a forced defrost is #38. My applicance only gives me 2 options when I use the S3 button to scroll - OF and 5H . So I select the 5H, do I need to let the display flash and leave it untouched for the defrost cycle to kick in? Or do I need to exit the diagnostic mode for it to kick in? Once this setting has been correctly selected, does the appliance immediately go in to a defrost mode? Should the back panel feel warm to the touch? I have yet to find any information on how to do this. I even called Kitchen Aid but they were not able to help on this very basic function every owner should have access to. Thank you in advance.
I’ve done three or four of these in my appliance repair business and they are probably the busiest tear down out there. You have done a good job step by step. I will still refer to your video, because I’m old and forgetful.😂 Not the best design out there. There is a whole lot that can go wrong with this design. I personally would never own one unless it was given to me which believe it or not one was. I repaired it, and turned it.
Thank you for this video! I have the same fridge (5 door model), but I believe a different problem (maybe 2). I get frost build up around the icemaker to door gasket. Any thoughts on that? Also, if I remove the icemaker and thaw it out, then re-install it, I will get 1 batch of ice. After that, it tries to make ice (can hear the water valve opening), but no water goes into the ice tray. Related issue? I'm assuming the water line is freezing up. Thanks for any suggestions!
Thank you so much, Ben!!!! Our fridge lost cooling in the main compartment, and your video was the exact recipe to fix it! We encountered a totally iced up fan and coil in the back that we thawed out with a heat gun. We moved the thermistor to the spot you recommended, and I guess we'll have to take the unit apart in a few days to see if we actually have to replace any parts. For now, it's working.
Frigidaire still has a top freezer with a mechanical defrost timer. I got one made 6 months ago that didn't work proprely (user error). I was floored when I opened it up and the parts are the same as the ones from 30 years ago. Just beautiful.
“Worked for a decade”???? You mean for 30 or 40 YEARS!! Now ALL of these damn things are GARBAGE, and they know it, and do it on PURPOSE. It is criminal what they are selling us, and they know it. Im about to file a class action lawsuit against KitchenAide, they are a DISGRACE.
@@bensappliancesandjunk brand model # and link please. I only want old reliable. We have a one-year-old refrigerator that is condensating inside KitchenAid of course that’s why I watch this video. Really appreciate your content and miss your old school hat and black-and-white uniform. I’m sure they suit you into oblivion. I’m glad you got more videos to do and I don’t care what you wear I do share and like and I’m definitely a subscriber long time.
Thank you so much for this video, it helped me save $$$ by replacing the evaporator fan and defrost thermistor w/o calling a repairman. The fan was working but the coils were completely incased in ice which was starting to spread out of the evaporator cover and causing the chef's pantry drawer not to close. Must have had a bad thermistor.
My Kitchenaid is somewhat different, but your three-door version comes close enough. The culprit on mine is the fridge thermistor, which will arrive tomorrow. Nice troubleshooting on the fan, because that's a far costlier replacement!
Great video. Very detailed and easy to follow. The only problem I had was removing the water line to the icemaker. I've used these type connections many times and know how to release but this one would not release completely. The line would move back about 1/2" but could not pull it all the way out. Had someone hold the ice maker just long enough to remove the back panel and then hung it back up.
Awesome video!!! So I took my fridge apart to replace this part. The connector it plugs into (as you warned in the video) was severely corroded. One pin is actually missing inside the connector (tan wire) and the yellow wire was broken off the back of the connector. Obviously, the new one will not work. How in the world do I fix this? I'm assuming slices would cause worse problems later, but cant find a connector to reset the wires in a new one. Please help!
Great video. My fan is making a lot of noise suddenly since 4 days ago. The rear compressor fan is fine. I tried the diagnostic mode and the loud buzzing of a fan appears when I select 03, then press "Select Zone" to cycle the value from 01 to 02 and 04. As of today, I'm beginning to see some frost build up behind the freezer drawer while there was none in the previous few days.
Question about service test 7. I have a kitchenaid KRMF706ESS and I do not have a service test 7 to change the defrost mode. It skips from 6 to 8. I found a thread online with a couple other users stating that their 706 models had the exact same problem (no service test 7). Any thoughts on this or is there a way to reset or recover this so that service test 7 reappears? I’m assuming it’s a known issue or perhaps it was designed that way? Thanks in advance and thank you for the very helpful video.
@@kevinmast7531 I was told that some models just don’t have that service test 7 option. I had suspected my problem was the thermistor. I ended up rolling the dice and buying a new thermistor, put it in and it solved my problem. Strangely the old one did not test much differently than the new one, but I was using a cheap ohmmeter without a ton of experience using one.
I have the 706 model and it skips mode 7. I get a screen showing all the settings available, but do not understand the computer well to correct them...
I have a kitchen Aid refrigerator similar to the one you are working on in this video. The drain tube is plugged and water building up on bottom of refrigerator. Is there an easy way to clear this line or do i need to pull it completely apart?
By far the best video on this problem on TH-cam. Great video and one with exactly the right amount of instruction. I do have a question on running the diagnostic prior to tear down. What test results am I looking for that would indicate there is a problem?
This one sadly wouldn't show up on diagnostics. Typically the thermostat has gone "bad" by being off-value. it'd still show as good, but it would cut off the defrost process quicker than what is truly needed. The system/diagnostics would assume its still working to exactly proper specification, but it isn't.
Thank you for this video. I have the exact KitchenAid refrigerator. Is there a way to turn off cooling for the refrigerator to defrost it while keeping the freezer section operating at below 0° C temp?
WOW, I just had three different repair companies replace the Ice Maker 3 times before the last guy figured out the first two had installed the "wrong" icemaker. It was obvious as mine had two plugs while the ice makers they installed had the TWO individual wire runs merged into ONE connector. It took over 2 months before it was fixed. But this looks like a royal PITA. Our KA 5 door was bought in Jan 2019 probably manufactured in 2018. Would I have the new and improved parts you mention or do I have a ticking time bomb?
Very good video. I have t the same problem on a KRFC704FPS. I was surprised to see this one doesn’t have the styrofoam covering the evaporator. Looking for one of your videos where you take that one apart.
Just did this repair and the new fan & thermistor went in great! BUT once all back in place my door ajar light stays on & no water dispense/likely no ice…but havent given it much time yet…tried power off @ breaker for 8mins…diagnostic tests show fan & thermistor good. Also put in basic defrost mode. Any thoughts on door ajar light? Interior side wall lights will some times come on, but top center light & freezer light wont come on… Any ideas on resetting door switches…cause im certain they didnt fail in the 5hrs i had it open defrosting an ice block on back wall
What is the purpose of the grey mastic stuff? I have a KitchenAid 5 door that won't cool below 50 degrees in the fridge part but the freezer is fine. I took it apart and removed the evaporator cover and saw that the grey stuff was leaking out from the plastic containing it and got down on the evaporator itself. Before I took it all apart there was a lot of ice build up on the outside of the evaporator cover and I defrosted it and then turned the cooling back up but still wouldn't get below 50 degrees and starting frosting back over.
HI, thanks for your video! I already replaced the fan/harness, and I can hear its working but temp inside goes down to 44F no less :( what else could be the issue. I checked the codes and the thermistor and other they look ok, not sure what else could it be :( please help.
Ben, I have my whole fridge apart and am trying to put in the new fan assembly and thermistors as detailed in your video. My fridge actually has different connections. Looks like your replacement fan has a small connector, but my fridge has 2 larger connectors, so the new fan/thermistor combo does not plug in at all. Any ideas on this? My fridge is a Kitchenaid KFIV29PCMS02. Not sure why my is different than your in the video. TX
Great video thank you. Do you have one for kitchen aid krsc503esso1? It has the same issue of freezer/ice maker work fine but refrigerator side is iced over at the bottom and runs warm
Super great job, amigo! Really appreciate your thoroughness and particularly your improvements in hindsight. Really excellent directional video with very thoughtful editing, graphics and highlighted identifier items. Thanks again!
I have similar problems - same refrigerator. The refrigerator box isn’t maintaining temp but the freezer is. I do not get any ice accumulation in the refrigerator. I replaced the thermistor kit as described in this video and the fan runs fine. I have also recently replaced the main control board and pretty much all of components of the ice maker (due to poor ice making). I did unplug the refrigerator hoping for a reset. I checked the temp settings in the digital display settings and lowered it to 34 degrees. Obviously I am missing something. Any ideas?
I have a 5 door kitchenAid. Freezer not getting cold. Fridge works seemingly ok. Freezer has no cooling at all I found a ball of ice on the coils and melted it off. Then ran the freezer for over an hour and no cooling. nothing at all. checked the coils and there was no ice. Nothing. fan still working on both fridge and freezer when do the 3rd test at 4. Changed both the temp sensors on the freezer. still no cooling. Coil is slightly cool on the intake side but not cool. Compressor sounds fine. condenser fan working and condenser coils clean. Any ideas?
Thank you for this great video. My 5-door fridge is not cooling enough too. I'm hoping to follow your directions to solve the issue. I think a strange thing happened here. When I opened it up and got to the evaporator I noticed that the paste-like substance wrapped around the copper/grounding wire with clear plastic had melted and stuck everywhere. The melted paste was on the other wires, the black pipes and heating elements of the evaporator, on the floor under the evaporator, etc. What is that substance and what is it for? Why has it melted? I'm about to order and replace the fan and thermostat system, but I'm not sure what to do about the melted paste, or just leave it alone. Thanks for your help.
Hi. I have this same problem with my 5 door kitchen Aid. The problem is i replaced the fan since it wasnt spinning and the control board. The fan still doest spin with a new fan installed., Both upper and lower ice up after some time. Any suggestions?
I have a kitchen aid 2017 model like Ben shows here. Control in door, Ice and Water as well both work well except when I depress the ice cradle, about 1 o of water drips out of the water side. Both work fine, but the water spitting out at the same time baffles me. Strange... any clues. Thank you Ben great videos.
@@edsmith3389 None. I inadvertently defrosted the ice maker, reset the fridge, and attempted to take the door apart. There was nothing obvious and the problem persists. I'm resisting my wife's insistence that we call a repair person. Please LMK if you find a solution. I could find nothing on-line on this, other than your mention.
@@edsmith3389 Update: I replaced the ice maker/water solenoid valves ($30) several weeks ago in hopes that this was the source of the problem. It was not. On Christmas Eve, we discovered the condenser coils were frozen solid (and the fridge was no longer cooling) so we emptied the fridge, removed the cover, and defrosted the condenser. And now - no water ejection. It's not obvious that these issues are related, but I'm glad that, after a year or more of water spits, we seems to be running normally now.
Ben you’re an awesome expert and patient man. I wish I had you down here in Georgia to help me out with my kitchen aid refrigerator. Would you be able to refer someone who could repair this exact problem on my kitchen aid? I have had no one with this expertise in n my area, Rome, GA. If you are coming down this side of the country , happy to host you and get this fixed by you. Please suggest , help or fix this…
One thing u did not discuss or explain in this video about Damper/ Motor which is on right side , if damper motor is bad ???what is symptoms , does it create ice on evaporator ?
Thanks again for this extra helpful video. I posted this comment and question under your diagnostic video, but more appropriate if posted here. So I did the tear down and completed the “triple fix” today as per your video. Once ice build up was removed on condenser coil and housing the diagnostic test #3 of the RC fan showed it did not spin, but as you said could be a faulty thermistor. Checked new fan - works perfectly, and rebuilt all back to specs. QUESTION: regarding the thermistor you show to now clip it lower down, I did that as shown - but the new part with clip does not tightly grab the pipe - is a bit loose. Is that an issue? Hope not. (I was unable to bent the steel clip, and did not wish to force with pliers in case it broke). Also the previous part was attached lower down to the other pipe? - the one that connects to the thin copper tube. Thanks for all your help, I owe you!!
What if the FC is working find, but the RC Evap just isn't cooling. Fans is not on, but does function (through diagnostic test), Thermistors are also testing fine.
So my fridge was doing this. Twice we have had to melt the use buildup. But now it is getting to cold instead of to warm. Could it be some of the same problem? Also we are getting a slight build up of ice on the inside corner of the freezer draw. Any help would be greatly appreciated
My KitchenAid has ice maker in bottom freezer and no water or ice dispenser in the door. The top isn't cooling anymore but the freezer is fine. Any help or point I'm the right direction would be great.
Why do you unplug everthing at the top cant you just unplug the fridge from wall . Arent you just trying to remove the tower to get to the lower cover?Great video!
From what I can gather nothing is “wrong” with my unit, I took it apart and removed the ice that was built on it, ran the diagnostic and my fan was spinning. Put everything back together and waited 12hrs and it wasn’t even 1 degree colder inside. What else can I check?
Hi I have changed the fan and the thermistor and am still having the same problem I do see rust on the dampener could that be the culperate problem. Please let me know asap
Did you replace the pan? I’ve replaced my plastic pan once already and now it’s cracked again. Maybe I should just take it out and not replace again! Some how ice is getting behind it or under it and pushing the pan up, cracking it. Evap isn’t frozen.
this video saved us a lot of money..one question, i put the defrost sensor on the wrong tube..the tube with the tape. do you think this will be bad?? i didnt think about it until i got it all together.
Should be fine. Its optimal to put it at the bottom of loop where the sensor is fully-flushed against the metal line so it takes longer to "Warm up" from the cold conditions.
Hey thanks for your videos! I have a kitchen aid 5 drawer and it does not cool. When it gets plugged in i hear a few clicks from solenoid in rear and it shows a PF light on display but no lights on in fridge and water does not work. Any ideas?
It was a total mess and honestly, I had to cover it up with editing. That whole pan was utterly destroyed. There are small slots on the pan that slots into... the evap panel if I remember right. Pull it out slowly and make sure you have it thawed out or it'll break
What if the side air works but not the air coming from the back? Someone has already replaced the fan. The control board has been replaced also. What is can be done?
Thank you so much, I found this video a few months ago and you helped me fix it!!! But now I have ice buildup behind the icemaker and water dripping from the ceiling of the refrigerator!!! The leaking only happens if the water is turned on. Do you have any videos on how to fix this, can't find one anywere🤔
Ben, many thanks for the video. I got to 9:56 and watched you set the defrost about 10 times. Not sure how the computer knows how to exit the diagnostics mode. Please go slow for the "technically challenged" (over 60 group) You could make a video of just working the computer settings and sell it to Kitchenaid for owners and techs!
This is what was going on with our refrigerator. We removed the ice and replaced the thermistor. The refrigerator cooled properly for about 2 weeks and now doesn't get below 60 degrees and is iced over again. Any suggestions? The freezer is working, but is warmer than it should be at 17 degrees. It also has not been making ice. We have cleaned the coils. TIA!
I have this fridge ... The refrigerator cools just fine but the freezer won't get cold enough... Had it looked at and nobody can figure it out. I ran all diagnostics through the control panel and all came out OK. The refrigerant was changed and system was checked for leaks etc, there is no ice build up on the coil etc. I'm lost and now have a torn apart KitchenAid in my living room... FOR MONTHS NOW. someone suggested the valve that diverts the refrigerant from the fridge to the freezer is broken or stuck... If so, is it possible to UN-stuck it?
Everything is awful anymore. It's better to know the worst potential problems now vs getting blindsided with this down the road and have no clue what it is
Hey Ben, I'm also Ben. Love your videos. Great work. Quick question if you have time. I have the KitchenAid krff707ess01 and have had the above problem. I had to defrost the entire cooling tower with the help of a tech. Surprisingly, I think we got access to it without taking off the icemaker. NOW, I'm getting water pooling and freezing in the bottom of the fridge cabinet. The freezer seems to be fine. My guess is that the drain tube is clogged or frozen, and it looks like the part (W11084807) implies that the fridge and freezer have different drain paths. My question: It is very difficult to get access to the rear of my refrigerator. Is it worth it to try and get access to the drain hole from inside the fridge cabinet and unclog it that way, or is it just better to get to the rear of the fridge and try to unclog from the bottom up. Thanks, and all the best!
Optimally, you want to check the duckbill on the back of the refrigerator as there's a 50/50 chance on whats clogged: the duckbill or the drain line itself. With a significant amount of pressure though, you can force the obstruction out through the drain hole in the refrigerator, so it is doable from front-access-only.
@@bensappliancesandjunk Thank you for the reply. I realized the drip capture tray was frozen over and possibly blocking the drain. I ended up unplugging my fridge putting warm water in the drip tray, and gently breaking up the ice. I then let it sit open for 24 hours. It's been 96 hours since I plugged it back in and no water is pooling inside the fridge cabinet (yet). Finger's crossed!
To be extra sure, I would also suggest wrapping the thermistor in aluminum foil tape and also increasing the temperature in the fresh food section (40° F or higher).
@@bensappliancesandjunk can you explain what you mean by wrapping thermistor in foil? I did this literally and changed out the fan and my refrigerator is now cooling too well, more than 13 degrees lower than setting. Do I wrap the white probe? The line attached to the coils? I think I attached the thermister on the coil too far down from where you placed it. Overall, great repair points made.
@@mattp4826 it's all about contact between the thermistor and the refrigerant line. The thermistor loves to go bad and defrost too early, so moving the thermistor to a place more likely to be cold means it should defrost more to clear the system. Did you replace the thermistor when you moved it or just use the same one?
@@bensappliancesandjunk I ordered a new replacement fan assembly and since I went to the trouble of tearing it apart (tbh not that hard) I ran fan diagnostics and it was perfect but I replaced it anyway. I think I put thermistor too far down the evap coil because it went from barely cooling to 41 degrees to now cooling to 32 while set at 41. Before I tore it apart again I was going to get your advice. But thanks for the advice because I picked up this 5 door fridge for next to nothing and fixed it for next to nothing. Very pleased but couldn't do it without your great video.
Just regular foil? Wrap a few turns. Is this simply to insure full contact? I will be doing the work just want to make sure. My fan works so I assume it's the thermistor. I have ice behind the pantry drawer.i have changed to I the 8 hour defrost
I have a 5 door that stays around 50, constantly a yoyo temp, but usually stays at 48. Freezer is ok. But the freezer can’t do -5 degrees if you set it there. Techs have thrown the front control panel and the rear control board at it but it still operates the same. My coils were not frozen. I like my fridge at 34 but it can’t do it. Is this a piece of junk? I’m lucky I purchased the extended warranty from Kitchaid as they throw parts at it. Here is the funny part, I am an hvac tech and have tried different trouble shooting techniques (raising the front, putting a fan at the front coil, etc.) here’s the best, If I pull the cord and plug it in, the air duct output in the fridge puts out 20 degrees. But in two hours, it’s up to 48 and it stays at 48. I can do it again and get the same results. I’d love to know if you have figured this fridge out. It obviously can do 20 degrees for a couple hours every time I unplug/plug it in; which leads me to believe the compressor is good. Is it that switching valve on the refrigerant line? I was told the switching valve was DC voltage. Is the DC voltage not enough to open or close that valve correctly? I’m grasping at straws, but it has got to be something simple; an obvious design flaw, and my techy gut is eyeing that valve. I believe they’re throwing a compressor in it next. By the way, you can’t mess with the defrost, they took out option #7. Any ideas?
@@louwgrobler5097 no. They bought it out under the extended warranty. The last tech told me off the record that it could not be fixed. He offered to put a compressor in it but said it would run no different. To be honest, the compressor ran fine. The only thing I had noticed was that ALL the techs would always set the freezer to the highest setting +5, still freezing but not the cold I wanted. BUT, the fridge seemed to maintain 38. The tech said the system would always steal the refrigerant from the fridge evaporator trying to achieve the freezer temp and to always keep the freezer set to the highest temp (+5 I think). To me, it’s just a junk fridge. Being this was my second dual evaporator fridge that failed. I’ll never buy another dual system, unless it has dual compressors.
@@louwgrobler5097 I have always wondered how many of these still exist. The tech also told me that everyone with my extended warranty were bought out and junked by Whirlpool.and sadly I only received 75% of my money back. But it was better than a total loss. The other trickery by Whirlpool was paying you with a gift card. I nearly forgot I had the card, and I bet they bank of that. But I finally used it and got the money off of it.
I have a kitchen aide KRMF706EBS01 refrigerator that the freezer works but the refrigerator part doesn’t cool nor does the ice maker make ice. Could it be a circuit board or start/run capacitor relay issue?
@@wouldratherknot3680 I had to replace the circuit board both upper and lower fan units thermistor assemblies. About 1500 bucks worth to the service guy. It’s on extended warranty but that only covers sealed units like the compressor.
![Refrigerator Not Cooling - How to Fix - What to Check [2020]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ocOW2GYxdTE/mqdefault.jpg)
My fan had quit. So I ordered a new harness like you recommended, installed it, and I now have my fridge back. This video saved me big time!
Wow nice! So glad it worked. These fridges have horrible problems when that stupid fan breaks like it does!
Great video! They do seem to make these more complicated to work on lately but glad there are people like you to show others how to fix these problems without having to dish out a bunch of money to a repair man
Thanks for the video. I had some spoiled milk, watched this video, took my fridge apart and discovered the fan wasn’t working just as you showed. I got the new fan and reinstalled and had my fridge put back together the same day. Couldn’t have done it without you. Keep up the great videos!!
I cant thank you enough for this video! It was sooo thorough and I, too, successfully fixed my refrigerator by ordering a $50 part. I am so proud of myself 😁AND my husband thinks I am amazing so thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!
Glad it helped!
Sarah, may I ask how long it took to do the repair?
@@bensappliancesandjunk I bought the fans and when I wanted to install it, it was on the same side, how did you solve that part?
Ben you are my hero, I will have to check this fridge tomorrow and I wouldn't do it without your help, very detail and informative video, just perfect to follow up, I am also a technician but sometimes we have to be humble and let the masters run the show, thanks and God Bless you always
Ben this video was so helpful. My cousins fridge had about 40lbs of ice at the back he could not open the small drawer. Thanks to you I was able to remove the back clean the condenser coils and check the pan. I have now reset it to mode 2. As I am visiting and do not have access to repair equipment. My cousin was horrified when I took apart all parts. But your explanations were great.
Thanks from a Cuban Chick.
You are the man .. saved me $600 by doing it myself. The video was very helpful to understand how easy it was to fix Great video!!
Thank you!!! I showed this to my husband and it fixed our refrigerator and saved us so much money.
I dont even have my new fridge but it is on it's way and I feel so much better knowing we have this level support out there for it! The issue described here is similar to what my Samsung has been dealing with as of late... among a million other things over the last 6 years... Glad to know I now have more insight as to the why and not just a "here is a process to fix this" rather a comprehensive guide with multiple fixes and why, helping us to better understand what the proper fix might be.
Great information; it was mentioned (10:25) adding a secondary defrost heater on a kitchenaid refrigerator video. Where can I find that video? Does the samsung kit also work with the kitchenaid?
I have to say this is one of the best videos I've ever seen on youtube. Great job explaining and showing and detailing every step of the way. I'm in the process of buying the parts but I think all of your great explanations are about to save me about $600 that I just got quoted to do this very thing. Thank you so much you do great work and keep it up.
I can’t believe how detail oriented you are on this! Thank you!
Wow! You are a very good Tech guy, wish you lived near me! You're worth every dollar and cent for your expertise..👍
Thank you so much for this video! I used it to fix my refrigerator. I look like a frickin genius! My husband thinks I am amazing. My family and friends are still gapping! I owe it all to you!
Tell your husband that the average cost for this repair is about $400 and he owes the new repair lady the money :-)
Our fridge was also not cold enough and sitting around 50 degrees. It was not icing over either. I had a Kitchenaid assigned repair person come out and the diagnosed by guessing that the main board needed to be changed. After watching this video and reading through many forums I decided to change the fan and dual thermistor kit (Part W1103316). This worked!!! The fridge is now cooling as it should and sitting at 35 degress.
Made this repair about 7 weeks ago, and I can see ice forming behind the cold drinks/deli meat drawer again. Could you share the video of you adding a secondary heat defroster that you mentioned at 10:24?
Yes, I'm highly interested on that as well. All I can figure freezing the video is that you splice the Supco heater into pink #1 and brown #5 wires at the 7 wire connector to the board.
Interested. Is there a video out there for the walk through? And what parts to buy? I have a hard time even finding a suitable heater. Anyone?
Yeah same issue. Service guy came out and changed the fan and temp sensors. Still icing over. Seems like it should have a secondary heater standard... I like the fridge but fed up with the coils freezing over.
Thanks again for the video.
I ordered the fan and sensor kit from your link. I ordered Friday and it arrived Sunday afternoon. After testing, I think my system was working properly. Fan operated, but I switched everything out with the new set-up anyways.
The main thing is that I was able to pinpoint the problem and allow the refrigerator to defrost completely. Then I used the new defrost schedule shown in your video.
I would like to make people aware that there will be a lot of water coming out from underneath the refrigerator, more than the drip tray can hold. Be ready with a wet/dry shop vac.
Ben - can you post the link to your install of the secondary defrost heater that you mentioned in this vid?
Great video. In my case it was a big solid block of ice back there, but everything functional after the thaw, and thermistor already moved and foil wrapped (probably by previous owner in the past with the same issue) I would like to add that, like many others, I was able to remove the tower without touching the icemaker. You simply work on the clips and slightly shift the tower to the right as you remove it. You really only have to overcome a few millimeters of plastic ridge that the edge of the icemaker overlaps. Also, no disconnecting all of those wire connectors. Another thing to do, clean your dusty coils and check your drip pan under the fridge after all that thawing, as it will be very full.
Thanks to your awesome video I fixed it! Bought 5 sets of 8 pin connectors on Amazon for $8.59. Replaced the male plug that comes out of the fridge wall. Works like new! Thanks so much!!!
Wow! That's awesome! Not a lot of people go that far: Replacing the plug that comes out of the fridge wall, but that's awesome!
Hey Ben! I would like to know where I can find the video of how to add a secondary defrost heater that you had mentioned in your video and the part required to ddo the job. Thanks!
Hey Ben, great informative video. I have a whirlpool 5 door just like the kitchen aid one in this video. A month back my fridge started to warm up and my freezer did as well. Initially, I thought it was the freezer that was the issue as I had a lot of ice built up on the coils in the freezer. I manually defrosted it and checked the defrost heater for continuity which it had and put it back together. A few weeks later, same thing so I opened the freezer up again but there was no ice buildup on the coils. I put it back together and contacted a whirlpool tech. First time he came out, he opened up the panel behind the middle drawers, manually defrosted it, and replaced a part that whirlpool covered. It was some kind of pan. He left, and the fridge was great for about 24 hours. Then the same panel behind the drawer was frozen over again. I called home back and he replaced the thermistor and manually defrosted. Same thing happened about 24 hours later. Third time out, he comes with another guy and they took everything apart. They were on the phone with whirlpools service center and whirlpool seems the fridge non repairable. Tech said he’s never had that happen before but there is nothing he can do. I have a hard time believing it is not repairable as everything works great until that panel behind the drawer freezes over. I assume he verified everything in the video but maybe I have to take it apart to make sure. Have you ever heard of whirlpool claiming a fridge is not repairable for an issue like this?
Same here. Tech told me there is 12v at the board behind the unit but not to the evaporator fan. He said it is a bad wire and not repairable...
Thanks!
Hey Ben,
Thanks for the very helpful video. You saved us from having to buy a new frig. Our frig is a Whirlpool wrx988sibm01 French Door (4 doors). As expected it was a bit challenging to take apart but with some patience all went well. Our problem started with the ice maker not working. So, this is where I started but learned about 1 week later that the milk was tasting funky--put in a frig thermometer and soon realized frig was not cooling. Freezer seemed to be working okay. Once we got everything apart there was the iceberg. After getting all the ice removed and opening it up, we tested the fan and it passed. Next, came quite a bit of problem solving---the fan was easy to find online; however, the part that includes the 2 sensors was a separate part: Harns-Wire W10837236. (In your video your part for the fan included the sensors.) Hopefully, this will help anyone who has a similar model to know what to buy. Also, in my online research there was a service bulletin put out by Whirlpool and/or KitchenAid about their frigs having this exact problem. The key problem noted in this service bulletin was not the fan but issues with the sensors and their placement--as noted in your video.
Glad you got it fixed man!
@@bensappliancesandjunk
Hey Ben, I spoke too soon. I am now having just the opposite problem. The fresh food section is working "almost" okay but now the freezer is not freezing. The fresh food section is staying right at 40 degrees and the freezer at about the same temp 40 to 45 degrees. I have run most of the Service Tests. For Service Test 3, both RC and FC evaporator fan motors come on. For Service Test 6 "Defrost Heater/Bi-Metal I am getting a code 2 or open. I am assuming I should be getting code 2, because since turning the frig back on the freezer's temp has not dropped low enough for it to close.
What is weird about this whole thing is that the freezer seemed to be working fine before we turned the frig off and did all the work I noted in first comment (removed the ice, tested the fan, and replaced the 2 sensors via the new Harns-Wire W10837236). I have given it a thorough cleaning inside and out. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
@@davidjohn5331 How long did you wait to check for temps? They tend to take awhile, upto 48hrs to get cold. Make sure to check black condenser coils at back/underneath then check condenser fan as well. Could of had an underlying problem that hasnt been solved yet.
@@bensappliancesandjunk Thanks for the reply. Sorry if this is a dumb question--I am very new to doing frig repairs. I am confused by which fan is which. For the condenser fan, is this the fan you are referring to this video that you showed replacing. I believe this is the evaporator fan, which I tested when we had everything apart and it came on. I have checked the compressor fan in the bottom back and it was caked in some dirt, which I removed and cleaned. I'm not sure where the condenser fan is located. As a side note, I did notice that the compressor at one point when I had the back lower cover off was very hot to the touch.
@@davidjohn5331 Put the cover on and see if the airflow to the compressor helps. Some of those units need the cover on to direct the airflow through the fans to the compressor then out. Sounds odd, but sometimes restricting the air helps the flow directly to the compressor to cool it down. Having a hot compressor is a sign there's an issue. Either with airflow, or potentially refrigerant.
Awesome video and thanks so much for your great and concise explanation. My fridge is working great now after I purchased the parts kit and did the replacement. However I do have to say that you don't have to remove the water assembly, ice maker or air tower. I just removed the two screws from the evap cover panel the and it slid straight out. Much faster and easier. Not sure why you say you have to remove all the other parts.
Hi, would you be so kind and explain how to do put your Kitchen aid refrigerator in FORCED DEFROST mode. I have model KRMF706ESS01 and the service code for a forced defrost is #38. My applicance only gives me 2 options when I use the S3 button to scroll - OF and 5H . So I select the 5H, do I need to let the display flash and leave it untouched for the defrost cycle to kick in? Or do I need to exit the diagnostic mode for it to kick in? Once this setting has been correctly selected, does the appliance immediately go in to a defrost mode? Should the back panel feel warm to the touch? I have yet to find any information on how to do this. I even called Kitchen Aid but they were not able to help on this very basic function every owner should have access to. Thank you in advance.
I’ve done three or four of these in my appliance repair business and they are probably the busiest tear down out there. You have done a good job step by step. I will still refer to your video, because I’m old and forgetful.😂 Not the best design out there. There is a whole lot that can go wrong with this design. I personally would never own one unless it was given to me which believe it or not one was. I repaired it, and turned it.
Thank you for this video! I have the same fridge (5 door model), but I believe a different problem (maybe 2). I get frost build up around the icemaker to door gasket. Any thoughts on that? Also, if I remove the icemaker and thaw it out, then re-install it, I will get 1 batch of ice. After that, it tries to make ice (can hear the water valve opening), but no water goes into the ice tray. Related issue? I'm assuming the water line is freezing up. Thanks for any suggestions!
Thank you so much, Ben!!!!
Our fridge lost cooling in the main compartment, and your video was the exact recipe to fix it!
We encountered a totally iced up fan and coil in the back that we thawed out with a heat gun. We moved the thermistor to the spot you recommended, and I guess we'll have to take the unit apart in a few days to see if we actually have to replace any parts. For now, it's working.
Whatever happened to the basic white refrigerators? You plugged them in and they just worked for a decade or more.
Frigidaire still has a top freezer with a mechanical defrost timer. I got one made 6 months ago that didn't work proprely (user error). I was floored when I opened it up and the parts are the same as the ones from 30 years ago. Just beautiful.
“Worked for a decade”???? You mean for 30 or 40 YEARS!! Now ALL of these damn things are GARBAGE, and they know it, and do it on PURPOSE. It is criminal what they are selling us, and they know it. Im about to file a class action lawsuit against KitchenAide, they are a DISGRACE.
It was too reliable
When my parents retired in 2008, they gave me their freezer that they'd bought in 1966. It finally died in 2010.
@@bensappliancesandjunk brand model # and link please. I only want old reliable.
We have a one-year-old refrigerator that is condensating inside KitchenAid of course that’s why I watch this video. Really appreciate your content and miss your old school hat and black-and-white uniform. I’m sure they suit you into oblivion. I’m glad you got more videos to do and I don’t care what you wear I do share and like and I’m definitely a subscriber long time.
Thank you so much for this video, it helped me save $$$ by replacing the evaporator fan and defrost thermistor w/o calling a repairman. The fan was working but the coils were completely incased in ice which was starting to spread out of the evaporator cover and causing the chef's pantry drawer not to close. Must have had a bad thermistor.
My Kitchenaid is somewhat different, but your three-door version comes close enough. The culprit on mine is the fridge thermistor, which will arrive tomorrow. Nice troubleshooting on the fan, because that's a far costlier replacement!
Great video. Very detailed and easy to follow. The only problem I had was removing the water line to the icemaker. I've used these type connections many times and know how to release but this one would not release completely. The line would move back about 1/2" but could not pull it all the way out. Had someone hold the ice maker just long enough to remove the back panel and then hung it back up.
Awesome video!!! So I took my fridge apart to replace this part. The connector it plugs into (as you warned in the video) was severely corroded. One pin is actually missing inside the connector (tan wire) and the yellow wire was broken off the back of the connector. Obviously, the new one will not work. How in the world do I fix this? I'm assuming slices would cause worse problems later, but cant find a connector to reset the wires in a new one. Please help!
Great video. My fan is making a lot of noise suddenly since 4 days ago. The rear compressor fan is fine. I tried the diagnostic mode and the loud buzzing of a fan appears when I select 03, then press "Select Zone" to cycle the value from 01 to 02 and 04. As of today, I'm beginning to see some frost build up behind the freezer drawer while there was none in the previous few days.
Did you have to remove the ice maker for this job? Why?
Question about service test 7. I have a kitchenaid KRMF706ESS and I do not have a service test 7 to change the defrost mode. It skips from 6 to 8. I found a thread online with a couple other users stating that their 706 models had the exact same problem (no service test 7). Any thoughts on this or is there a way to reset or recover this so that service test 7 reappears? I’m assuming it’s a known issue or perhaps it was designed that way? Thanks in advance and thank you for the very helpful video.
Did you ever get any info on your question? I have the same model and same question also.
@@kevinmast7531 I was told that some models just don’t have that service test 7 option. I had suspected my problem was the thermistor. I ended up rolling the dice and buying a new thermistor, put it in and it solved my problem. Strangely the old one did not test much differently than the new one, but I was using a cheap ohmmeter without a ton of experience using one.
I have the 706 model and it skips mode 7. I get a screen showing all the settings available, but do not understand the computer well to correct them...
I have a kitchen Aid refrigerator similar to the one you are working on in this video. The drain tube is plugged and water building up on bottom of refrigerator. Is there an easy way to clear this line or do i need to pull it completely apart?
By far the best video on this problem on TH-cam. Great video and one with exactly the right amount of instruction. I do have a question on running the diagnostic prior to tear down. What test results am I looking for that would indicate there is a problem?
This one sadly wouldn't show up on diagnostics. Typically the thermostat has gone "bad" by being off-value. it'd still show as good, but it would cut off the defrost process quicker than what is truly needed. The system/diagnostics would assume its still working to exactly proper specification, but it isn't.
Dear Ben, thanks a lot. Will try myself and let you know the outcomes
Thank you for this video. I have the exact KitchenAid refrigerator. Is there a way to turn off cooling for the refrigerator to defrost it while keeping the freezer section operating at below 0° C temp?
No. But generally the freezer will hold Temps quite well if defrosting. Using a steamer to cut the ice out helps ensure you can remove the ice quickly
@@bensappliancesandjunk Thank you, Ben!
WOW, I just had three different repair companies replace the Ice Maker 3 times before the last guy figured out the first two had installed the "wrong" icemaker. It was obvious as mine had two plugs while the ice makers they installed had the TWO individual wire runs merged into ONE connector. It took over 2 months before it was fixed. But this looks like a royal PITA. Our KA 5 door was bought in Jan 2019 probably manufactured in 2018. Would I have the new and improved parts you mention or do I have a ticking time bomb?
Ben
Wondered if you included another video for a instillation of a second thermistor for this Kitchenaid refer
10:45
Thxs
Tom
Very good video. I have t the same problem on a KRFC704FPS.
I was surprised to see this one doesn’t have the styrofoam covering the evaporator. Looking for one of your videos where you take that one apart.
Thanks a million for this video，Using your video as a guide made this a pretty easy fix.
Just did this repair and the new fan & thermistor went in great! BUT once all back in place my door ajar light stays on & no water dispense/likely no ice…but havent given it much time yet…tried power off @ breaker for 8mins…diagnostic tests show fan & thermistor good. Also put in basic defrost mode.
Any thoughts on door ajar light? Interior side wall lights will some times come on, but top center light & freezer light wont come on…
Any ideas on resetting door switches…cause im certain they didnt fail in the 5hrs i had it open defrosting an ice block on back wall
Great video
Thank you, Ben!
My 5-door fridge does appears as if one of its doors were closed, even though all of them are open. How cab I fix it?
Hi Ben,l really like your videos very informative,can you show how you wired the extra heater on the kitchenaid fresh food evaporator ,thanks Rajesh.
Just purchase this fridge now I’m thinking if I made the right choice ! Are these refrigerators having these issues ?
What is the purpose of the grey mastic stuff? I have a KitchenAid 5 door that won't cool below 50 degrees in the fridge part but the freezer is fine. I took it apart and removed the evaporator cover and saw that the grey stuff was leaking out from the plastic containing it and got down on the evaporator itself. Before I took it all apart there was a lot of ice build up on the outside of the evaporator cover and I defrosted it and then turned the cooling back up but still wouldn't get below 50 degrees and starting frosting back over.
HI, thanks for your video! I already replaced the fan/harness, and I can hear its working but temp inside goes down to 44F no less :( what else could be the issue. I checked the codes and the thermistor and other they look ok, not sure what else could it be :( please help.
Ben, I have my whole fridge apart and am trying to put in the new fan assembly and thermistors as detailed in your video. My fridge actually has different connections. Looks like your replacement fan has a small connector, but my fridge has 2 larger connectors, so the new fan/thermistor combo does not plug in at all. Any ideas on this? My fridge is a Kitchenaid KFIV29PCMS02. Not sure why my is different than your in the video. TX
You are Great at explaining matters simple ~~~~~~~
I also can't thank you enough for this video. Thank you very much for supplying it.
Have you seen KRFC704FPS01 not fully freezing ice and then dumping a little water? Or maybe overflowing the tray?
Great video thank you. Do you have one for kitchen aid krsc503esso1? It has the same issue of freezer/ice maker work fine but refrigerator side is iced over at the bottom and runs warm
Super great job, amigo! Really appreciate your thoroughness and particularly your improvements in hindsight. Really excellent directional video with very thoughtful editing, graphics and highlighted identifier items. Thanks again!
I have similar problems - same refrigerator. The refrigerator box isn’t maintaining temp but the freezer is. I do not get any ice accumulation in the refrigerator. I replaced the thermistor kit as described in this video and the fan runs fine. I have also recently replaced the main control board and pretty much all of components of the ice maker (due to poor ice making). I did unplug the refrigerator hoping for a reset. I checked the temp settings in the digital display settings and lowered it to 34 degrees. Obviously I am missing something. Any ideas?
Oh, and I did a thorough cleaning of the coils which were only moderately dirty….
Whats temperature at in refrigerator portion?
I have a 5 door kitchenAid. Freezer not getting cold. Fridge works seemingly ok. Freezer has no cooling at all I found a ball of ice on the coils and melted it off. Then ran the freezer for over an hour and no cooling. nothing at all. checked the coils and there was no ice. Nothing. fan still working on both fridge and freezer when do the 3rd test at 4. Changed both the temp sensors on the freezer. still no cooling. Coil is slightly cool on the intake side but not cool. Compressor sounds fine. condenser fan working and condenser coils clean. Any ideas?
Thank you for this video. I will be ordering the kit soon
Thank you for this great video. My 5-door fridge is not cooling enough too. I'm hoping to follow your directions to solve the issue. I think a strange thing happened here. When I opened it up and got to the evaporator I noticed that the paste-like substance wrapped around the copper/grounding wire with clear plastic had melted and stuck everywhere. The melted paste was on the other wires, the black pipes and heating elements of the evaporator, on the floor under the evaporator, etc. What is that substance and what is it for? Why has it melted? I'm about to order and replace the fan and thermostat system, but I'm not sure what to do about the melted paste, or just leave it alone. Thanks for your help.
Hey there, any luck? We have a similar issue; were you able to fix it?
Hi. I have this same problem with my 5 door kitchen Aid. The problem is i replaced the fan since it wasnt spinning and the control board. The fan still doest spin with a new fan installed., Both upper and lower ice up after some time. Any suggestions?
I have a kitchen aid 2017 model like Ben shows here. Control in door, Ice and Water as well both work well except when I depress the ice cradle, about 1 o of water drips out of the water side. Both work fine, but the water spitting out at the same time baffles me. Strange... any clues. Thank you Ben great videos.
Same problem here. The dripping water has actually damaged our hardwood floors.
@@akk8929 did you find a solution? Before I start taking parts out to replace. Any clue?
@@edsmith3389 None. I inadvertently defrosted the ice maker, reset the fridge, and attempted to take the door apart. There was nothing obvious and the problem persists. I'm resisting my wife's insistence that we call a repair person. Please LMK if you find a solution. I could find nothing on-line on this, other than your mention.
@@edsmith3389 Update: I replaced the ice maker/water solenoid valves ($30) several weeks ago in hopes that this was the source of the problem. It was not. On Christmas Eve, we discovered the condenser coils were frozen solid (and the fridge was no longer cooling) so we emptied the fridge, removed the cover, and defrosted the condenser. And now - no water ejection. It's not obvious that these issues are related, but I'm glad that, after a year or more of water spits, we seems to be running normally now.
Ben you’re an awesome expert and patient man. I wish I had you down here in Georgia to help me out with my kitchen aid refrigerator. Would you be able to refer someone who could repair this exact problem on my kitchen aid? I have had no one with this expertise in n my area, Rome, GA. If you are coming down this side of the country , happy to host you and get this fixed by you. Please suggest , help or fix this…
One thing u did not discuss or explain in this video about Damper/ Motor which is on right side , if damper motor is bad ???what is symptoms , does it create ice on evaporator ?
Thanks again for this extra helpful video. I posted this comment and question under your diagnostic video, but more appropriate if posted here. So I did the tear down and completed the “triple fix” today as per your video. Once ice build up was removed on condenser coil and housing the diagnostic test #3 of the RC fan showed it did not spin, but as you said could be a faulty thermistor. Checked new fan - works perfectly, and rebuilt all back to specs.
QUESTION: regarding the thermistor you show to now clip it lower down, I did that as shown - but the new part with clip does not tightly grab the pipe - is a bit loose. Is that an issue? Hope not. (I was unable to bent the steel clip, and did not wish to force with pliers in case it broke). Also the previous part was attached lower down to the other pipe? - the one that connects to the thin copper tube. Thanks for all your help, I owe you!!
What if the FC is working find, but the RC Evap just isn't cooling. Fans is not on, but does function (through diagnostic test), Thermistors are also testing fine.
My five drawer doesn't seem to have a defrost mode 07; it goes from 06 to 08. Is there a different version?
So my fridge was doing this. Twice we have had to melt the use buildup. But now it is getting to cold instead of to warm. Could it be some of the same problem? Also we are getting a slight build up of ice on the inside corner of the freezer draw. Any help would be greatly appreciated
You are awesome! Thanks for the clear simple to the point video. Problem solved! Thank you again.
My KitchenAid has ice maker in bottom freezer and no water or ice dispenser in the door. The top isn't cooling anymore but the freezer is fine. Any help or point I'm the right direction would be great.
Thank you so much for this video. I have this job Tuesday
Thank you for making this videos
Very informative
Extremely helpful
Keep up the good work
Thank you for this video. It was very instructive.
Why do you unplug everthing at the top cant you just unplug the fridge from wall . Arent you just trying to remove the tower to get to the lower cover?Great video!
From what I can gather nothing is “wrong” with my unit, I took it apart and removed the ice that was built on it, ran the diagnostic and my fan was spinning. Put everything back together and waited 12hrs and it wasn’t even 1 degree colder inside. What else can I check?
My kitchen aid same fridge is cooling good but the freezer is almost same temperature as the top? Any thoughts ?
Hi I have changed the fan and the thermistor and am still having the same problem I do see rust on the dampener could that be the culperate problem. Please let me know asap
Did you replace the pan? I’ve replaced my plastic pan once already and now it’s cracked again. Maybe I should just take it out and not replace again! Some how ice is getting behind it or under it and pushing the pan up, cracking it. Evap isn’t frozen.
this video saved us a lot of money..one question, i put the defrost sensor on the wrong tube..the tube with the tape. do you think this will be bad?? i didnt think about it until i got it all together.
Should be fine. Its optimal to put it at the bottom of loop where the sensor is fully-flushed against the metal line so it takes longer to "Warm up" from the cold conditions.
@@bensappliancesandjunk ok. thank you for the quick response.
Hey thanks for your videos! I have a kitchen aid 5 drawer and it does not cool. When it gets plugged in i hear a few clicks from solenoid in rear and it shows a PF light on display but no lights on in fridge and water does not work. Any ideas?
Pf suggests a board issue or bad electric outlet
PF means Power Failure. It happens when you unplug fridge and plugged it back. You just need to "cofirm" pushing the 6th button on display.
My model is krfc604fss and has the same issues but looks totally different from that. Do you know how to remove it?
Any tips on removing the little drip pan area in the refrigerator? Mine isn’t broken so it doesn’t come out like the one on the video.
It was a total mess and honestly, I had to cover it up with editing. That whole pan was utterly destroyed. There are small slots on the pan that slots into... the evap panel if I remember right. Pull it out slowly and make sure you have it thawed out or it'll break
What if the side air works but not the air coming from the back? Someone has already replaced the fan. The control board has been replaced also. What is can be done?
Thank you so much, I found this video a few months ago and you helped me fix it!!! But now I have ice buildup behind the icemaker and water dripping from the ceiling of the refrigerator!!! The leaking only happens if the water is turned on. Do you have any videos on how to fix this, can't find one anywere🤔
Make sure you reconnected the water line properly.
Ben, many thanks for the video. I got to 9:56 and watched you set the defrost about 10 times. Not sure how the computer knows how to exit the diagnostics mode. Please go slow for the "technically challenged" (over 60 group) You could make a video of just working the computer settings and sell it to Kitchenaid for owners and techs!
What models does this video apply to ?
hi .i was great video. I have 5 door fridge .pantry drawer is cool but up side fridge is not. Could you help me or idea for this problem?
thanks
Do the lights/UI work?
Such a helpful video. Thanks Ben, keep up the good work.
This is what was going on with our refrigerator. We removed the ice and replaced the thermistor. The refrigerator cooled properly for about 2 weeks and now doesn't get below 60 degrees and is iced over again. Any suggestions? The freezer is working, but is warmer than it should be at 17 degrees. It also has not been making ice. We have cleaned the coils. TIA!
how to remove the cross piece and side blocks for the bottom drawer? I need to clean the entire inside and remove everything to do so
I have this fridge ... The refrigerator cools just fine but the freezer won't get cold enough... Had it looked at and nobody can figure it out. I ran all diagnostics through the control panel and all came out OK. The refrigerant was changed and system was checked for leaks etc, there is no ice build up on the coil etc. I'm lost and now have a torn apart KitchenAid in my living room... FOR MONTHS NOW. someone suggested the valve that diverts the refrigerant from the fridge to the freezer is broken or stuck... If so, is it possible to UN-stuck it?
We just bought this fridge. Do you suggest we return it and get another model? Any suggestions of what to get?
Everything is awful anymore. It's better to know the worst potential problems now vs getting blindsided with this down the road and have no clue what it is
OMG. IF YOU CAN RETURN THAT THING ASAP.
Hey Ben, I'm also Ben. Love your videos. Great work. Quick question if you have time.
I have the KitchenAid krff707ess01 and have had the above problem. I had to defrost the entire cooling tower with the help of a tech. Surprisingly, I think we got access to it without taking off the icemaker.
NOW, I'm getting water pooling and freezing in the bottom of the fridge cabinet. The freezer seems to be fine. My guess is that the drain tube is clogged or frozen, and it looks like the part (W11084807) implies that the fridge and freezer have different drain paths.
My question: It is very difficult to get access to the rear of my refrigerator. Is it worth it to try and get access to the drain hole from inside the fridge cabinet and unclog it that way, or is it just better to get to the rear of the fridge and try to unclog from the bottom up.
Thanks, and all the best!
Optimally, you want to check the duckbill on the back of the refrigerator as there's a 50/50 chance on whats clogged: the duckbill or the drain line itself. With a significant amount of pressure though, you can force the obstruction out through the drain hole in the refrigerator, so it is doable from front-access-only.
@@bensappliancesandjunk Thank you for the reply. I realized the drip capture tray was frozen over and possibly blocking the drain. I ended up unplugging my fridge putting warm water in the drip tray, and gently breaking up the ice. I then let it sit open for 24 hours. It's been 96 hours since I plugged it back in and no water is pooling inside the fridge cabinet (yet). Finger's crossed!
To be extra sure, I would also suggest wrapping the thermistor in aluminum foil tape and also increasing the temperature in the fresh food section (40° F or higher).
Good tips! I thought I included the aluminum foil tip in the video, but may have overlooked it. Thanks!
@@bensappliancesandjunk can you explain what you mean by wrapping thermistor in foil? I did this literally and changed out the fan and my refrigerator is now cooling too well, more than 13 degrees lower than setting. Do I wrap the white probe? The line attached to the coils? I think I attached the thermister on the coil too far down from where you placed it. Overall, great repair points made.
@@mattp4826 it's all about contact between the thermistor and the refrigerant line. The thermistor loves to go bad and defrost too early, so moving the thermistor to a place more likely to be cold means it should defrost more to clear the system. Did you replace the thermistor when you moved it or just use the same one?
@@bensappliancesandjunk I ordered a new replacement fan assembly and since I went to the trouble of tearing it apart (tbh not that hard) I ran fan diagnostics and it was perfect but I replaced it anyway. I think I put thermistor too far down the evap coil because it went from barely cooling to 41 degrees to now cooling to 32 while set at 41. Before I tore it apart again I was going to get your advice. But thanks for the advice because I picked up this 5 door fridge for next to nothing and fixed it for next to nothing. Very pleased but couldn't do it without your great video.
Just regular foil? Wrap a few turns. Is this simply to insure full contact? I will be doing the work just want to make sure. My fan works so I assume it's the thermistor. I have ice behind the pantry drawer.i have changed to I the 8 hour defrost
Damn! that is a great video, keep up the good work!
I have a 5 door that stays around 50, constantly a yoyo temp, but usually stays at 48. Freezer is ok. But the freezer can’t do -5 degrees if you set it there. Techs have thrown the front control panel and the rear control board at it but it still operates the same. My coils were not frozen. I like my fridge at 34 but it can’t do it. Is this a piece of junk? I’m lucky I purchased the extended warranty from Kitchaid as they throw parts at it. Here is the funny part, I am an hvac tech and have tried different trouble shooting techniques (raising the front, putting a fan at the front coil, etc.) here’s the best, If I pull the cord and plug it in, the air duct output in the fridge puts out 20 degrees. But in two hours, it’s up to 48 and it stays at 48. I can do it again and get the same results. I’d love to know if you have figured this fridge out. It obviously can do 20 degrees for a couple hours every time I unplug/plug it in; which leads me to believe the compressor is good. Is it that switching valve on the refrigerant line? I was told the switching valve was DC voltage. Is the DC voltage not enough to open or close that valve correctly? I’m grasping at straws, but it has got to be something simple; an obvious design flaw, and my techy gut is eyeing that valve. I believe they’re throwing a compressor in it next. By the way, you can’t mess with the defrost, they took out option #7. Any ideas?
Did you ever figure this out?
@@louwgrobler5097 no. They bought it out under the extended warranty. The last tech told me off the record that it could not be fixed. He offered to put a compressor in it but said it would run no different. To be honest, the compressor ran fine. The only thing I had noticed was that ALL the techs would always set the freezer to the highest setting +5, still freezing but not the cold I wanted. BUT, the fridge seemed to maintain 38. The tech said the system would always steal the refrigerant from the fridge evaporator trying to achieve the freezer temp and to always keep the freezer set to the highest temp (+5 I think). To me, it’s just a junk fridge. Being this was my second dual evaporator fridge that failed. I’ll never buy another dual system, unless it has dual compressors.
@@louwgrobler5097 I have always wondered how many of these still exist. The tech also told me that everyone with my extended warranty were bought out and junked by Whirlpool.and sadly I only received 75% of my money back. But it was better than a total loss. The other trickery by Whirlpool was paying you with a gift card. I nearly forgot I had the card, and I bet they bank of that. But I finally used it and got the money off of it.
Does anyone have a document on the diagnostic mode for these refrigerators?
I have a kitchen aide KRMF706EBS01 refrigerator that the freezer works but the refrigerator part doesn’t cool nor does the ice maker make ice. Could it be a circuit board or start/run capacitor relay issue?
Same here! Any luck fixing? We've had the most horrible experience with service calls.. might give this video a go.
@@wouldratherknot3680 I had to replace the circuit board both upper and lower fan units thermistor assemblies. About 1500 bucks worth to the service guy. It’s on extended warranty but that only covers sealed units like the compressor.
Thank you, that is amazing, well done!