GE Refrigerator Not Cooling

Have you noticed the temperature inside your GE fridge is not as cold as it used to be, or maybe it has stopped cooling altogether? A broken refrigerator is always a rather unfortunate accident – you have either to repair it quickly, or simply admit that for quite a while you would not be able to use your kitchen the way you used it before. Maybe you will still be able to cook some small amount of food at home, but most likely, you will have to either use food delivery services or go out to eat. Well, at least there is one good news about it – you are certainly not the first person to encounter this problem. GE refrigerators are decent appliances – the General Electric does their best to deliver high quality appliances to their clients, however the general popularity of these fridges means any GE refrigerator repair company will have to deal with them regularly. You would be surprised to learn how many people consulted us about this problem before.

Troubleshooting

There is a multitude of issues that could prevent your refrigerator from cooling. First, make sure that the fault is actually in refrigerator. Check the circuit breakers, sometimes they may be tripped without you noticing. Some power outlets have breakers built in. Sometimes damaged wiring somewhere in the house can cause this problem. The easiest way to diagnose it is to unplug your appliance and plug in a desk lamp (or other small appliance) in the same outlet. The issue must be in the wiring or some of the breakers in case there is no power in the outlet.

Replacing Control Board

Is there no light in your appliance when you open the door and the compressor never works? In this case the problem can be caused by a broken control board. Make sure to unplug your appliance before repair! Locate the control board in your refrigerator – the position heavily depends on the model, so check the wiring diagram first. If you have lost your wiring diagram, you can always request another copy to be emailed to you, by contacting GE customer service. Before replacing your control board check it thoroughly – check it for continuity and ensure power can reach the control board from the external controls. Examine it visually for the signs of overheating, burnt connections, arcing, etc. The control board replacement is a pretty straightforward process. Avoid pulling at the individual wires when detaching them from the board. We would like to point out that since control board is an expensive part it is better to set up an appointment with a technician first and let them diagnose the appliance professionally.

Overload Relay Replacement

You may have to replace the overload relay in case the fan of your appliance are running, and you can hear the clicking sound from the back of your refrigerator. Make sure to unplug your appliance before conducting the diagnostics. Find the position of the relay on your appliance using the wiring diagram. The relay is often attached directly to the compressor on modern GE refrigerator models. Check the relay for continuity with the multimeter. Some refrigerators also have a start capacitor – make sure to check it for continuity as well. You will have to replace the parts in case there is no continuity. Examine them visually for the signs of overheating or physical damage. If you fail to detect any issues with your overload relay or your start capacitor, you may have to diagnose the compressor next.

Fridge is not Cooling Properly

There are multiple factors, which can contribute to the increase of the temperature in your fridge or freezer. We will start with the most trivial ones.

• Make sure your refrigerator is full! When you open the fridge door the cool air inside your appliance is replaced with the hot air from the room, which makes it loose temperature rapidly. Even if you simply put bottles with water inside your appliance it will help you retain the cold temperature every time you open the fridge door, preventing your appliance from having to re-cool it each time.
• Check the door seal. One of the most well-known tests is the paper test – put a piece of paper against the seal and close the door. Pull the seal out. If you feel no resistance – your door seal has to be replaced. Make sure the door seal is not damaged and there are no tears or cracks on it.
• Make sure the lights in your appliance are off when you close the door. If the lights never turn off they might be slowly heating up the chamber.
• There should be a 1-inch clearance between your refrigerator and the wall for proper air circulation. Also, keep in mind that it is important to clean condenser coils of your appliance regularly – at least 2 times a year!
• Sometimes the problem can be caused by a faulty temperature control. In this case we would suggest you to check the wiring diagram of your appliance and locate the unit. Make sure to unplug your appliance and check the temperature unit for continuity with a multimeter. Examine the unit and make sure there is no physical damage or signs of overheating.

Another frequent reason for the efficiency reduction in GE refrigerators can be a Freon leak. However, eliminating the leak and refilling the system with Freon is a rather complex procedure – we would recommend you to contact a professional instead of performing this procedure yourself.

Have you encountered an issue, which you cannot fix on your own? Or maybe you need help with the troubleshooting? Give us a call right away, and our technicians and customer service staff will be delighted to help you!

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