If the freezer is still freezing but the fridge is warm, the compressor is usually fine: cold air just isn’t reaching the fridge. In no-frost models the most common cause is an evaporator clogged with ice after a defrost-system fault, followed by a stopped evaporator fan or a stuck air damper. Try the safe checks below first; if they don’t help, it’s a job for a fridge and freezer repair technician.
What temperature should a fridge and freezer be?
Check with an appliance thermometer after a few hours with the door kept shut.
| Compartment | Target |
|---|---|
| Fridge | 4°C or below (US FDA); Samsung suggests about 3°C |
| Freezer | −18°C or colder (US FDA, Samsung) |
| Meat storage | Fridge no warmer than 5°C; freezer −18°C or colder (Saudi Food and Drug Authority) |
If the fridge stays above 5°C for hours while the freezer keeps freezing, the fault is real.
Why the freezer stays cold while the fridge warms up
Most no-frost fridges have one evaporator behind the freezer’s back panel. A fan blows air across it into the freezer and, through a duct and an air damper, into the fridge. Frost forms on the evaporator constantly, so a heater underneath melts it periodically and the water drains to a pan near the compressor.
If the heater, its sensor or its timer or board fails, ice builds up until it blocks the airflow. The freezer stays cold because it sits next to the evaporator, while the fridge slowly warms: the classic “fridge not cooling at the bottom, freezer fine” in top-freezer models.
8 quick checks before you call anyone
Samsung’s list suits most brands. After any change, allow up to 24 hours for temperatures to settle.
- Plug and socket: re-seat the plug and test the socket with another appliance.
- Door not closing: a shelf or bottle may hold it open and let in humid air.
- Door seal: clean it with warm soapy water and look for tears. If paper shut in the door slides out easily, the seal is weak.
- Heat nearby: keep the fridge away from the oven and direct sun.
- Settings: about 3°C for the fridge and −18°C for the freezer. On many mechanical dials, a higher number means colder.
- Ventilation: Samsung requires at least one inch (about 2.5 cm) behind the fridge; more is better in a hot kitchen.
- Blocked vents: don’t pack food against the cold-air vents inside.
- Demo mode:
OF-OFon a Samsung display means the compressor is disabled for showroom use; how to exit depends on the model.
Bonus tip: if the condenser coil is exposed, unplug the fridge and brush off the dust. Heavy dust in the shamal season, roughly late May to mid-August, stops it shedding heat properly.
The most common cause: a failed defrost system
Signs of an iced-up evaporator
- Thick white frost on the freezer’s back panel or vents.
- A scraping freezer fan, or silence because ice has stopped it.
- A sheet of ice on the freezer floor, which LG links to a blocked drain.
- The fridge warming over several days while the freezer still freezes.
A technician tests the defrost heater, the defrost thermostat or sensor, and the timer or board. Never chip the ice with a knife or screwdriver: puncturing the evaporator turns a simple repair into a refrigerant leak.
The manual defrost test
- Move food to another fridge or a cool box with ice.
- Unplug and leave the doors open for at least 8 hours (LG’s guidance), with towels inside and around it.
- Dry it and switch back on. LG says normal operation can take 24–48 hours to return.
- Reading the result: if cooling returns, then fades after a few days as frost comes back, suspect the defrost system. If it never cools, suspect the fan, the damper or the sealed system.
It’s a diagnosis and a temporary fix, not a repair: the ice will return until the faulty part is replaced.
Defrosted it and the frost came back? That points to a defrost-system fault. Send Ali at Mousa Workshop a photo of the rating label inside the fridge and your location on WhatsApp, or call +966 54 372 8453.
Other causes: the fan, the damper and sensors
- Evaporator fan: it pushes cold air into the fridge. Listen for it behind the freezer panel while the compressor runs; many stop when the door opens, so press the door switch by hand.
- Air damper: a flap that meters cold air into the fridge. Stuck shut or iced over, it leaves the fridge warm.
- Sensor or control board: a false reading means the board never calls for enough cooling; a technician tests it with a meter.
Quick diagnosis table
| Symptom | Likely cause | DIY or technician? |
|---|---|---|
| Freezer cold, fridge warm, thick frost behind the freezer panel | Defrost fault: heater, sensor, timer or board | Defrost test yourself; repair by a technician |
| Freezer cold, fridge warm, no fan noise | Evaporator fan stopped or iced up | Technician |
| Water inside the fridge or ice on the freezer floor | Drain hole blocked by debris or ice | Technician (Samsung advises against self-repair) |
| Water under the fridge on humid days | Evaporation tray overflowing | Unplug, clean the tray, improve ventilation |
| Both sections warm, compressor silent or clicking | Start relay, overload protector or compressor | Check the plug, then a technician |
| Compressor runs for long periods, both sections weak | Dirty condenser, poor ventilation or refrigerant leak | Clean and ventilate; leaks need a technician |
When the freezer fails too
If the freezer stops freezing too, look at the sealed system rather than the airflow:
- Compressor won’t start: often the start relay or overload protector, sometimes the compressor itself. A click every few minutes with no cooling is typical.
- Compressor runs non-stop with weak cooling: a dirty condenser, a hot and poorly ventilated spot, or a refrigerant leak.
- Refrigerant leak: a sealed system doesn’t use up its gas, the same principle as in signs your AC is low on refrigerant. Many modern fridges use flammable R600a (shown on the rating label), so sealed-system work is for a qualified technician only.
Normal noises vs worrying ones
LG lists a soft hiss during defrost, gurgling refrigerant, plastic cracking as temperatures change, and a hum when the compressor restarts as normal. Constant scraping from the freezer, repeated clicking with no cooling, or a loud, unfamiliar buzz deserve a check.
Keeping food safe in the meantime
- Keep the doors shut. The FDA notes that an unopened fridge keeps food cold for only about 4 hours in a power cut, and a failed fridge is much the same.
- Move meat, chicken and fish into the working freezer or a cool box with ice.
- If perishables have sat above 5°C for hours, throw them out when in doubt.
When to call a technician
- Frost returns after a manual defrost, or the fan scrapes on ice.
- No cooling even after a full defrost and correct settings.
- The freezer has failed too, or the compressor clicks but won’t run.
- A burning smell, a tripping breaker, or an oily patch around the compressor pipes.
- Water keeps appearing inside or under the fridge.
With Mousa Workshop’s fridge and freezer repair service, Ali diagnoses the fault first and tells you the cost before any work starts. In Saihat, Anak, Qatif, Tarout, Dammam or Khobar, send your model number and a photo on WhatsApp. We’re available daily from 8 AM to 11 PM.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Should I unplug the fridge if it stops cooling?
If the freezer is still freezing, leave it running so your frozen food stays safe until it's checked. Unplug it straight away if you smell burning, the breaker trips, or the compressor keeps clicking without starting.
Is this problem different in a no-frost fridge and a manual-defrost fridge?
Yes. In a no-frost fridge one evaporator and fan cool both sections, so a defrost or fan fault shows up as a warm fridge with a cold freezer. In a manual-defrost fridge the frost builds up visibly on the freezer walls and must be melted periodically, because a thick layer weakens cooling.
Are the causes different for Samsung and LG fridges?
The principles are the same for both brands: the defrost system, evaporator fan, air damper and sensors. What differs is the display, its codes and how to exit demo mode, so note the model number from the label inside the fridge before contacting a technician.
Will a fridge cool properly in a storeroom or outdoor kitchen without AC?
It will struggle, because a fridge dumps its heat into the surrounding air and Dammam's average daily high passes 45°C in July. If it has to go there, choose a shaded, well-ventilated spot and check the rating label for climate class T, which is designed for hot climates.
Will a refrigerant top-up fix a fridge that isn't cooling?
Usually not. When the fridge is warm but the freezer is cold, the fault is normally the defrost system or the fan, not the gas. If refrigerant really is low, there is a leak that must be repaired first, followed by evacuating the system and charging the exact amount shown on the rating label.