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Fridge section not cooling but the freezer is fine — what's wrong?

Lea M.HomeownerBusiness ownerAsked 12 Jul 20261k viewsActive

The freezer on our café fridge is still freezing fine, but the fridge compartment has gone warm — drinks aren't cold anymore. Same appliance. What makes just the fridge side stop cooling?

2 answers

Best answer
Kareem F.
Verified pro12 Jul 2026

Freezer cold + fridge warm is a classic airflow problem, not low refrigerant. In most fridges the cold air is made in the freezer and blown into the fridge section — if that path is blocked, the freezer stays cold while the fridge warms up. Check:

  1. Frosted evaporator / blocked vents. Ice building up over the vents between freezer and fridge stops the airflow. Look for frost around the internal vents.
  2. Defrost system failure. If the auto-defrost (heater, timer or sensor) fails, frost accumulates and chokes airflow — the most common cause of this exact symptom.
  3. Evaporator fan. If the fan that pushes cold air into the fridge has failed, the fridge won't cool. Listen for it running.
  4. Damper stuck closed between the compartments.

A manual defrost (unplug 24h) often confirms it — if it works afterward, then warms up again in a day or two, it's the defrost system. Cheap technician fix.

Priya N.
Homeowner13 Jul 2026

Ours was exactly this — frost had built up over the vent. Defrosting worked temporarily, then the technician replaced the defrost thermostat and it's been fine since.

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