A fridge section that freezes its contents is running colder than it should. Salad leaves go limp and glassy, milk grows ice crystals and eggs at the back can crack. The cause is nearly always that too much cold air reaches the fridge section, and the fix ranges from a dial turn to a replacement part.
Is the temperature set too cold?
Check the setting first. A fridge section should sit at about 3 to 5 degrees, and the freezer at minus 18. Settings get bumped when the fridge is cleaned or when someone adjusts the dial after a hot day.
- On a dial, move it one step warmer and wait 24 hours before changing it again.
- On a digital display, check the set temperature and compare it with the manual.
- A thermometer in a glass of water on the middle shelf for a day shows the true temperature.
A fridge in a cold garage can also behave unexpectedly. Most domestic fridges are designed for a limited range of room temperature, and in a cold room the thermostat can stop the compressor from running enough to hold the fridge section steady. Our post on a garage fridge that is not working covers the temperature range.
Is the food against the vent?
On most frost-free fridges, cold air is made in the freezer and blown into the fridge section through a vent, often at the back or in the top. Food stored directly against that vent freezes first.
- Move lettuce, dairy and drinks away from the back wall and the vent.
- Keep the vent clear so air circulates. A packed fridge leaves cold pockets near the vent and warm pockets elsewhere.
- Look for a damper or adjustable air vent control near the top of the fridge section and open it a little more if it is shut tight.
Is the airflow damper or sensor faulty?
If the setting is right and the food is clear of the vent, a fault is controlling the airflow or the temperature reading.
- A damper stuck open. The damper is a small flap that opens and closes to let freezer air into the fridge. If it sticks open, the fridge section keeps receiving cold air.
- A faulty temperature sensor. The fridge sensor tells the control board when to call for cooling. If it reads warmer than it is, the fridge keeps cooling and the contents freeze.
- A faulty control board or thermostat that does not switch the cooling off at the set temperature.
These are the usual faults when the fridge freezes food on every setting. They need testing with a meter and replacement by a technician.
Is it the same as a fridge that is not cooling?
The two faults are close cousins. A fridge that freezes food has too much cold air in the fridge section, and one that does not cool has too little. The causes overlap (a damper, a sensor or the board), so a technician checks the same parts either way. Our post on a fridge that runs constantly covers the case where the fridge never switches off and is not cold enough, which is a different problem.
Is the food safe?
Frozen food in the fridge section is rarely a safety problem, but the texture changes. Leafy vegetables, tomatoes and eggs that have frozen are best thrown out. Dairy that has frozen and separated can be unpleasant to use.
When should I book a technician?
Book a repair if the food still freezes after you have raised the temperature, moved the food away from the vent and checked the room temperature. Also book if:
- the fridge section shows frost or ice on the back wall,
- the freezer is also very cold and the compressor never stops, or
- the display shows an error or the fridge beeps. See our post on a beeping fridge.
Have the make and model number ready, because sensors, dampers and boards are matched to the model. We are authorised to repair the major brands listed on our brands pages and carry genuine parts for them.
We cover Shellharbour City and the Lake Illawarra suburbs, domestic appliances only. The $125 fee is payable on every visit, and any repair is quoted before work starts. Book online or call 02 4229 3777 with the make and model number.