Refrigerator has decided it wants to be a Freezer instead!

I'll never figger fridges out!
I think their thermostats somehow get confused by air temperature.
For example during one sub-zero weather spell mine switched itself off in the kitchen and my milk and stuff went sour and bad as if the fridge decided- "It's cold out there, you don't need me"

You might check the temperature control anyway--you may never have intentionally changed it, but you might have accidentally nudged it down when you put something in or took something out. I've done that by accident.

the temp control is towards the bottom, behind a shelf that never gets filled up.

i lowered it the first time it happened a few days ago, and everything slowly started to thaw.

this morning everything was friggin' frozen again.

it is now as low it can go without being off.

frustrating...

How full is freezer, and reg compartment? How open is the path of the blower in the freezer compartment? Give the blower a clearer path to do its thing.

Perhaps the thermostat is stuck in the open position (maxing out coldest). If I were looking to try something free and easy for a repair (than calling appliance repair), I'd spin or work that thermostat dial back and forth and see if you can hear a tiny click (relay) when it passes the temperature that normally would turn it on.

Short of that, I'd check to see if the gasket for the freezer and reg compartment are clean of any dirt, debris or something that might keep the door slightly open.

apropos of nothing...move the fridge about 3/4 of an inch from the rear wall. They need a proper unblocked ventilation area to disperse the heat from the rear. This is a general tip., though, not causing your problem.
The last (best) thing I'd do (probably the one that would fix), is call repair.
I Always open a beer or beverage of my choice while they work. It's like watching World series with Red six winning. It coasts money but you know it's a great adventure.

P.S. If you're exceptionally adventurous and handy, remove the thermostat if that gasket procedure didn't fix it,. then with a multi-meter see if when you turn the dial the switch show resistance and then zero as you dial the switch up and down.

this is a fridge only -- no freezer section.

we fill it up pretty good after we go grocery shopping, and then gradually empty it during the week.

it was about 6" away from the wall before -- i moved it out another foot.

i am decidedly not a DIY'er...

If you block the air circulation with food or whatever, it will freeze the coils and be like that. In which case, you turn it off and open it up where the coils are. Carefully defrost completely, until the coils are dry. Then redistribute food. and run.

a few inches from the back wall is fine. You dont need for 1.5 ft from wall.

Edgar's found his way here. he's the expert.

Errata: Arrgh...with my mutimeter info...the reading should be a small low resistance when turned on ...a few ohms (to 10 or so) .. then when open ..nr max. Right, Edgar?

Especially important to remember that last part!

No idea what happened in your case RP, have you had any weird electric events recently? One of those where the electric shuts off then pops back on and does it a few times in a row? Lost an old Fridgidaire that way once...then again it was a 30 year old which may have been part of the problem.

not in the past year, no...

Vacuum out the coils on the back of the fridge and also under the fridge.

When I moved here, BBB's fridge did the same thing. The appliance guy vacuumed out from under and behind it enough hair to create another dog and solved the problem.

Also check the door gaskets. They may not be getting a good seal due to deterioration.

Close a dollar bill (or twenty if you're rich) in the door and try to pull it out. If it slides out easily, the gasket needs replacing.

Fridge running thorough a midlife crisis?

I suggested the same. When the fridge is only 5 yrs old, it can be simply just a matter of cleaning the gasket with some dish soap ( not replacing it...but you never know).

Big suggestion is vacuuming the coils and cleaning under the fridge, too (after the defrost is done).

appreciate all the advice.
stuff is currently defrosting while still inside on the warmest setting.

unfortunately, we had to chuck a bunch of produce.
pro tip: if broccoli freezes, make sure you chuck it before it defrosts...

everything re-froze over night! ...



ran it by my FIL, who is highly decorated in the electrical wiring devices field.

he thinks it is a welded contact on the thermostat, caused by a freak flash arc on the motor.

he based this on the fact that there was no gradual change in temperature.

had there been, then he would've thought the coils were dirty or there was a leak in the gasket.

he recommended lightly banging on the temp control with a hammer to try to dislodge the weld.

if that doesn't work, a repair would most likely not be too costly...

Sorry it's still a problem. That makes sense what he said and thanks for including your FIL thoughts. That explanation helps us puzzle-solvers.

fridge has been doing its job since i gave it what-fer with the hammer...

R(fingers crossed)P

awesome! very cool fix!

Does that make you the Tommy DeVito of fridge repair?