Freezer Not Freezing: Causes and What to Do

A freezer that is not freezing is usually set too warm, blocked by food, losing cold air through a bad door seal, or struggling in a room that is too hot or too cold. Those are all things you can check yourself in under an hour. If the settings, seal and airflow are fine and it still will not get cold, a fan, defrost part, start relay, control or the compressor has likely failed, and that calls for a technician.

First, protect your food

Keep the door closed while you troubleshoot. USDA says a full freezer holds its temperature for about 48 hours and a half-full one for about 24 hours if the door stays shut. Put an appliance thermometer at the front of the freezer, as the FDA recommends, so you know the real temperature rather than guessing.

FoodSafety.gov says thawed food can be safely refrozen if it still has ice crystals or is at 40°F or below. USDA says perishables held above 40°F for more than two hours should be thrown out. When in doubt, throw it out.

Safe checks you can do yourself

Unplug the freezer or turn off its breaker before removing any cover, cleaning coils or touching a fan.

1. Confirm power and the setting

Check that the interior light or control panel is on. Frigidaire says to look for a tripped GFI outlet and reset it if needed. The target temperature is 0°F, per FDA, and Frigidaire lists -6°F to 6°F as an acceptable freezer range. After a new install, a power outage or a setting change, give it 24 hours to settle. Samsung says to allow up to 28 hours after a setting change.

On a refrigerator with a display, also make sure a demo or showroom mode is not on. GE's DE code, for example, means demo mode is active, which keeps lights and controls working with cooling turned off.

2. Clear the airflow

Maytag says an overpacked freezer is one of the most common causes, because crowded shelves block airflow to the evaporator fan. Frigidaire adds that you should keep food away from the vents and leave space between items.

3. Test the door seal

Close the door on a dollar bill or a sheet of paper and tug. Frigidaire and Maytag both say that if it slides out easily, the gasket is not sealing. Clean the gasket with warm soapy water and test a few spots. Also make sure nothing is keeping the door from closing completely.

4. Look at frost

Heavy frost can block vents and keep the door from sealing. On a manual-defrost freezer, Maytag says to defrost once frost reaches about a quarter inch. Let it melt on its own with the freezer unplugged. Never chip ice with a knife or other sharp tool, because you can puncture a refrigerant line. On a frost-free model, Maytag notes that heavy buildup can signal a bigger defrost problem.

5. Check the location and coils

Frigidaire says not to install a freezer where the room drops below 55°F. GE rates its garage-ready freezers for surroundings from 0°F to 110°F, so a standard model in an unheated garage may struggle. ENERGY STAR recommends leaving a few inches of space around the freezer for air circulation.

On refrigerator-freezers, dirty condenser coils cut cooling. Whirlpool says the coils on many of its models sit behind the base grille and can be vacuumed, though some models need no cleaning and others can only be cleaned by a technician. Maytag notes that chest and upright freezers usually have their coils inside the cabinet walls, so there is nothing to clean.

Parts that commonly fail

If the basics check out, one of these is the likely cause:

• Evaporator fan motor. Moves cold air through the freezer. Maytag suggests opening the door and holding the door switch down; if the fan does not run, the motor may need replacing.
• Condenser fan motor. Keeps the compressor from overheating. Maytag says it is hard to reach and recommends a professional.
• Thermostat. On chest freezers, Maytag says to turn the control from lowest to highest and listen for a click. No click points to a bad thermostat.
• Defrost heater, timer or sensor. On frost-free models, a failed defrost part lets the evaporator ice over and block airflow. GE's dE code means the defrost system has not run properly in the last 24 hours.
• Start relay. Powers the compressor. Maytag says that if you do not hear the compressor hum within about 30 minutes, the relay or compressor may be at fault.
• Compressor. The heart of the sealed system and the most expensive repair.

Error codes linked to freezer temperature

• GE: FF warns that freezer temperature has risen too high.
• Samsung: 21E is a freezer fan error, usually a frozen fan or a failed fan motor.
• LG: FF is a freezer fan motor fault, FS a freezer sensor fault, and dH a defrost heating fault.

Codes differ by model, so confirm the meaning in your owner's manual. Our brand guides on a Samsung freezer not working and an LG freezer not freezing cover those makes in more detail.

What a technician tests

A technician confirms the temperature, checks whether the compressor and both fans are running, inspects the evaporator for frost, and tests defrost components and the control. If the compressor runs but nothing gets cold, they look at the sealed system. That work requires EPA Section 608 certification, and household freezers fall under the Type 1 small appliance category. Never open, puncture or try to recharge the sealed system yourself.

When to call a pro

• The setting, seal and airflow are fine and the freezer is still warm after 24 hours. Frigidaire says to schedule service if the unit has run that long without cooling.
• You cannot hear the compressor after about 30 minutes, or a fan is not spinning.
• A frost-free freezer keeps building heavy frost.
• An error code returns after a power reset.

Our freezer repair cost guide shows typical prices by part, and the repair or replace guide helps if the freezer is older. To find a technician, start at our freezer repair directory, choose your state on the states page, or browse listings in Charlotte or Nashville. Brand pages, such as Maytag ice maker and freezer repair, list technicians who work on that make.