Refrigerator Guide
Why Is My Fridge Not Cooling?
A fridge that stops cooling is one of the few appliance failures you can't ignore — there's food on the line. The cause can be as simple as a blocked vent or as serious as a failed compressor.
Here's how to narrow it down, including the common case where the fridge is warm but the freezer still works.
First, the quick checks
- Confirm the temperature dial wasn't bumped (aim for 3–4 °C in the fridge, −18 °C in the freezer).
- Make sure nothing is blocking the air vents inside — overpacking stops cold air from circulating.
- Pull the fridge out and vacuum the condenser coils. Dust-clogged coils are a top cause of weak cooling.
- Listen for the compressor running and feel whether it's warm. Silence often points to a start relay or compressor fault.
Fridge warm but freezer cold? That's a specific clue
When the freezer holds temperature but the fridge section is warm, the problem is usually airflow, not the cooling system itself. Cold air is made in the freezer and pushed up to the fridge by the evaporator fan.
The usual culprits are a failed evaporator fan motor, a frosted-over evaporator (a defrost-system fault), or a stuck damper that controls airflow between compartments. These need a meter and some disassembly to confirm.
When to call a technician
If the coils are clean and the temperature is set correctly but it's still not cooling, the next steps involve the compressor, start relay, defrost system, or sealed refrigerant system — work that needs proper tools and, for refrigerant, certification.
Rather have a pro handle it?
Our technicians repair this across Toronto and the GTA — same-day in many cases, with clear pricing and a warranty on the work.