July 14, 2023

DIY refrigerator repair

Whether your refrigerator isn't cooling properly or the ice maker is on the fritz, Sears PartsDirect has the refrigerator DIY repair help you need. See the most common refrigerator symptoms below and follow the troubleshooting tips to get your refrigerator working again.

Watch our compressor troubleshooting video to learn what steps to take when your refrigerator isn't cooling at all. If you see frost build-up on the back wall of the freezer, check out the tips in our defrost system troubleshooting video.

If your refrigerator has an electronic control, it likely displays an error code when a part stops working. Look up the error code and find troubleshooting tips in our refrigerator error code charts. Once you determine which part you need, see our DIY repair guides for step-by-step replacement help.

From how to store food so it stays fresh longer to information on water filters, our refrigerator articles and videos page provides numerous additional refrigerator tips and DIY troubleshooting advice. To find the owner’s manual or a complete list of replacement parts for your refrigerator, search for your model number.

Our DIY advice can help you troubleshoot Kenmore, LG, Samsung, Whirlpool and Frigidaire refrigerator problems.

refrigerator

Most common symptoms to help you fix your refrigerators

Choose a symptom to see related refrigerator repairs.

Main causes: blocked vents, defrost system problems, evaporator fan failure, dirty condenser coils, bad sensors, condens…

Main causes: damaged door seal, faulty defrost sensor or bi-metal thermostat, broken defrost heater, bad defrost timer o…

Main causes: jammed ice cubes, broken ice maker assembly, dirty water filter, kinked water line, bad water valve, freeze…

Main causes: control board or cold control failure, broken compressor start relay, compressor motor failure, defrost tim…

Main causes: leaky door gasket, defrost system failure, evaporator fan not running, dirty condenser coils, condenser fan…

Main causes: blocked air vents, compressor problems, condenser or evaporator fan not working, control system failure, se…

Main causes: water valve leaking, frozen or broken defrost drain tube, overflowing drain pan, cracked water system tubin…

Things to do: clean condenser coils, replace the water filter, clean the interior, adjust doors to prevent air leaks, cl…

Most common repair guides to help fix your refrigerators

These step-by-step repair guides will help you safely fix what’s broken on your refrigerator.

How to replace a refrigerator water valve

How to replace a refrigerator water valve

Replace the water valve that feeds water to the ice maker and water dispenser if it no longer controls the flow of water…

Repair difficulty
Time required
 15 minutes or less
How to clean refrigerator condenser coils

How to clean refrigerator condenser coils

Help your refrigerator run more efficiently by cleaning the condenser coils. It's easy and takes just a few minutes.…

Repair difficulty
Time required
 15 minutes or less
How to replace a refrigerator temperature control board

How to replace a refrigerator temperature control board

If the temperature in your refrigerator doesn't match the temperature you set, the problem could be the temperature cont…

Repair difficulty
Time required
 30 minutes or less

Effective articles & videos to help repair your refrigerators

Use the advice and tips in these articles and videos to get the most out of your refrigerator.

How to Replace the Water Filter in a Maytag Refrigerator

How to Replace the Water Filter in a Maytag Refrigerator

No matter what style Maytag refrigerator you have, we can walk you through replacing the water filter.…

Top questions about Sears and Sears PartsDirect

Top questions about Sears and Sears PartsDirect

Get answers to frequently asked questions about Sears and Sears PartsDirect.…

How to prevent water dispenser and ice maker problems

How to prevent water dispenser and ice maker problems

If your refrigerator's ice maker isn't producing as much ice as it should, or water is flowing poorly from the dispenser…