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Hi, My folks have a 10 year old LG LMX25981 refrigerator. A couple weeks ago it suddenly was running warm, both refrigerator and freezer. We removed the rear panel to ensure the fan was running (it was), checked the coils for dust build up (none), and made sure the doors seemed to be sealing well. Unplugged it for a couple days, plugged it back in a couple days ago, set the temps per manufacturer instructions (0 for freezer and 37 for refrigerator), and left it alone and running for 24 hours with a refrigerator thermometer inside. When we checked it last night, the refrigerator’s internal temperature read 30 degrees. Checked it again this morning and it was still holding the same temperature. This afternoon 7 hours later the refrigerator’s internal temperature is now 54 degrees with basically room temperature air coming from the freezer compartment. Any idea based upon the past two days what might be the problem? Anything else I can try to troubleshoot on my own? My mom is full time caregiver for my disabled father, so I’m just trying to see if there is anything else I can do on my end before calling for repair, and given their very limited finances, and horror stories I’ve read about the LG repair costs, curious if it’s even worth repairing vs replacing.
The part links posted are for your specific model. Solution 1: Condenser Fan Motor The condenser fan motor draws air though the condenser coils and over the compressor. If the condenser fan motor is not working properly, the refrigerator won’t cool properly. To determine if the fan motor is defective, first check the fan blade for obstructions. Next, try turning the fan motor blade by hand. If the blade does not spin freely, replace the condenser fan motor. If no obstructions are present and the fan blade spins freely, use a multimeter to test the fan motor for continuity. If the condenser fan motor does not have continuity, replace it. https://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/… Solution 2: Evaporator Fan Motor The evaporator fan motor draws air over the evaporator (cooling) coils and circulates it throughout the refrigerator and freezer compartments. Some refrigerators have more than one evaporator fan motor. On refrigerators with only one evaporator, the evaporator is located in the freezer compartment. If the evaporator fan is not working, it will not circulate the cold air to the refrigerator compartment. If this occurs, the freezer may still get cold, while the refrigerator will not get cold. To determine if the evaporator fan motor is defective, try turning the fan blade by hand. If the fan blade does not turn freely, replace the fan motor. Additionally, if the motor is unusually noisy, replace it. Finally, if the motor does not run at all, use a multimeter to test the motor windings for continuity. If the windings do not have continuity, replace the evaporator fan motor. https://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/… Solution 3: Start Relay The start relay works in conjunction with the start winding to start the compressor. If the start relay is defective, the compressor may sometimes fail to run or may not run at all. As a result, the refrigerator will not be cold enough. To determine if the start relay is defective, use a multimeter to test it for continuity between the run and start terminal sockets. If the start relay does not have continuity between the run and start terminal sockets, replace it. In addition, if the start relay has a burnt odor, replace it. https://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/… Solution 4: Compressor The compressor is a pump which compresses the refrigerant and circulates the refrigerant through the evaporator and condenser coils. If the compressor is not working, the refrigerator won’t cool. However, this is rarely the case. Before replacing the compressor, first check all of the more commonly defective parts. If you have determined that all of the other components are working properly, check the compressor. Use a multimeter to test the continuity between the electrical pins on the side of the compressor. If there is an open circuit, the compressor is likely defective. If the compressor is defective, it must be replaced by a licensed technician. https://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/… Solution 5: Main Control Board The main control board might be defective. However, this is almost never the cause. Before replacing the main control board, test all of more commonly defective parts. If none of the other components are defective, consider replacing the main control board. https://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/…
