If your LG refrigerator won’t stay cool despite being plugged in, here are a few things to check.
If the refrigerator is not cold enough, the condenser coils may be dirty. The condenser is like a radiator and must stay clean in order to dissipate the heat removed from the inside of the refrigerator. As the coils get dirtier, the refrigerator becomes less efficient, forcing it to work harder to cool down. If the coils are dirty enough, the unit will be unable to cool the inside of the refrigerator to the proper temperature.
If the coils are clean and the fridge still isn’t cold enough, the evaporator fan motor might have failed. Every refrigerator has a set of coils called and evaporator. There may be more than one evaporator fan motor(s) depending on the model and evaporator locations. The evaporator fan motor circulates the cold air from the coils thru the compartment.
If there is only one evaporator, you’ll find it in the freezer side. If the fan isn’t working, no cold air will get to the refrigerator compartment. The freezer may still get cold.
If the refrigerator is still not cold enough, there might be something caught in the condenser fan motor blade, or the condenser fan motor might be defective. The condenser fan motor draws air over the condenser coils to cool them. The condenser fan motor is located underneath the refrigerator near the back. Pull the refrigerator out from the wall and remove the access panel to access it.
Next, the start relay may be faulty. The start relay is a small device mounted to the side of the compressor. It provides power to the run winding, along with the start winding, for a split second at startup to help get the compressor going. If the start relay is defective, the compressor may run intermittently or not at all, and the refrigerator will not get cold enough. The start relay should be replaced if defective.
If the refrigerator still does not get cold enough, the temperature control thermostat might be faulty. The thermostat allows power to flow through to the compressor, evaporator fan, and condenser fan. If the cooling system fans and compressor are running, but the refrigerator or freezer is not cooling correctly, check for an airflow or defrost system problem.
Sometimes if the refrigerator isn’t cold enough, the compressor might be having difficulty starting up. The start capacitor serves as a battery to give the compressor a little boost during startup. If the start capacitor is burned out, the compressor might not be able to start and run as often as it should. Test the start capacitor first with a capacitance meter; they don’t fail often. If it’s faulty, replace it.
Another problem that prevents your fridge from getting cold enough is a faulty thermistor. The thermistor is a sensor which monitors the air temperature. It is connected to the control board. If the thermistor is defective, the refrigerator does not cool (or may cool continuously).
If the refrigerator is not cold enough, the temperature control board might be defective. The temperature control board provides the voltage to the fan motors and compressor. These boards are often misdiagnosed. Check all other components to be certain this is the cause of the problem.
If the refrigerator is not cold enough, the compressor itself might be defective. The compressor is a motor which compresses the refrigerant and circulates the refrigerant through the evaporator and condenser coils. There are several other components which are more likely to be defective if the compressor doesn’t work, so check the above issues first. If the compressor itself is defective, a licensed professional will need to replace it.
A class action lawsuit alleges there is a “latent defect" with LG linear compressors which causes them to prematurely fail.
Finally, if the refrigerator won’t get cold enough, the main control board might be defective. This is not common. Check the defrost system, cooling fans, and cooling controls first.
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