Whirlpool fridge styles
Whirlpool sells top freezer fridges, French door fridges and side-by-side fridges. The top freezer models are the simple ones. They have one cooling coil in the freezer and a fan that shares cold air with the fridge below. French door and side-by-side models add ice makers, water lines and more fans. More parts mean more ways to fail. The good news is that Whirlpool parts are shared with its Maytag, KitchenAid and Amana lines. They are easy to get.
Fridge warm, freezer cold
This is the big one. All the cold in most Whirlpool fridges starts at a coil in the freezer. A fan blows that cold air to the fridge side through a small vent. If the coil ices over, the air stops. The freezer stays cold for a while. The fridge warms up first. Take the food out of the freezer and look at the back wall. Frost or a bulge of ice means the defrost system failed. The heater, the defrost thermostat or the control is bad. We test each one and clear the ice. If there is no frost, we look at the fan motor and the air damper.
Both sides warm
When nothing is cold, check the basics. Is the light on? Is the fridge set to cool? A brand new Whirlpool may be in Showroom mode. The lights work but it does not cool. Your manual shows how to turn that off. Next, feel the sides. If the compressor runs hot and loud, the condenser coil may be choked with dust. Whirlpool lists dirty coils as a top cause of poor cooling. If the compressor clicks and quits, the start relay may be burned. If it runs and nothing gets cold, the sealed system has a leak or a blockage.
Whirlpool ice maker and water faults
An empty ice bin is a daily call. Look at the fill tube at the back of the ice maker. If it is plugged with ice, water cannot get in. Low house water flow can cause that. The water inlet valve behind the fridge is the next suspect. It can fail shut or drip. A new fridge needs time. Whirlpool says to allow 24 hours for the first ice and about 72 hours for a full bin. Small cubes and a slow dispenser often mean the filter is due.
Leaks and noises
Water in the bottom of the fridge or under the drawers is a clogged defrost drain. Water on the floor at the back is a water line or valve. A loud hum from the back that changes when you open the freezer is the evaporator fan. A rattle from below is the condenser fan or a loose drain pan.
Quick checks
- Pull the grille and vacuum the coil, or brush it from the back.
- Clear food from in front of the Whirlpool air vents.
- Shut the door on a dollar bill. It should hold.
- Make sure the fridge has a little space at the back and top.
Price, speed and when to stop repairing
A Whirlpool fridge diagnostic runs $79 for a home. Once you say yes to the Whirlpool fridge repair, that fee is waived. Our fixed fridge quote, labor and parts counted, comes ahead of the job. Food is at risk, so we push fridge calls to same-day when we can. Whirlpool fridge visits are set from 6 AM, with the final fridge visit at 9 PM, every day. A+ is an independent repair company. Our Whirlpool fridge techs have licenses and insurance, and every fridge tech is background checked. Every repair has a 30-day repair warranty. A fan, valve, heater, thermostat or ice maker is worth it on any Whirlpool fridge. A compressor on a budget top freezer model often is not. That repair can cost close to a new fridge. On a French door model, it may still make sense. We fix Whirlpool fridges in D.C., with details on the Washington D.C. page. Fridge routes also cover Houston and Northern Virginia, and we take Whirlpool calls in Los Angeles and Chicago. See Whirlpool freezer repair, the Whirlpool brand page or general refrigerator repair. Before we arrive, do not chip at the freezer ice. We need to see the frost pattern to find the failed part.