skip to main content

LG refrigerator stopped freezing...then started freezing again?

4 years ago

I think this 12 yr. old LG unit (small 10 cu. ft. model) is trying to die, but can't make up it's mind. Last weekend the freezer compartment thawed and we moved everything out of the freezer. I turned the controls to the coldest setting and the refrigerator stayed in the high 40's and then gradually got colder and colder (currently at 40 degrees). I put an ice cube tray in the freezer on Tuesday and it just got sorta slushy after a day. Today...the ice cubes are rock solid. One service guy says, just pitch it and buy a new unit. The other company says they can't even come to look at it until June 10th. What to do????

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

dadoes
4 years ago
Could be an auto-defrost problem if it has that feature. Frost accumulation can block proper airflow which prevents cooling (although moreso of the refrigerator section than of the freezer section). Shutting it off or doing a manual defrost clears the problem until it recurs. Can also be a compressor problem, intermittent progressing toward worse. Probably best to toss/replace a small unit like that.
tjmwine
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I agree with dadoes especially being 12 years old, you got your money out of it. Around ten years is average for a refrigerator.
Related Discussions
Samsung bottom freezer doesn't freeze veggie drawer freezes
Q
Comments (3)
I have the same problem with my Samsung...every couple of weeks I have to take out the veggie bins and I use a turkey baster to remove the water. Sometimes there is ice on the top of the puddles. When I first purchased it I had to get a new ice maker as the original one delivered plastic pieces with the ice. Maybe they will offer you an extended warranty or at least negotiate a discounted price for an extended warranty.
...See More
Kitchen Aid vs LG bottom freezer refrigerator
Q
Comments (4)
LG had some serious problems with their French Door models that used incandescent bulbs for the interior lighting. What would happen is the lights would occasionally stay on after the doors were closed. This would eventually cause the light fixtures to melt the plastic inside the fridge. Not good. LG has now gone to LED lighting which is what we have in our fridge. We are quite happy with the performance of our LG fridge so far, but from what a lot of other people have told the forum when they ran into trouble with the LG meltdowns they got nothing but grief from LG over it. So I would not buy any LG with incandescent bulb lighting period, and I would also be sure that whoever sells you the unit has a good solid repair capability. If they don't, I'd blow off the LG and try something different. The model you specified, when I looked it up on the LGE site, says it uses 2 40 Watt lights. Those would be incandescents; I'd be a bit wary.
...See More
Fisher Paykel or LG 30"refrigerator?
Q
Comments (7)
We have FP E522BRX. It is almost two years old. We replaced a somewhat larger fridge by cubic footage but I swear this one has more usable space. The shelves are completely adjustable and their brackets take no room. I love how it looks. It has never given us any issues. And it just works like a champ. And it is quiet. It has a lower energy rating than some but recently an appliance person (not anyone we bought it from) explained to me that it will last longer because of the compressor and how they use it. Apparently the high energy rating ones often cycle their compressors in such a way that they wear out faster. Now having said all that, our FP oven gave us fits at first. It was a customer service nightmare. It turned out to be wired a little wrong (two wires were swapped). Once that was fixed, it's been great. I think in this day and age, customer service is generally difficult. Things are built more reliably but companies have cut their customer service to the bone so if you have a problem, it can be hard to fix. It took several service calls and endless phone time to get it fixed. Finally I got someone smart enough to figure out what was wrong. We bought it from a local business, expecting that we would get better service from them. Not so. The service guy who fixed it said we would have been better off buying it from somewhere like Lowes because they would have swapped it themselves rather than making us deal with FP. He said bigger volume companies have more clout with the appliance companies. Sad, sad, sad. Here is a link that might be useful: FP E522BRX
...See More
24" refrigerator. Liebherr, Fagor, LG, etc?
Q
Comments (15)
We have a ~$600 24" freestanding LG fridge (both width and depth - no handles sticking out which is great for a tight space) with bottom freezer. It's not fancy, but It's easy to clean, very quiet (perhaps due to lack of an ice-maker), and very spacious for the size - officially about 10 cu ft combined. So far, nothing freezes anywhere in the fridge (which is more than I can say for our once state of the art free-standing SxS GE fridge) and the LG preserves food as well as our main GE sxs fridge. The only complaint I have is that you have to be careful closing the freezer door or it doesn't stay closed. When the fridge arrived (online order delivered as freight), two non-critical pieceswere cracked. No problem dealing with LG. There was no parts list so it took a couple tries to get them to send the correct parts. However, they sent them promptly and now we have enough to open a parts supply store. The fridge came with a 2 year warranty. For this price, if it breaks after that, I would just buy a new one. The model has been updated since we bought it, but the changes appear to mostly cosmetic. The new model actually looks nicer.
...See More
Denise Evans
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks. I'm reluctant to buy another LG unit, but since it was built in, any other unit will require tearing apart some cabinetry. I checked with both Bosch and GE and their narrow units are taller than LG. I guess I could just roll the dice and hope a new LG lasts 12 yrs. Ugh....
tedbixby
4 years ago
I recently had my 19 yr old GE Monogram unit serviced ( leaking Freon issue and your problem sounds similar to what mine was doing. To fix would be $1800. to put a Freon charge $250 and hope that it is a slow leak. ) and knowing that it is getting to it's end of life I talked to the repairman regarding life expectancy of fridge now a days compared to the "olden" days as I had heard 10 yrs is avg. He confirmed that 10 yrs is avg and that he would recommend purchasing additional warranties for any new appliance. I've been doing extensive research and I have yet to come across any brand (built-in or not) that is problem free. That being said, if you can wait til the 10th wouldn't it be worth $100. service call to see how much the problem is going to cost to repair as it may be a lot less than a new unit or it may give you some more time to figure out what to replace with. If you can't wait til the 10th, then I think you know what you have to do. And after 1 month, the Freon charge is still holding... good luck.
Denise Evans
Original Author
4 years ago
Crazy thing is still working, sort of. The refrigerator section stays around 38 degrees and the empty freezer will freeze a tray of ice cubes, but I'm skeptical. I cancelled the repair guy and am watching it.

Related Stories

GREEN BUILDING The Big Freeze: Inventors Break New Ground to Keep Things Cool

By Olivia Strigari

Old-fashioned fridges can be energy guzzlers, but there are more eco-friendly ways of keeping food fresh, as these global innovations show

HOUSEKEEPING What to Do When Your Pipes Freeze

By Becky Harris

Here’s how to thaw frozen pipes and avoid having them freeze in the future

GARDENING GUIDES How to Stop Worrying and Start Loving Clay Soil

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Clay has many more benefits than you might imagine

LAUNDRY ROOMS Freeze-Dried Clothes? Houzzers Share Their Winter Laundry Tales

By Erin Carlyle

Air-drying the wash in chilly temps can be a challenge, but Houzz readers find a way

FUN HOUZZ 14 Things You Need to Start Doing Now for Your Spouse’s Sake

By Mitchell Parker

You have no idea how annoying your habits at home can be. We’re here to tell you

KITCHEN DESIGN Stay Cool About Picking the Right Refrigerator

By KitchenLab Interiors

If all the options for refrigeration leave you hot under the collar, this guide to choosing a fridge and freezer will help you chill out

FUN HOUZZ Houzz Call: What’s on Your Refrigerator?

By Becky Harris

Magnets, menus, children’s art, coupons, perfect-attendance certificates, song lyrics — what is fridge-worthy in your house?

REMODELING GUIDES 11 Reasons to Love Wall-to-Wall Carpeting Again

By Judith Taylor Designs

Is it time to kick the hard stuff? Your feet, wallet and downstairs neighbors may be nodding

LIFE Late Again? Eliminate the Things Holding You Up in the Morning

By Emily Hutchinson

If you find yourself constantly running late for appointments, work and get-togethers, these tips could help

GARDENING GUIDES Get a Head Start on Planning Your Garden Even if It’s Snowing

By Marianne Lipanovich

Reviewing what you grew last year now will pay off when it’s time to head outside

Sponsored

More Discussions

looking for 15" built-in wine cooler recommendation

14

Mix and Match Vent Hood and inline blowers?

5

Can GE profile or Bosch 800 series induction adapt to small pan

8

Fisher Paykel electric wall oven feedback

0

Refrigerator Ice Maker Inlet?

1