Refrigerator and freezer stopped cooling completely with loud humming noise
When a refrigerator and freezer stop cooling while emitting a loud humming sound from the compressor, the issue often lies in a failing component like the start relay or capacitor. Waiting days for a repair technician leaves homeowners stranded with potential food spoilage while attempting emergency DIY troubleshooting.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- Most of it landed at once — the busiest month was September 2026, with 19 people.
- This comes up 58.3× more often in r/appliancerepair than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Waiting for an authorized repair technician to diagnose and service the unit.Did this help you?
- 2Cleaning condenser coils, replacing the start relay, and power cycling the appliance.Did this help you?
- 3Replaced the compressor start relay and TSDDid this help you?
- 4Replaced the 12 microfarad capacitorDid this help you?
- 5Checked compressor winding resistance and continuity to shellDid this help you?
- 6Replacing the control boardDid this help you?
- 7Replacing the evaporator fanDid this help you?
- 8emptying the unit and pulling it out to inspectDid this help you?
- 9checking vents and door sealsDid this help you?
- 10reading potential troubleshooting issues onlineDid this help you?
- 11Replacing common parts like the thermostat assembly, bimetal defrost thermostat, and defrost timerDid this help you?
- 12Ordering a condenser fan motor kitDid this help you?
- 13Considering buying a new refrigeratorDid this help you?
- 14checking airflow and filtersDid this help you?
- 15inspecting the compressor and evaporatorDid this help you?
- 16Replacing individual deicing system components like the defrost heaterDid this help you?
- 17Leaving the refrigerator unplugged and upright for an extended period to let internal fluids settleDid this help you?
- 18Turning the appliance off and on multiple timesDid this help you?
- 19Check the electrical breaker and outdoor unit fusesDid this help you?
- 20Inspect the capacitor and contactorDid this help you?
- 21Check for clogged condensate lines and drain linesDid this help you?
- 22looking for sales to replace the refrigeratorDid this help you?
- 23Unplugging and plugging back in the refrigerator to reset the unitDid this help you?
- 24Checking coils and letting the fridge run to monitor frost patternsDid this help you?
- 25Replacing the main electronic control boardDid this help you?
- 26unplugging and plugging back in the refrigeratorDid this help you?
- 27cleaning compressor coilsDid this help you?
- 28Moving food away from the back wall to prevent air flow restrictionDid this help you?
- 29Checking door gaskets with a sheet of paper to test the sealDid this help you?
- 30Defrosting the entire unitDid this help you?
- 31Replacing the compressor inverterDid this help you?
- 32Resetting the circuit boardDid this help you?
- 33Running the fan function testDid this help you?
- 34Emptying the refrigerator and leaving it plugged in and opened overnight to defrostDid this help you?
- 35Troubleshooting the evaporator fan motor for ice buildup or failureDid this help you?
- 36Inspecting the evaporator frost pattern behind the back panelDid this help you?
- 37Testing the freezer sensorDid this help you?
- 38Calling the manufacturer or warranty service for compressor repair or replacementDid this help you?
- 39Chipping away excess ice periodically to allow drawers to closeDid this help you?
- 40Checking the ice maker fan in the freezerDid this help you?
- 41Investigating the back wall of the fridge for ice buildup and main air towerDid this help you?
- 42Replacing the bimetal thermostat, sensors, and heating elementDid this help you?
- 43Buy ice and put it directly on the refrigerator shelves.Did this help you?
- 44Treat the broken fridge like a cooler and monitor the temperature.Did this help you?
- 45Transfer perishables to an actual cooler with ice.Did this help you?
- 46Buy a cheap temporary fridge or deep freeze to hold over.Did this help you?
- 47Ask a kind neighbor to store the food.Did this help you?
- 48Remove the damper to allow cold air in, though this may freeze fresh food.Did this help you?
- 49Placing a bowl of ice inside the refrigerator and replacing it every 24 hours.Did this help you?
- 50Installing aftermarket thermometers and developing a custom app to track temperature fluctuations.Did this help you?
- 51Setting the thermostat much lower than needed (e.g., 34 degrees) in hopes of achieving a safe average.Did this help you?
- 52Checking for food blocking the ventsDid this help you?
- 53Cleaning the rear coils and compressor areaDid this help you?
- 54Replacing the relay and overload protector.Did this help you?
- 55Using a hard start kit to force the compressor to turn on.Did this help you?
- 56cleaning the condensor coilDid this help you?
- 57checking the frost pattern on the evaporator coilDid this help you?
- 58Asking online forums for beginner-friendly troubleshooting steps.Did this help you?
- 59Watching YouTube videos for troubleshooting stepsDid this help you?
- 60Unplugging the refrigerator for 24 hours to attempt a reset or thawDid this help you?
- 61Running the appliance's built-in diagnostic test modesDid this help you?
- 62Turning the temperature setting lower every day to force the refrigerator to cool.Did this help you?
- 63Unplugging the appliance for 24 to 48 hours to completely defrost the ice buildup around the fan.Did this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“My house is currently 75 and it is set at 68. The AC is not working in the house.”source ↗
“The outdoor unit is not running. I can hear the unit in my basement running.”source ↗
“I noticed my AC could not get the temp below 81 in my house.”source ↗
“I noticed the suction line on the condenser going outside of the house was “beer can cold.””source ↗
“Fan not blowing cold air. Outside unit not making any noise”source ↗
“Ac set at 75, house is 81 degrees. Is there some troubleshooting I can do ?”source ↗
“Tbh I have zero experience or knowledge when it comes to this but it’s late, hot, and a weekend and probably wont be calling a company until Monday.”source ↗
“Now it won't turn on - decorating not yet done, only just noticed the problem when I realised it wasn't making any fridgy noises.”source ↗
“I tilted it while moving it, and not sure exactly how tilted it got while it was still turned on as I had to move it to get to the plug, and had no idea about not tilting them.”source ↗
“Is it effed? Is there anything I can do to save it?”source ↗
“My refrigerator wasn’t cooling but the freezer would completely ice over to where the door would be tough to open.”source ↗
“I replaced the defrost heater but not much changed.”source ↗
“So I have this 2012 Whirlpool fridge (purchased 2020) that the freezer only gets down to 34F. How do I know if the problem is compressor/refrigerant related?”source ↗
“When I checked my fridge this afternoon, there was ice buildup on the back wall of the inside of the fridge.”source ↗
“All the ice appears to be gone now, but the fridge won't drop below 40⁰F (it's currently set to 37⁰F).”source ↗
“Unfortunately, my fridge has stopped working and I am running out of troubleshooting ideas.”source ↗
“My fridge and freezer are both not cooling at all. LG can't have a repair tech out until next Wednesday, so I'd like to try everything in my power until then.”source ↗
“The fridge is not cooling properly and the compressor makes a loud humming/grounded-type sound when it tries to run.”source ↗
“Even after changing the relay and capacitor, the exact same humming sound is still there.”source ↗
“I'm having trouble with my GE GNE27JSMDFSS refrigerator and could use some help diagnosing it.”source ↗
“The freezer is still cold, but the refrigerator compartment isn't cooling.”source ↗
“I replaced both and it still doesn't work.”source ↗
“I have a Samsung side-by-side that the fridge half seemingly suddenly stopped working on.”source ↗
“Freezer half is fine, temperature is good and reads correctly, no ice buildup, vents are clear, etc.”source ↗
“the fridge half seemingly crapped out last night sometime.”source ↗
“I’ve replaced the common parts, thermostat assembly, bimetal defrost thermostat, and defrost timer. Do dad no luck.”source ↗
“After that, I don’t know what to do. Any other ideas or it’s time for a new refrigerator?”source ↗
“Yes, it’s running. Normal humming. Just not cold.”source ↗
“Whirlpool ED5FVGXWS02 First time it’s happened and everything on the freezer side ruined.”source ↗
“I noticed the fan & light were not on so I unplugged the refrigerator for a minute then plugged it back in and the freezer cooling fan & light were back on like normal.”source ↗
“Thin light frosting on the coils but no where else… so wondering why it just randomly shut off.”source ↗
“Fridge just stopped cooling this morning.”source ↗
“Unplugged and plugged back in, worked fine for 2hrs and then just shut off again before reaching set temp.”source ↗
“Pulled off back plate - no idea what I’m looking at though.”source ↗
“the entire thing just stopped making noise twice today”source ↗
“I feel air right now, but it stopped blowing earlier twice. I had to unplug and plug back in and it started up again”source ↗
“refrigerator is not cold enough (registering 52F on my thermometer) but the freezer is staying frozen.”source ↗
“I checked the seals and they seem to be fine (hold on to a sheet of paper, clean, no debris in the way).”source ↗
“Yes, neither the fridge nor freezer are working”source ↗
“Freezer section working, ice maker in top section works.”source ↗
“Top refrigerator section not cooling.”source ↗
“I have a whirlpool mini fridge in my dorm and i've noticed stuff in the freezer starting to melt.”source ↗
“After listening to it i noticed it's not humming AT ALL, no vibration or anything.”source ↗
“after checking again today, it's back to silence and all of my food is melting. I think the fridge part is also not cooling.”source ↗
“Where to start troubleshooting? It seems to cool but not freeze. Refrigerator seems to be working fine”source ↗
“Not sure what happened but no cold air coming ut of the tip. What could be the cause.”source ↗
“Everything feels room temp on top shelf of the fridge and things dont feel too cold below”source ↗
“I have a Kenmore refrigerator (model 253 7044 3411) that isn't cooling enough in the upper section, although the freezer section is working fine.”source ↗
“Please help; I don't know what else to do.”source ↗
“Last week, the temperature was fluctuating between 40 and 55”source ↗
“I feel like whatever I set as the temperature, it runs about 5F higher.”source ↗
“My friend has a whirlpool fridge that stops cooling the fridge part, but the freezer is fine.”source ↗
“The repair company told us that they wouldn’t be able to diagnose the problem if it is working when they come.”source ↗
“My GE profile pfcs1nfy refrigerator is cooling perfectly on the freezer side but the fridge is slowly getting warmer.”source ↗
“The fridge went from holding steady at 37 degrees to now it barely getting into the low 40s overnight.”source ↗
“compressor now hums and hear fluid circulating, but not getting cold.”source ↗
“It runs non-stop and you can hear fluid circulating in the unit. However, it does not get cold, and in fact actually gets warmer over time as the compressor becomes hot to the touch.”source ↗
“I noticed the last few days my food in the freezer has been melting.”source ↗
“I noticed that the freezer and refrigerator are alternating cooling every few hours. However, neither has reached set temp (0 and 37 F respectively).”source ↗
“The freezer wasn’t cold and then the fridge also stopped cooling.”source ↗
“I watched YouTube videos and unplugged the fridge 24 hours and it still isn’t cooling after many hours.”source ↗
“the freezer works fine but the refrigerator can not hold an internal temp of 40 degrees or below.”source ↗
“Every day I have to turn the temp down to get the refrigerator to cool.”source ↗
“Air is blowing but not like it used to.”source ↗
“Traulsen URS 36 DT from 1983 typically runs loud and strong. The refrigerator side started producing excess ice so we chipped it away periodically to all the drawers to close. Then, one day it stopped cooling.”source ↗
“The repair guy says the tower(?) is broken so my fridge part can't cool.”source ↗
“No part for 2 days and he told me "to just keep it cool" until Friday.”source ↗
“Damn I have the same one and sometimes my food goes bad fast.”source ↗
“I don't expect him to have the part. I expect better than "just keep it cold" Like I can just will that to fucking happen 🙃”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 17Why does my brand new AC not cool as well as the old one?
- 3Refrigerator stops cooling properly after being moved on its side
- 7Why does my refrigerator ice maker keep breaking?
- 2Why is my Samsung freezer running warm instead of freezing?
- 4Why does my refrigerator door ice maker keep jamming?
- 3Why is my fridge fan making a dull noise and rattling?