Thanks for making this video to help people understand this complex computerized appliance. I've owned a double door version of this refrigerator for several years and I'm not impressed. The cooling coils are underneath so I had to block it up off of the floor in order to have enough room to blow the dust out of the coils with compressed air. The internal refrigerator vent door makes loud clunking noises when it operates which is especially annoying at night. The temperature inside the fridge has gotten warm several times to where I had to transfer the food to another fridge. The freezer remained cold so there was nothing wrong with the compressor. I performed the tests demonstrated in this video and it passed all of them. The only setting that wasn't set to default was the defrost which was set to Fixed not Adaptive. Next I'm going to try to find a video that shows how to test the defrost heater to see if it's bad.
Ben, thank you so very much. I purchased this style of refrigerator about 6 months ago and have been well pleased. I am not so foolish to think that my refrigerator won’t ever break and I a so glad you made this video just in case I ever need it. Keep up the great work and thank you for the service you provide to us!
This isn’t relevant to my fridge, but I love all your content and I appreciate all the care you put into making these guides for people, especially in this economy
Thank you for the tutorial. Works very well...wish my refrigerator did!! Just bought a WP bottom freezer "lemon" that failed within the first week...I opened my freezer one day and the food had thawed. Called for service and when they arrived, the next day, the freezer was working again. Said they couldn't diagnose a working refrigerator. That's how I landed here on RUclips. Went thru the service modes myself-all seemed fine according to my inner service tech prowess but who knows. Here I am, 2 months later and the same scenario...this time accompanied by a constant tickity tick tick tick tick tick. I reset it with my code and hope it helps. I'm so disappointed with my purchase.
Well I had to say thank you. My control panel was frozen, unable to change the settings, and the temperature in the fridge was fluctuating between 37 and 42, but this morning it was 52!! After watching your video I ordered the part on amazon for $46 Cdn, and installed it this afternoon in 15 minutes. Seems to have fixed the problem! Seems to be working fine now. I am elated. Thank you.
I'm tryin to make sure that I have a collection of every diagnostic video possible, in addition to everything else. This was one I've wanted to do for 2-3 years and just hadn't had the chance 'til now to get one to test
It is! I've wanted to do a basic diagnostic video on one for ages, but its so very rare to get these in stock to flip & sell, I only now got to deal with one
Great video! It helped me out. I was able to order and fix our refrigerator with this video. My refrigerator is the same one you were working on. Thank You!
Thanks for the helpful video. It seems like it’s exactly what I needed. Test 3 failed…my freezer fan was not spinning and the fridge was not cooling. So, I defrosted, cleaned the dust, and replaced the mother board and now all seems well! Thanks 👍
I may have commented too soon. A week later and the refrigerator is having the same issue. No refrigeration and the freezer fan is not spinning again...any ideas?
Replacing W10503278 worked for my Maytag MFF2558VEM9! The display was showing - -, replacing the board and programmed it and my refrigerator is working again! Thank you!
Love your persons and respect the knowledge sharing you do. I don’t do repairs. But, for sure I’ll be a very well-informed consumer, the scourge of fast-talking sales people.
Great video and instructions. I have french door model but the codes and instructions are exactly the same except for holding 2 door switches. Thanks so much as there is little I can find on this subject. Ron
Thank you--i've replaced the board twice now--They both lasted about 7 years. I had cold freezer, warm fridge which was solved by replacing the main board.
Did the evaporator/freezer fan run when it was broken? That is what's happening with mine. No fan on test #3. I think replacing the board would be a lot more enjoyable than trying to get the freezer drawer taken off and replacing a fan...
@@JustMe-mn4gr don't recall if the fan was running--the fridge box was warm, but freezer was not defrosting, blocking cold air delivery to the fridge box. At $35, it was a no-brainer fix. Also, I took off the cover in the back of freezer and manually defrosted it with steam before turning fridge back on with new board. Been working fine since March 2023.
@@JustMe-mn4grsame problem over here. But before finding this lovely video, I took apart my freezer cover to get to the evaporator coil. Fan was spinning non stop and the coil was frozen over. Still the fridge was warm. Currently running a forced defrost test and it seems to be working. So I’m curious as to how the freezer is TOO cold and my fridge is warm, since the fan is running and the door actuator is open in the fridge.
is the W10503278 suitable for the WRB329DFBW? I could not find this in the attached website. Also can you please suggest a reliable multimetre for a newbie. Thanks for this very valuable content.
Quick question: I had a tech come out for our GB2FHDXWQ05 was freezing up evaporator and not cooling fridge. He diagnosed faulty control board and evap fan. I replaced the control board and programmed it to my fridge specs, 01. I'm waiting on evap fan motor to be delivered. When I run Diagnostisc test 1, my display goes directly to "S" for short. Should I replace my defrost thermostat, or is this another issue with the new control board?
My freezer gets cold enough but the refrigerator area stays room temperature. I notice a click or vibration sound for a split second in the damper and there is never any air flow from that area where it is located. If Ii do test 6, how do I observe proper damper function? Should I put my hand at the back and be able to feel air flow when it's O (open?) If there is no air flow could it also be another fan somewhere not pushing the air up from the freezer? (The evaporator fan?) EDIT: 5 minutes later.... OK I took off the little cover at the back (you use a small flat blade screw driver carefully prying along the bottom/side) And then I went straight to test 6 and the thing opened and closed. Way cool. But now I have a worse problem because that would have been easy to replace. So is it the freezer fan? Does this thing GB2FHDXWQ04 have only one evaporator fan? And if it's in the freezer that will be difficult to get to. EDIT: OK I tried test 5 Thermistor and it was blank or P every other press of the frig + button. So that means the thermistor is OK? EDIT: Did test 3 Evaporator/Freezer Fan test and nothing happens whether O or F. No sounds. No air flow through the damper which was open. So now what? How can a freezer fan go bad and is that likely to be the problem? Or is this a control board issue? Which one should I try to replace first or is there any test I can do of the control board itself? Looking back, the freezer had an issue with ice on the bottom floor of it. And the crispers in the refrigerator were freezing as well. And the compressor seemed to me to run too much of the time - more than it used to. So do you think the fan was killed by being embedded in ice? Or do you think the real problem is with defrosting? Maybe I should do the forced defrost short test? I haven't been using this refrigerator so it is currently at room temperature and I hope running a forced defrost won't do damage or set it on fire or something... I'm guessing the compressor was running all the time because the thermostat is in the refrigerator area and kept telling the compressor to keep running to get it cold and it never got cold? Because there is no fan blowing the cold air from the freezer? FINALLY I did test 1 and it shows S for shorted. So does that mean it has a bad defrost thermostat? Wouldn't the fan still run even if it did? Could all of this be a bad circuit board? I'm currently waiting for the freezer to cool down and then I'll run the forced defrost on short cycle just to see if the compressor doesn't turn off and then maybe that means it's the board? Now I did the initial setup of the forced defrost and it shut the compressor off before I finalized the defrost so it does not have that board problem you mentioned. So all I know is the evaporator/freezer fan doesn't sound like it runs when tested AND test 1 was SHORT for the defrost thermostat. Now what?
Found this on applianceassitant "Test#1 Defrost Thermostat Diagnostics After pressing the refrigerator (+) button you will see ether an "O" or an "S". "O" means that the freezer's defrost thermostat is open and will not allow electricity to reach the defrost heater. An "S" means shorted or closed. The word shorted sounds bad but actually that is what you want to see if the freezer is cold. If you see an "O" (open) and the defrost thermostat is cold that means you need to replace the thermostat. The thermostat should be shorted or closed anytime it is cold and it's safe to run a defrost cycle. This test will also check the defrost heater. If ether the defrost thermostat or heater are broken or "open" and the evaporator is iced up, you will need to replace the bad part. For more information on refrigerator's defrost system take a look at this video. (Refrigerator Defrost Troubleshooting Video)" So maybe the defrost thermostat is OK and only test3 is a problem.
My refrigerator would not defrost automatically. I was able to force a defrost and all the other tests were good. Is the control board bad or some other part?
I was hoping you would share what to do if you can't change the settings for freezer and refrigerator, it is stuck on Freezer 4 and refrigerator 7, up/down has no response.
Ben I just got a wrf535swhz and beind the crisper it has styrofoam with the words embossed saying do not remove to me. It looks like packaging. Am I supposed to leave it there?
I need to do this, but on a single button, no screen Whirlpool fridge. It only has one button and three temperature levels, that are illuminated by an LED. I hate how this fridge works, defrosting mode is very unpredictable, and interior temperature can get quite high due to how it works. It would be awesome to know how to force defrost mode!
I have this exact fridge and I am getting frost build up on the back wall at the top where the cool air comes out. Any idea what I need to look at to fix it and how do I get the back plastic piece off, TIA
Quick question. My Whirlpool Gold Series refer needs a new control board, but the label inside the unit shows no "code" for the new board (it's blank after the word ("code"). Does the correct code come with the new board or is it somewhere else on the unit? Thank you.
I have the same model. My problem is the freezer setting is “stuck”. Meaning if I lower the temp on the freezer side, it will automatically go back up by itself to the max setting of 7. It won’t stay on the setting I set it on.
Hi Ben, my panel is no longer illuminated. The compressor seems to be working fine, and the fridge is cool. None of the tests seem to work, or they are working but since the lights don’t come on, I can’t tell :S Any suggestions?
PLEASE HELP: How long is a short defrost mode? I just did your test to cycle through one and it was about 10 minutes (?) I just replaced the heating element (which worked when running the test and the compressor shut off correctly too) and the bimetal defrost thermostat. Everything was running but the coils weren’t defrosting. When the refrigerator stopped and I thought it would’ve gone into defrost mode, it didn’t as the heating element was cold as well.
What logic does the control board use for "adaptive" defrost mode? My refrigerator passes all of the tests. But a couple times per month, the coils freeze up. I then have to put it in "force defrost" mode to thaw the coils and it will work again for a couple weeks.
Usually its timed based on doors opening. Its possible there's a small moisture leak into the fridge causing it to get more moisture to the coils than expected. There is a mode I mention in other videos or maybe this one that lets you put it in a basic 8 or 12hr defrost pattern that is no longer adaptive that may solve it.
Excellent service tip Ben thank you. I assume my 7-9 year old Maytag labeled box, with an almost control panel, operates in the same manner? I’m not near it to try yet.
So it's a relay problem in the board? Is it possible replacement it? I do this Operation in minisplit boards witch tends to get stuck, probably can be as simple that 5 dollars part and 10 minutes of soldering job or so
I have a 2021 two door Whirlpool (YES IT STOPPED WORKING 😡) and instead of 2 numbers , I have 2 dashes. Compressor and fan won’t work or hum. I replaced the relay and capacitor, still not working. It also won’t go into service mode. Could it be the control board???
Hey brother great info but I have an issue I can’t see any numbers on the control board does this mean it’s the board just want to know if there is something else I can do to make sure it’s the board
I have a whirlpool French door freezer bottom with same control panel like in video. My fridge has quit working now a second time. Woke up to a 60 degree fridge and thawing freezer. The numbers just had horizontal lines. First time this happened I pressed tue + and the numbers came back starting at 1. I reset freezer and fridge to 5-5 and worked again. Lasted a couple months then did it again. Now I can’t it to show anything but the two horizontal lines
thanks Ben, I had a problem with no cool air in the fridge. Notice a build up of frost in the freezer section vents, Using a dryer for about 5/10 minutes worked and cold air was flowing again. After having to do this 4 times over a 2 month period I used this video to change the circuit board. Worked fine for three weeks when it failed to blow cold air. I decided to remove the back panel this time and found that the THERMOSTAT WAS SURROUNDED BY ABOUT 4 TO 5 INCHES OF ICE. After melting this ice the cooling worked again. Do you think this is the thermostat failing. I can test this asper your video but I'm not sure how to interpret the code 0 or OPEN. Does this mean that the thermostat is working. Thanks for your help.
Thanks so much. My fridge didnt work and i realize that the fan is not working. I enter the servicd mode and did the condenser fan test. The fan works. Does it mean that the motherboard not working poperly and i have to replace it？
There is also an evaporator/freezer fan and that is the one which blows cold air up into the refrigerator compartment from the freezer. That one is test #3.
I have the same unit that has been running fine for the last seven years but recently began tripping the ground fault breaker in my panel. This would occur about every eight to nine hours and I assumed that it had to do with the defrost cycle. I swapped breakers using another GFCI but the problem persisted. A repairman came to check the unit but found nothing wrong but said that replacing the control board might clear the problem. It didn't. I then replaced the GFCI with a standard 20 amp breaker and had no more trips. The repairman returned my original board and refunded the cost. I'm told that it's not recommended to power a refrigerator on a GFCI breaker. Could this be an indication of a further degrading problem?
I'm sorry for so many comments/questions...in test 3 I can definitely hear the fan turn on and off, however with test 2, I can't really tell if anything is happening. What should I be observing? Also, what happens when I adjust each of the freezer or refrigerator performance adjustments from 5 to 6? Does it just make these zones cooler? And lastly, what are the risks of switching the defrost switch from timer vs auto?
Test 2 says exactly what you see on the screen. It energizes the condenser fan and condenser behind the refrigerator. If its not cycling on and off properly, it'd suggest either the fan/compressor are bad, or the board is bad. If you do the offset it;ll make it colder, or at least try to make it colder. If you set the defrost to timed, it runs more often using more electric but removes more frost from the coils if thats an issue.
@@bensappliancesandjunk is that condenser fan observable by ear. I feel hot air flowing from mostly the right side underneath and the freezer is definitely freezing ok (at least to my perception). I notched both fridge and freezer to 6 and the defrost on timer mode last night. Now the fridge is cold but still frost on the back wall of freezer. I have a spare board I ordered a couple years ago that I might just switch since I already have it.
Ben, I ran the service tests and the Defrost Thermostat and Circuit test came back as shorted. Will replacing the circuit board fix this error. the Freezer works but the fridge doesn't get cold. model # WRB329DMBM00 Program code 21
I am having defrost issues. During test one I only see the O. (open displayed).By pushing + , I hear a click but do not see the S (short) displayed. Would I have a thermostat issue?
Mine ended up being the thermostat… I ended up changing it a few days after my message and haven’t had an issue since. Easy fix- $7 part- freezer thawed took me about 5-10 min to put the new one in. Good luck!
Oh an to double test the thermostat I cut the wires- put it in another freezer and checked continuity once frozen- when it gets to a certain temp (38 degrees I think) it will close the circuit and have continuity. If not then thermostat issue.
Test 6 is easy: carefully pry off the damper cover at the top rear of the refrigerator compartment. use a flat blade screw driver and gently pry at the bottom left or right and then gently pull it off - two locking tabs on the bottom and two on the top. Then perform test 6 and you can watch the damper open and close.
Hey Ben! What if I do the Forced Defrost for both S and L, and it only runs for 5 minutes then shuts off and resumes cooling without ever turning on the heater? You're the best!
You have a defroster problem then. The question is if the defroster itself is bad, or the sensor is. You'd have to probably dig in and test to figure that out.
@bensappliancesandjunk The heater tests good for continuity at both the heater and at the control. I've swapped the wiring harness which includes the sensor on Friday when I did service test 1 today it tested as S.
@@SuculantWarrior I just tested mine and it gave S for test 1 as well. Did your compressor turn off when doing the forced defrost? If not then he said it has a bad board. Mine also has no evaporator fan running when I do test 3. What eventually fixed yours?
@JustMe-mn4gr I BELIEVE I got it taken care of. I ended up replacing the board and the wireharness kit which included the defrost sensor. Now your evap fan may not be running in that test because its frozen, youll want to defrost then retest to make sure it does in fact work. Its best to completely defrost it by leaving the fridge off and let EVERYTHING melt. If you don't and you turn it back on, ANY condensation gets blown into the freezer and the entire thing will be covered like it's just snowed.
Thank you! A 2nd on “You the best!” I had the same problem with it not staying forced defrost mode! Very helpful to know quickly understand what I’m dealing with.
I have a whirlpool wrf736sdam12, bottom mount freezer, and it seems like the bottom is constantly building up with ice. I'm in a rental unit, but I'd rather not have to wait for the landlord to fix. Its gotten so bad that the ice is preventing the freezer drawer from pushing in all the way, causing the gasket to not seal all the way, making the problem worse, and then leaking water when it tries to do the auto-defrost. Seriously, why the hell would they not put a manual defrost option in? ESPECIALLY on a drawer model that has the possibility to get hung up on frost as you close it.
Would love to figure out my dishwasher. Kitcheaid KDPM604KPS. Tub will fill on its own from supply line, can't run any cycle other than express due to e4f8. If I use side of sink with didposal it will flow water into the dishwasher. It didn't do this before circulation pump was replaced. There have been two different repair companies and 7 visits. they have replaced circulation pump, and the supply line connection valve on the dishwasher itself. If dishwasher is not used for it will fill the tub in about 12 hours. If run any other cycle it will fail before completion with e4f8 error. Each time it has this error, the tub is full of water, leaking out the tubes to the drip tray, causing the float to raise, triggering alarm. I am about ready to replace this less than 2 year old dishwasher as my wife is beyond frustrated with it. I have an extended warranty but they think it is fixed each time, and fails after they leave.
@@bensappliancesandjunk The dishwasher was originally installed by Lowes, and then has been in and out several times by repair company that Lowe's hired. The fill assembly valve was replaced (#23) on the "Pump, washarm and motor parts diagram" for the model. I do know that #6 on that same diagram is not present, but repair company says its not needed. The repair place ordered another fill assembly valve as this one may be faulty in their eyes. There is some talk about the routing of the drain hose, from the techs peer translator (he's Russian and his English is not that good). He looked at it while on the phone with his company and didn't see any changes being made.
@MichaelCater reading Whirlpools documentation, it entirely involves supply/installation issues far more than valves and such, and it sounds like they just threw parts at it rather than diagnose the actual problem and what made it fail
Thanks for making this video to help people understand this complex computerized appliance. I've owned a double door version of this refrigerator for several years and I'm not impressed. The cooling coils are underneath so I had to block it up off of the floor in order to have enough room to blow the dust out of the coils with compressed air. The internal refrigerator vent door makes loud clunking noises when it operates which is especially annoying at night. The temperature inside the fridge has gotten warm several times to where I had to transfer the food to another fridge. The freezer remained cold so there was nothing wrong with the compressor. I performed the tests demonstrated in this video and it passed all of them. The only setting that wasn't set to default was the defrost which was set to Fixed not Adaptive. Next I'm going to try to find a video that shows how to test the defrost heater to see if it's bad.
Ben, thank you so very much. I purchased this style of refrigerator about 6 months ago and have been well pleased. I am not so foolish to think that my refrigerator won’t ever break and I a so glad you made this video just in case I ever need it. Keep up the great work and thank you for the service you provide to us!
Make sure you have an appliance grade surge protector for the fridge. The control doesn't like power outages.
This isn’t relevant to my fridge, but I love all your content and I appreciate all the care you put into making these guides for people, especially in this economy
Thank you for the tutorial. Works very well...wish my refrigerator did!! Just bought a WP bottom freezer "lemon" that failed within the first week...I opened my freezer one day and the food had thawed. Called for service and when they arrived, the next day, the freezer was working again. Said they couldn't diagnose a working refrigerator. That's how I landed here on RUclips. Went thru the service modes myself-all seemed fine according to my inner service tech prowess but who knows. Here I am, 2 months later and the same scenario...this time accompanied by a constant tickity tick tick tick tick tick. I reset it with my code and hope it helps. I'm so disappointed with my purchase.
Well I had to say thank you. My control panel was frozen, unable to change the settings, and the temperature in the fridge was fluctuating between 37 and 42, but this morning it was 52!! After watching your video I ordered the part on amazon for $46 Cdn, and installed it this afternoon in 15 minutes. Seems to have fixed the problem! Seems to be working fine now. I am elated. Thank you.
This is far and away the best source of information I have been able to find for these fridges. Thank you so much for this.
I'm tryin to make sure that I have a collection of every diagnostic video possible, in addition to everything else. This was one I've wanted to do for 2-3 years and just hadn't had the chance 'til now to get one to test
Thank you! I almost gave up on my fridge, after watching your video it is back up and running.
Hey Ben
So glad you did this tutorial with this particular refrigerator. That’s the one I recommend . It’s a great fridge.
It is! I've wanted to do a basic diagnostic video on one for ages, but its so very rare to get these in stock to flip & sell, I only now got to deal with one
Great video! It helped me out. I was able to order and fix our refrigerator with this video. My refrigerator is the same one you were working on. Thank You!
Happy to help!
Thanks for the helpful video. It seems like it’s exactly what I needed. Test 3 failed…my freezer fan was not spinning and the fridge was not cooling. So, I defrosted, cleaned the dust, and replaced the mother board and now all seems well! Thanks 👍
I may have commented too soon. A week later and the refrigerator is having the same issue. No refrigeration and the freezer fan is not spinning again...any ideas?
Replacing W10503278 worked for my Maytag MFF2558VEM9! The display was showing - -, replacing the board and programmed it and my refrigerator is working again! Thank you!
I'm very grateful for finding your channel. Thank you for your great work!
Love your persons and respect the knowledge sharing you do. I don’t do repairs. But, for sure I’ll be a very well-informed consumer, the scourge of fast-talking sales people.
Great video and instructions. I have french door model but the codes and instructions are exactly the same except for holding 2 door switches. Thanks so much as there is little I can find on this subject. Ron
I have an older version of this fridge but it appears to have the same setup. Bookmarked this one thanks!
I'm going to write it down on paper just to make sure I have it
Thanks bro, this video help me through some ruff times, Finally installed my new board! Continue the good work.
Thank you--i've replaced the board twice now--They both lasted about 7 years. I had cold freezer, warm fridge which was solved by replacing the main board.
Did the evaporator/freezer fan run when it was broken? That is what's happening with mine. No fan on test #3. I think replacing the board would be a lot more enjoyable than trying to get the freezer drawer taken off and replacing a fan...
@@JustMe-mn4gr don't recall if the fan was running--the fridge box was warm, but freezer was not defrosting, blocking cold air delivery to the fridge box. At $35, it was a no-brainer fix. Also, I took off the cover in the back of freezer and manually defrosted it with steam before turning fridge back on with new board. Been working fine since March 2023.
My fan was running. One issue I had was damper control would get stuck@@msb6100
Sounds like my identical problem. Who did you get your board from and what is the part number?@@msb6100
@@JustMe-mn4grsame problem over here. But before finding this lovely video, I took apart my freezer cover to get to the evaporator coil. Fan was spinning non stop and the coil was frozen over. Still the fridge was warm.
Currently running a forced defrost test and it seems to be working. So I’m curious as to how the freezer is TOO cold and my fridge is warm, since the fan is running and the door actuator is open in the fridge.
Thank you for making these helpful videos.
The new control board LED lighting is a harsh ‘Terminator’ red color for some reason, instead of green.
for a second i thought Haley Joel Osment was about to give me troubleshooting advice! great video!
Excellent video. Spot on with information delivery
Awesome Video, I'll keep this in mind should I ever have problems with the Frig. Thanks for sharing!
is the W10503278 suitable for the WRB329DFBW? I could not find this in the attached website. Also can you please suggest a reliable multimetre for a newbie. Thanks for this very valuable content.
Do you have a video on how to change the wiring harness to the computer board for this model?
Quick question: I had a tech come out for our GB2FHDXWQ05 was freezing up evaporator and not cooling fridge. He diagnosed faulty control board and evap fan. I replaced the control board and programmed it to my fridge specs, 01. I'm waiting on evap fan motor to be delivered. When I run Diagnostisc test 1, my display goes directly to "S" for short. Should I replace my defrost thermostat, or is this another issue with the new control board?
My freezer gets cold enough but the refrigerator area stays room temperature. I notice a click or vibration sound for a split second in the damper and there is never any air flow from that area where it is located. If Ii do test 6, how do I observe proper damper function? Should I put my hand at the back and be able to feel air flow when it's O (open?) If there is no air flow could it also be another fan somewhere not pushing the air up from the freezer? (The evaporator fan?) EDIT: 5 minutes later.... OK I took off the little cover at the back (you use a small flat blade screw driver carefully prying along the bottom/side) And then I went straight to test 6 and the thing opened and closed. Way cool.
But now I have a worse problem because that would have been easy to replace. So is it the freezer fan? Does this thing GB2FHDXWQ04 have only one evaporator fan? And if it's in the freezer that will be difficult to get to.
EDIT: OK I tried test 5 Thermistor and it was blank or P every other press of the frig + button. So that means the thermistor is OK?
EDIT: Did test 3 Evaporator/Freezer Fan test and nothing happens whether O or F. No sounds. No air flow through the damper which was open. So now what? How can a freezer fan go bad and is that likely to be the problem? Or is this a control board issue? Which one should I try to replace first or is there any test I can do of the control board itself?
Looking back, the freezer had an issue with ice on the bottom floor of it. And the crispers in the refrigerator were freezing as well. And the compressor seemed to me to run too much of the time - more than it used to. So do you think the fan was killed by being embedded in ice? Or do you think the real problem is with defrosting? Maybe I should do the forced defrost short test? I haven't been using this refrigerator so it is currently at room temperature and I hope running a forced defrost won't do damage or set it on fire or something... I'm guessing the compressor was running all the time because the thermostat is in the refrigerator area and kept telling the compressor to keep running to get it cold and it never got cold? Because there is no fan blowing the cold air from the freezer?
FINALLY I did test 1 and it shows S for shorted. So does that mean it has a bad defrost thermostat? Wouldn't the fan still run even if it did? Could all of this be a bad circuit board? I'm currently waiting for the freezer to cool down and then I'll run the forced defrost on short cycle just to see if the compressor doesn't turn off and then maybe that means it's the board?
Now I did the initial setup of the forced defrost and it shut the compressor off before I finalized the defrost so it does not have that board problem you mentioned.
So all I know is the evaporator/freezer fan doesn't sound like it runs when tested AND test 1 was SHORT for the defrost thermostat. Now what?
Found this on applianceassitant "Test#1 Defrost Thermostat Diagnostics
After pressing the refrigerator (+) button you will see ether an "O" or an "S". "O" means that the freezer's defrost thermostat is open and will not allow electricity to reach the defrost heater. An "S" means shorted or closed. The word shorted sounds bad but actually that is what you want to see if the freezer is cold. If you see an "O" (open) and the defrost thermostat is cold that means you need to replace the thermostat. The thermostat should be shorted or closed anytime it is cold and it's safe to run a defrost cycle. This test will also check the defrost heater. If ether the defrost thermostat or heater are broken or "open" and the evaporator is iced up, you will need to replace the bad part. For more information on refrigerator's defrost system take a look at this video. (Refrigerator Defrost Troubleshooting Video)"
So maybe the defrost thermostat is OK and only test3 is a problem.
My refrigerator would not defrost automatically. I was able to force a defrost and all the other tests were good. Is the control board bad or some other part?
Service test 1 is showing shorted. 1 and S. What are the results supposed to show?
Thanks for the help
I was hoping you would share what to do if you can't change the settings for freezer and refrigerator, it is stuck on Freezer 4 and refrigerator 7, up/down has no response.
Ben I just got a wrf535swhz and beind the crisper it has styrofoam with the words embossed saying do not remove to me. It looks like packaging. Am I supposed to leave it there?
I need to do this, but on a single button, no screen Whirlpool fridge. It only has one button and three temperature levels, that are illuminated by an LED. I hate how this fridge works, defrosting mode is very unpredictable, and interior temperature can get quite high due to how it works. It would be awesome to know how to force defrost mode!
I have this exact fridge and I am getting frost build up on the back wall at the top where the cool air comes out. Any idea what I need to look at to fix it and how do I get the back plastic piece off, TIA
Quick question. My Whirlpool Gold Series refer needs a new control board, but the label inside the unit shows no "code" for the new board (it's blank after the word ("code"). Does the correct code come with the new board or is it somewhere else on the unit? Thank you.
Thanks. I was struggling to take that panel off.
I have the same model. My problem is the freezer setting is “stuck”. Meaning if I lower the temp on the freezer side, it will automatically go back up by itself to the max setting of 7. It won’t stay on the setting I set it on.
Very helpful thanks.
Hi Ben, my panel is no longer illuminated. The compressor seems to be working fine, and the fridge is cool. None of the tests seem to work, or they are working but since the lights don’t come on, I can’t tell :S Any suggestions?
PLEASE HELP: How long is a short defrost mode? I just did your test to cycle through one and it was about 10 minutes (?) I just replaced the heating element (which worked when running the test and the compressor shut off correctly too) and the bimetal defrost thermostat. Everything was running but the coils weren’t defrosting. When the refrigerator stopped and I thought it would’ve gone into defrost mode, it didn’t as the heating element was cold as well.
What logic does the control board use for "adaptive" defrost mode? My refrigerator passes all of the tests. But a couple times per month, the coils freeze up. I then have to put it in "force defrost" mode to thaw the coils and it will work again for a couple weeks.
Usually its timed based on doors opening. Its possible there's a small moisture leak into the fridge causing it to get more moisture to the coils than expected. There is a mode I mention in other videos or maybe this one that lets you put it in a basic 8 or 12hr defrost pattern that is no longer adaptive that may solve it.
@@bensappliancesandjunk Thank you! I will try the fixed defrost mode to see if it helps!
Great video thank you. Just saved me a bunch!!!!
Excellent service tip Ben thank you. I assume my 7-9 year old Maytag labeled box, with an almost control panel, operates in the same manner? I’m not near it to try yet.
It should yes. As long as the interface looks similar with buttons/LEDs
@@bensappliancesandjunk it does. Thanks for confirming that. I enjoy your channel, always lots of good information.
So it's a relay problem in the board? Is it possible replacement it? I do this Operation in minisplit boards witch tends to get stuck, probably can be as simple that 5 dollars part and 10 minutes of soldering job or so
Yes for sure you can just replace the relay
I have a 2021 two door Whirlpool (YES IT STOPPED WORKING 😡) and instead of 2 numbers , I have 2 dashes. Compressor and fan won’t work or hum. I replaced the relay and capacitor, still not working. It also won’t go into service mode. Could it be the control board???
This is amazing video thanks!
I have a jennair js48csdbda and the lights will not turn off when the door is shut. Do you have any suggestions?
Does it force defrost if it is put into F d mode but no additional buttons are pressed before it is closed?
Hey brother great info but I have an issue I can’t see any numbers on the control board does this mean it’s the board just want to know if there is something else I can do to make sure it’s the board
Just dashes like me?
Can you adjust the defrost times on thos particular model?
You can adjust it from adaptive to basic time frames, yes.
I have a whirlpool French door freezer bottom with same control panel like in video. My fridge has quit working now a second time. Woke up to a 60 degree fridge and thawing freezer. The numbers just had horizontal lines. First time this happened I pressed tue + and the numbers came back starting at 1. I reset freezer and fridge to 5-5 and worked again. Lasted a couple months then did it again. Now I can’t it to show anything but the two horizontal lines
thanks Ben, I had a problem with no cool air in the fridge. Notice a build up of frost in the freezer section vents, Using a dryer for about 5/10 minutes worked and cold air was flowing again. After having to do this 4 times over a 2 month period I used this video to change the circuit board. Worked fine for three weeks when it failed to blow cold air. I decided to remove the back panel this time and found that the THERMOSTAT WAS SURROUNDED BY ABOUT 4 TO 5 INCHES OF ICE. After melting this ice the cooling worked again. Do you think this is the thermostat failing. I can test this asper your video but I'm not sure how to interpret the code 0 or OPEN. Does this mean that the thermostat is working. Thanks for your help.
You either have a auto defrost problem , Possibly the heater element, Or you have a leak in the Freon, which will also cause ice to build up on coils
Thanks so much. My fridge didnt work and i realize that the fan is not working. I enter the servicd mode and did the condenser fan test. The fan works. Does it mean that the motherboard not working poperly and i have to replace it？
There is also an evaporator/freezer fan and that is the one which blows cold air up into the refrigerator compartment from the freezer. That one is test #3.
I have the same unit that has been running fine for the last seven years but recently began tripping the ground fault breaker in my panel. This would occur about every eight to nine hours and I assumed that it had to do with the defrost cycle. I swapped breakers using another GFCI but the problem persisted. A repairman came to check the unit but found nothing wrong but said that replacing the control board might clear the problem. It didn't. I then replaced the GFCI with a standard 20 amp breaker and had no more trips. The repairman returned my original board and refunded the cost. I'm told that it's not recommended to power a refrigerator on a GFCI breaker. Could this be an indication of a further degrading problem?
Hello, my freezer temp display is showing a dash, what does this means?
I'm sorry for so many comments/questions...in test 3 I can definitely hear the fan turn on and off, however with test 2, I can't really tell if anything is happening. What should I be observing? Also, what happens when I adjust each of the freezer or refrigerator performance adjustments from 5 to 6? Does it just make these zones cooler? And lastly, what are the risks of switching the defrost switch from timer vs auto?
Test 2 says exactly what you see on the screen. It energizes the condenser fan and condenser behind the refrigerator. If its not cycling on and off properly, it'd suggest either the fan/compressor are bad, or the board is bad.
If you do the offset it;ll make it colder, or at least try to make it colder. If you set the defrost to timed, it runs more often using more electric but removes more frost from the coils if thats an issue.
@@bensappliancesandjunk is that condenser fan observable by ear. I feel hot air flowing from mostly the right side underneath and the freezer is definitely freezing ok (at least to my perception). I notched both fridge and freezer to 6 and the defrost on timer mode last night. Now the fridge is cold but still frost on the back wall of freezer. I have a spare board I ordered a couple years ago that I might just switch since I already have it.
thanks
Ben, I ran the service tests and the Defrost Thermostat and Circuit test came back as shorted. Will replacing the circuit board fix this error. the Freezer works but the fridge doesn't get cold. model # WRB329DMBM00 Program code 21
Update on this? Defroster showing shorted too
I am having defrost issues. During test one I only see the O. (open displayed).By pushing + , I hear a click but do not see the S (short) displayed.
Would I have a thermostat issue?
I’m having the same problem trying to fix it. I’m pretty sure somethings wrong with the thermostat.
Mine ended up being the thermostat… I ended up changing it a few days after my message and haven’t had an issue since.
Easy fix- $7 part- freezer thawed took me about 5-10 min to put the new one in.
Good luck!
Oh an to double test the thermostat I cut the wires- put it in another freezer and checked continuity once frozen- when it gets to a certain temp (38 degrees I think) it will close the circuit and have continuity. If not then thermostat issue.
Over my head!!!
My question is when I am in each of these 9 tests what do I actually look at? Where do I test resistance or voltage?
Test 6 is easy: carefully pry off the damper cover at the top rear of the refrigerator compartment. use a flat blade screw driver and gently pry at the bottom left or right and then gently pull it off - two locking tabs on the bottom and two on the top. Then perform test 6 and you can watch the damper open and close.
I'll never get a fancy bottom freezer refrigerator again. Only simple mechanical top freezer models for me from now on...
Hey Ben! What if I do the Forced Defrost for both S and L, and it only runs for 5 minutes then shuts off and resumes cooling without ever turning on the heater?
You're the best!
You have a defroster problem then. The question is if the defroster itself is bad, or the sensor is. You'd have to probably dig in and test to figure that out.
@bensappliancesandjunk The heater tests good for continuity at both the heater and at the control. I've swapped the wiring harness which includes the sensor on Friday when I did service test 1 today it tested as S.
@@SuculantWarrior I just tested mine and it gave S for test 1 as well. Did your compressor turn off when doing the forced defrost? If not then he said it has a bad board. Mine also has no evaporator fan running when I do test 3. What eventually fixed yours?
@JustMe-mn4gr I BELIEVE I got it taken care of. I ended up replacing the board and the wireharness kit which included the defrost sensor.
Now your evap fan may not be running in that test because its frozen, youll want to defrost then retest to make sure it does in fact work.
Its best to completely defrost it by leaving the fridge off and let EVERYTHING melt. If you don't and you turn it back on, ANY condensation gets blown into the freezer and the entire thing will be covered like it's just snowed.
Thank you! A 2nd on “You the best!” I had the same problem with it not staying forced defrost mode! Very helpful to know quickly understand what I’m dealing with.
Thanks!!
I have a whirlpool wrf736sdam12, bottom mount freezer, and it seems like the bottom is constantly building up with ice. I'm in a rental unit, but I'd rather not have to wait for the landlord to fix.
Its gotten so bad that the ice is preventing the freezer drawer from pushing in all the way, causing the gasket to not seal all the way, making the problem worse, and then leaking water when it tries to do the auto-defrost.
Seriously, why the hell would they not put a manual defrost option in? ESPECIALLY on a drawer model that has the possibility to get hung up on frost as you close it.
What if you don’t have a door switch at all???
When removing that control board from that plastic clip - be careful! - those clips can be ridiculously fragile.
Would love to figure out my dishwasher. Kitcheaid KDPM604KPS. Tub will fill on its own from supply line, can't run any cycle other than express due to e4f8. If I use side of sink with didposal it will flow water into the dishwasher. It didn't do this before circulation pump was replaced. There have been two different repair companies and 7 visits. they have replaced circulation pump, and the supply line connection valve on the dishwasher itself. If dishwasher is not used for it will fill the tub in about 12 hours. If run any other cycle it will fail before completion with e4f8 error. Each time it has this error, the tub is full of water, leaking out the tubes to the drip tray, causing the float to raise, triggering alarm. I am about ready to replace this less than 2 year old dishwasher as my wife is beyond frustrated with it. I have an extended warranty but they think it is fixed each time, and fails after they leave.
Who installed the dishwasher? That sounds like a water supply issue more than the DW itself...
@@bensappliancesandjunk The dishwasher was originally installed by Lowes, and then has been in and out several times by repair company that Lowe's hired. The fill assembly valve was replaced (#23) on the "Pump, washarm and motor parts diagram" for the model. I do know that #6 on that same diagram is not present, but repair company says its not needed. The repair place ordered another fill assembly valve as this one may be faulty in their eyes. There is some talk about the routing of the drain hose, from the techs peer translator (he's Russian and his English is not that good). He looked at it while on the phone with his company and didn't see any changes being made.
@@bensappliancesandjunk Yeah it sure sounds like a PSI issue in the water supply line. Could be too high.
@MichaelCater reading Whirlpools documentation, it entirely involves supply/installation issues far more than valves and such, and it sounds like they just threw parts at it rather than diagnose the actual problem and what made it fail
Well Done, T/Y.
My refrigerator does not have door switches. Wjat do I do?
Then it's not this model and will have a totally different system
Mine does nothing tried all that it just has lines no numbers
i am also mechanic but I can work with you
WTF? You have to be a rocket scientist just to program a refrigerator????????????????
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Quite helpful. Thankyou