Whirlpool fridge problem

[BigJon]

Model Number: GB2FHDXWQO2
Brand: Whirlpool
Age: 1-5 years

I'm trying to help a friend and need some help my self. My friend has a whirlpool fridge with the freezer on the bottom. The fridge is getting warmer and the freezer is getting colder. We defrosted it and it worked good for about two weeks but now it's repeating the problem. Any thoughts and ideas would be great. Thanks ,Jon.

[Doc Ryan]

Jon,

It sounds like the refrigerator isn't going through the automatic defrost cycle. There are three defrost components that control the automatic defrost cycle. The main control board, defrost thermostat, and the defrost heater. The defrost heater very rarely burns out on those, but the defrost thermostat and main control board are common to fail.

The defrost thermostat is located behind the back panel in the freezer section. Unplug the refrigerator and remove the back panel in the freezer. You can test the defrost thermostat while the freezer is cold, and with the wires disconnected it should have continuity. You can also test the heater by checking for continuity with the wires disconnected. After replacing any of the defrost components, you will need to manually defrost the evaporator coil in the freezer to get it caught back up for the refrigerator to function properly going forward.

I looked up your model number, and Whirlpool seems to have forgot to list the defrost thermostat in the parts breakdown. If you can look at the old one and read off any numbers from the old thermostat, I can probably find the correct one for you that way.

Let us know what you find.

This is the control board for your model refrigerator:

Control Board - 12868513

[BigJon]

Thanks for the info. I'll test and post the results.