GE Freezer temps not steady, Ice starts to melt then refreezes

[Golfinw71]

Model Number: GSS25QGSAWW
Brand: GE
Age: 6-10 years

I have a GE side-by-side refrigerator that continues to freeze, then thaw, then freeze and repeats the cycle over the course of several days. I have defrosted it numerous times, I have also replaced the thermistor on the defrost coil behind the back panel and it continues to do the same thing.

I tested The thermistor that I removed and was within OEM range.

Over the past week and a half I’ve been monitoring the temperatures quite often and have found that it will run down to 0° for several hours if not a day or so, makes plenty of ice but then it, I believe, kicks into its defrost cycle and randomly stays there for a few hours if not a day or so. When it does this I have a temperature gauge inside in it hovers in the mid to high 20s, sometimes low 30s.

In addition to the new thermistor, I’ve also cleaned the condenser coils very thoroughly, replace the ice dispenser solenoid and insured that the ice door closes properly but the problem still persists. My next step is the defrost timer but wanted to check here before I continued down the path of buying parts with the hopes it’ll fix the issue.

I’m a fairly technical person so if there are some tests I can do with a multimeter I am all for it. Thanks in advance!!

[Doc Ryan]

There is no defrost timer on this model refrigerator, the defrost cycle is controlled electronically by the main control board on the back of the refrigerator. If the refrigerator is getting stuck in the defrost cycle, it would most likely be caused by a failure of the main control board.

This is the main control board for your model here:

WR55X10942C - Main Control Board

[Golfinw71]

Great thank you. Is there any chance it could be the defrost thermostat? I only ask because it does come out of defrost it just takes longer than normal. I.e. this AM the temp was hovering in the mid to high twenties, now it’s approx -5.

I only ask because the defrost thermostat is a much cheaper part and I wanted to cross it off the list as a possibility. Thanks again!

https://partsdr.com/part/wr50x10068-...el=GSS25QGSAWW

[Doc Ryan]

Great thank you. Is there any chance it could be the defrost thermostat? I only ask because it does come out of defrost it just takes longer than normal. I.e. this AM the temp was hovering in the mid to high twenties, now it’s approx -5.

I only ask because the defrost thermostat is a much cheaper part and I wanted to cross it off the list as a possibility. Thanks again!

https://partsdr.com/part/wr50x10068-...el=GSS25QGSAWW

I would try replacing the defrost thermostat and the defrost thermistor (the thermistor that attaches to the evaporator coil) first to see if that solves the issue. They are both common parts to fail and they are much cheaper than the main control board.

This is the defrost thermistor for your model:

WR55X10025 - Temperature Sensor (Thermistor)