Kenmore (Whirlpool) Side by side Refrigerator getting very hot to touch on front

[commonoutside]

IF anyone is still having this problem....I stumbled across this problem at a friends house tonight.  We looked on google at the "troubleshooting" reasons to fix or rather find out the problem.   If your food is not piled up in the fridge, and the vents on the front side are not clogged with dust...(behind the front vent on the bottom side)...

Open the back of fridge (cardboard)...Look to see if the fan is moving "be careful!!! The damn thing is extremely hot!! But the fan sits just to the right of the compressor motor, sort of in the middle if looking at it sitting down.  Anyways, the fan should be moving FREELY.  WHAT WE FOUND WAS THE CARDBOARD FROM THE FLOOR PIECE WAS BLOCKING THIS FAN FROM MOVING FREELY.  So, unplug the fridge...and cut away some of the blockage...or if your feeling like superman or woman "lift the fridge up and fix the cardboard.  .....But this is what fixed are problem...I hope this helps someone troubleshooting... and saves someone the cost of a repair man. 

Also: plug the fridge back in after you are sure the fan is free to move. Leave the back off and the fridge pulled away from the wall for a little bit...give it time to breathe....ours cooled down in about 30 min.... Our compressor motor was too hot to touch....Scary huh?! I thought so...


Good luck to all that can use this fix...

Jon Bailey, NC

[harry7771]

This thread still helping people in May 2013.  Opened up back cardboard cover and found the cardboard/insulation blocking the fan.  Fixed a poorly functioning unit.  Thanks!

[AJ]

That's what I like to hear. Thanks for posting!

[agcruise]

Hello - reviving an old(er) thread.  GE side by side, Conquest model GS5SHAXNL00.  I have the heated up vertical door divider issue. No other malfunctions that I know of.   I went through this thread, removed the front kick panel, and discovered that my cleaning regimen under there needs improvement.  The cooling elements were totally clogged.  After cleaning, I let it run for a day and did not notice much improvement, but maybe a little.  Pulled unit out today to look in the back.  I removed the lower panel and found some dust bunnies but nothing like the front side.  Some debris in the back (papers that fell behind).  Fan is running, seams slower than I would expect, but running.  My question here is regarding the compressor, which is quite hot.  Almost too hot to hold my hand/fingers on.  Is that normal?  I didn't see any other possible solutions other than the fan, and clogged coils.
Thank you-

[AJ]

My question here is regarding the compressor, which is quite hot.  Almost too hot to hold my hand/fingers on.  Is that normal?

No, that's not normal.

Please start a new topic if you need more help.