Kenmore Fridge # 596.58695890 freezer not getting cold

[jim engels]

Help please - my Kenmore refrigerator, model # 596.58695890 is not getting as cold as it should - freezer only gets down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, refrigerator side to 40 degrees. Freezer fan is working, but I rarely hear the compressor go on.  20 year old fridge, is it time to shop for new? Thanks for the help!

[Jedi Appliance Guy]

If I was on your call, I would want to have a look at the evaporator coil. Most of the time it's easy enough to pull the evaporator coil although I remember on some of those older Amanas, it was somewhat of a PITA. If possible, get us a picture of the evaporator coil. 

I'm not ready to call it yet but just about every time I find 20 degree freezer and 40 degree fridge I usually find a partial frost pattern. 

You stated you rarely hear the compressor run but the evaporator fan is running. Have you heard and "clicking" or "humming" (from the compressor)?

 

[LearningTech]

Jedi means pull the evaporator COVER. Not pull the coil.

1 check the coil and take pic of frost pattern.

2 lets be sure what the compressor is doing

3 could be getting stuck in defrost, but check other 2 first.

[Jedi Appliance Guy]

2 minutes ago, LearningTech said:

Jedi means pull the evaporator COVER. Not pull the coil.

Yes, thank you. 

[jim engels]

No clicking or humming from the compressor at all - only the fan. I do not live there now (rental property), but remembering from when I did live there and the fridge was functioning properly it now doesn't sound like the compressor is coming on. In fact, I have not heard it go on at all - I just assumed with 20 degree temp that it must have while i wasn't there. The back of the freezer (where I believe the evaporator coil is located?) is not really cold to the touch at all, so I'd be surprised if there were ice behind the panel.

[jim engels]

I did have the cover off once a few years back to replace the defrost thermostat (correctly diagnosed by this site, thank you!). It's just not easy to do much digging around with a PITA tenant.

[LearningTech]

Verify that the compressor does or does not run, but i would bet low freon at this point.

and FYI fridges dont just get low on freon. They leak. So filling it up will help only temorary