Warm Fridge LG LFXC24726S/02

[L_loyd]

Hello, hoping to get some help with this one.  I have the exact problem described in this video.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ2CVG5Xbko

Fridge is a little less than 2 years old.  A couple days ago my son left the bottom freezer open for at least an hour.  Over the course of the next day or so, the freezer started getting warmer and warmer until finally we noticed things thawing out.  It simply wasn't cooling any more.  Then noticed the fresh food compartment getting warmer as well.  

I followed the steps in the manual for troubleshooting.  Sensors Ohm fine.  Fans all run in test mode 1.  In normal mode, no air out of either damper vents.  Checked voltage on the connector in test mode and normal and no voltage to the fan.  Pulled the back off the freezer and nothing is frozen.  No ice at all.  Blew out the fins on the coils in the back.  Evap fan works fine.  

 

PCB or something else?  

 

 

[Ian B]

That video isn’t coming up for me. Is there a frost pattern on the evaporator? Compressor running? Does the freezer door shut properly with no gaps and is the light going out when you shut the door? 

[L_loyd]

No frost at all.  Compressor sounds like it's running.  Freezer door shuts properly.  I swapped out the PCB and after about 2 hours, the freezer had cooled the compartment to about 35 degrees but then it just stopped cooling and started getting warmer.  I suspect the compressor is bad. 

[Tim M]

Both the freezer AND the refrigerator are warmer?

Check out the Warm Refrigerator Fire Drill (old version):web.archive.org/web/20160926004139/http://fixitnow.com:80/wp/2005/10/23/what-to-check-when-your-refrigerator-or-freezer-is-warming-up-refrigerator-warm-refrigerator-repair/

Check out the Warm Refrigerator Fire Drill (new version):

fixitnow.com/wp/2012/05/04/appliantology-newsletter-the-warm-refrigerator-fire-drill/

Warm Refrigerator Troubleshooting Flowchart:

fixitnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/39305150-Warm-Refrigerator-Troubleshooting-Flowchart.pdf

Check out the chart at the top of this page

fixitnow.com/kitchen-appliance-repair-help/refrigerator-repair-faq/

and don't get too bogged down in the questions below.

While the hum...click cha cha

fixitnow.com/wp/2005/12/01/refrigerator-warming-up-and-makes-an-occasional-clicking-noise/

is a possibility, you would hear it!  Is the compressor starting and stopping??

 

[L_loyd]

The compressor sounds like it's starting.  Freezer cools to about 35 degrees then stops and warms back up again.  The refrigerator warms and cools proportionately to the freezer.  I called LG customer service last night and told them I suspect the compressor is bad.  They didn't put up much of a fight to verify that.  Like they already knew it was bad or would be bad after a specified amount of time in operation. 

My fridge is about 24 months old and out of the full parts and labor warranty.  The sealed system is under a parts only warranty.  Here's what would make us all go "hmmmm."  The customer service representative told me that LG decided to extend the sealed system warranty for my fridge to include labor to 5 years.  I'm certainly relieved I won't have to pay anything for a compressor replacement but I'm also suspicious that premature compressor failure is a commonly known problem with LG linear compressors.  It was further corroborated by several local appliance tech who told me they've seen droves of these go bad early in life. 

A fridge is the last thing in my house I would expect to go bad.  It has no moving parts and just sits idle.  Pretty sad. 

[Scott-afl]

24 minutes ago, L_loyd said:

It has no moving parts and just sits idle.  Pretty sad. 

It has many moving parts actually and is operating 24/7/365. 

Additionally, in order for modern appliances to be energy efficient, they use smaller, weaker motors tasked with the same job as a more robust motor that isnt energy efficient. Interestingly, modern refrigerators use more motors than they used to. Used to be no fans on a fridge, now they can have 4 or 5. plus motors to open and close dampers, all to maintain the proper temperature to keep perishable food longer. Additionally, linear compressors like yours are designed to run near constantly while using less power, because starting a compressor is what draws the most power, so its actually cheaper to have a fridge running more often. But then that constant running increases the wear and tear on those moving parts. 

 

I love my 28 year old GE side by side

[L_loyd]

Was really referring to the sealed system in which there aren't very many moving parts.  

[markcm]

On 11/1/2018 at 7:17 AM, L_loyd said:

The compressor sounds like it's starting.  Freezer cools to about 35 degrees then stops and warms back up again.  The refrigerator warms and cools proportionately to the freezer.  I called LG customer service last night and told them I suspect the compressor is bad.  They didn't put up much of a fight to verify that.  Like they already knew it was bad or would be bad after a specified amount of time in operation. 

My fridge is about 24 months old and out of the full parts and labor warranty.  The sealed system is under a parts only warranty.  Here's what would make us all go "hmmmm."  The customer service representative told me that LG decided to extend the sealed system warranty for my fridge to include labor to 5 years.  I'm certainly relieved I won't have to pay anything for a compressor replacement but I'm also suspicious that premature compressor failure is a commonly known problem with LG linear compressors.  It was further corroborated by several local appliance tech who told me they've seen droves of these go bad early in life. 

A fridge is the last thing in my house I would expect to go bad.  It has no moving parts and just sits idle.  Pretty sad. 

Do you have any follow up information on your refrigerator service and warranty?

Our LG LFXC24726S just turned 3 years old and like yours, stopped cooling today. The compressor still runs and sounds "normal", no cycling or clicking, the fan runs and there was some dust/lint on the coil which I cleaned off with compressed air (no change).

I have not called LG yet but I am hoping they offer the 5 year labor warranty  you mentioned as I've heard labor for the initial visit/diagnostic followed with compressor replacement trip easily runs $400-600. 

 

[MrApplianceMatt]

From what I've been told, some of these LG inverter compressors are experiencing premature failure because they were designed for H600, not R134a yet LG decided to start installing them about 3 years ago. Typically the piston develops a hole so it sounds like the compressor is running but no actual compression is going on.

[markcm]

I spoke with LG, they said I do not have any in-network LG tech's locally so I could have someone from our local appliance center do the diagnostic. If the compressor or sealed system were the issue, they would provide the parts.

I then mentioned I'd heard LG was offering an extension on labor for failed linear compressors and asked if I could be included in this to which they said "if it is the compressor we can review labor reimbursement once the diagnosis is complete". The tech arrived the next day and said both the compressor and sealed system/condensers were failing and they will be replacing all of it. I think he mentioned something about the materials used in the lines and such which were more prone to leaking; maybe it was thaty they don't take the solder or brazing as well. 

During this diagnostic we discovered that apparently we bought the extended warranty so there will be no issues with parts or labor either way. The technician did mention he felt LG has been lenient with labor warranty extensions, presumably due to the amount of failing linear compressors and also comment something about refrigerant types similar to MrAppliancMatt's comment.