I have a Jenn Aire side by side that is running constantly. The freezer is fine but the fresh food compartment is too warm. The bottom shelf was 40 degrees but top shelf is running 60 degrees. I had the timer replaced on this refrigerator in 2004. What could the problem be?
Mary D. for Model Number JRSD229A
Answer Hello Mary,
The issue here is air circulation. There are several possibilities. First, when you open the freezer door, can you hear the freezer fan running? If not, the evaporator fan motor, 61004888, has probably failed. If you can hear the fan motor running, can you feel air blowing into the top of the fresh food compartment with the freezer door closed? If not, check the back wall of the freezer compartment for an ice build-up. If there is no frost build-up, the problem is most likely the damper assembly 67355-1. If you find frost on the back wall of the unit and no air is felt coming into the fresh food compartment with the freezer door closed, the problem is one of two things. Either the defrost thermostat 52085-29 has failed or the defrost heater assembly 61001846 has failed. The defrost thermostat failure can sometimes be determined by visual inspection. The defrost thermostat is a small metal "cup" that contains a bi-metallic strip that completes the circuit as long as it gets cold enough. It opens the circuit at about 50°F to prevent frozen food thaw out during defrost. When it fails, moisture has normally gotten inside the component. If this has happened, the ice formation inside the little metal "cup" will expand, forcing the epoxy that is used to seal it up and it is obvious when the epoxy looks like it's being pushed up and out of the little metal "cup". To test this component, it has to be below 50°F to be closed, which will read with a test meter from one lead to the other as being a complete circuit, (zero resistance).
If it reads good, the last component to check is the defrost heater assembly. It should read 20 to 30 ohms. If it's bad it will read open, (no continuity). The most common failures on these units are the defrost thermostat and the defrost heater assemblies.
Be aware, if the problem is a defrost issue and an ice build-up has occurred on the evaporator coils, it must be manually defrosted to restore normal operation. The normal defrost cycle is not designed to melt away a frost build-up larger than the normal frost built up between defrost cycles. This can be done with a hair dryer, hot water (too messy), or a portable clothes steamer. Do not use a heat gun as this will melt the plastic walls in the unit making it unserviceable.