How to fix flickering, dim, or unlit LED lights on a KitchenAid French door bottom-mount refrigerator 

Those little LED lights in your fridge may seem small, but they make a big difference when it comes to keeping your fridge organized and looking for a snack. If you’re having problems with the lights in your unit, let’s walk through the simple steps you can take to fix them yourself.

If you find out that you need any replacement parts for your KitchenAid refrigerator while you’re troubleshooting, you can enter your model number at AppliancePartsPros.com to order them. Most orders arrive in just two business days, and we have thousands of free guides to show you how to install your new parts.

Important: The troubleshooting information provided in this article is based on model KFIS29PBMS02 and may not apply to your specific appliance model. While we strive to offer helpful advice for DIY appliance repairs, variations in models and configurations can lead to differences in troubleshooting steps, error codes and part replacements. For the most accurate guidance, we strongly recommend consulting the technical sheet for your specific appliance model.

What you need

• Multimeter
• Putty knife
• Small flathead screwdriver
• Wirecutters
• Pliers
• Jumper wire

Important: The specific tools required may vary depending on the model of your appliance and the type of fasteners used on it. Always consult the user manual or refer to any specific instructions provided by the manufacturer for the recommended tools for your appliance model.

Read more: Why Is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?  

Safety precautions

When working on any appliance, remember to keep safety first. Here are some tips to keep in mind: 

• Always power off and unplug your appliance or switch off the circuit breaker before you attempt any maintenance or replacement work. This keeps you safe by eliminating any risk of electric shock. 
• If the appliance has recently been used, give it plenty of time to cool down before working on it. 
• Take your time while working to prevent accidents and personal injuries. Rushing is the enemy of precision.
• Work in a well-lit area so you can see and access appliance parts.
• Keep your workspace free of clutter and other obstacles. Keep children and pets away from the work area.
• Never work on internal parts with wet hands. Make sure the work area is completely dry.
• Check the user manual to see if there are specific installation or safety instructions related to your appliance or replacement part. 
• Be gentle when handling or removing parts. Excessive force might damage the appliance or cause personal injury.
• Wear insulated work gloves to protect your hands from sharp metal parts and debris.
• When working with wires, avoid touching any exposed wires or terminals. If you need to touch a wire, use a non-conductive tool or wear insulating gloves to prevent electrical shock.
• Always take photos or make a note of wiring terminals or other connections before disconnecting them to make reassembly easier.
• Don’t test live voltage with a multimeter if you’re unfamiliar with how to prevent short-circuiting.
• Turn off the water supply at the outlet before beginning repairs. Keep towels ready to catch any residual water in the system when removing parts.

Read more: Why Is My Refrigerator Light Not Turning On?

How to troubleshoot your KitchenAid refrigerator

Follow these steps to find out why your KitchenAid French door bottom-mount refrigerator has flickering, dim or unlit LED lights and how you can fix them.

NOTE: These units have different series or ”strings” of LEDs, which means that one particular LED is in-line or on the same circuit as multiple other LEDs, while another LED may be in a different series or circuit. If you have several lights that are dim, flickering, or completely out, that means one or more of those LEDs has failed. While it’s uncommon for multiple LEDs to go out in multiple series at the same time, it can still happen.

Step 1: Complete preliminary testing

1. Start by unplugging the refrigerator from the power outlet and wait for 30 seconds.
2. Plug the fridge back in. This process, called power cycling, simply means unplugging the appliance and plugging it back in.

If the lights are still flickering, dim, or unlit, continue troubleshooting.

If the flickering stops temporarily, then the LED power supply most likely needs to be replaced.

If all the LEDs are out, check if the fridge is cooling properly and dispensing ice and water. If those functions aren’t working either, there may be a problem with the door switch or control board.

Step 2: Test the light module

NOTE: If only some of the LED lights are dim or flickering, if not completely out, and others are working fine, then look for an LED module that seems to be completely out. There will usually be one that has failed to the point it won’t light up at all. You’ll want to check for a completely dark LED in a series by looking in both the freezer and refrigerator sections since some series will have modules in both sections.

1. Make sure the refrigerator is unplugged from the power outlet.
2. Open the door or doors in the section where the faulty LED is located.
3. Remove any food items or shelves that are in the way.
4. Use a putty knife to remove the LED module, being careful not to pull on the wires.
5. Disconnect the module if possible. If the wires come out of the connector, secure them with tape to prevent them from sliding back into the foam insulation.
6. Use a jumper wire to connect the wires from the unit to the connector, or twist the wires together if they come out of the connector.
7. Plug the unit back in and check if the other LEDs in the series are now working at full brightness.

If other LEDs are still dim or flickering, repeat this process with other LED modules in the series.

Step 3: Test the LED power supply

NOTE: Some styles of French-door refrigerators use the main control board for the LED power supply, but others have an individual board just for the interior LEDs. 

If your unit uses the main control as its LED power supply and none of the LEDs are working but all other functions are good, then the main control will need to be replaced. 

If the issue isn’t with the LED module, you’ll need to access the LED power supply board.

If your unit has an individual board just for the interior LEDs, then you’ll need to access and test that LED power supply board. 

1. Disconnect the fridge from the power outlet.
2. Access the board by using a 1/4-inch socket with a ratchet or a 1/4-inch nut driver to remove the control cover on the back of the unit. 
3. Find the board. On models that have a separate LED board, the board you’ll be looking for is always the one at the bottom, in the control enclosure. These units can differ from model to model. 
4. Disconnect the harness that carries the incoming voltage.

LIVE VOLTAGE WARNING: For this test, the fridge needs to be plugged in and powered on. Please be very careful to protect yourself from electric shock, which has the potential to cause serious injuries. Don’t ever test live voltage if you’re uncomfortable using a multimeter.

1. Identify the type of voltage the board uses (DC or AC). Boards that use incoming DC voltage will have a 4-pin, 3-wire connection, usually with blue, yellow, and black wires. On boards that use AC voltage, look for a 2-pin, 2-wire connector, usually with yellow and white wires.
2. If your board uses DC voltage, set your multimeter to DC voltage mode. Then use the leads to test it from the blue to black wires on the harness coming to the board. The board should have about 13 volts DC at all times while the unit is plugged in.

If your LED board uses AC voltage, you’ll need to open at least one of the doors after the unit is reconnected to power. Then set the meter to AC voltage mode and use the leads to test it from the yellow to the white wires on the harness coming from the board. You should get around 120 volts AC on these wires.

Regardless of whether the power supply is DC or AC voltage, if there’s voltage present and all other functions seem to be working but none of the LEDs inside of the unit are working, then the LED power supply board will need to be replaced.

Read more: How To Replace A Refrigerator Light Bulb  

More information

Thank you for reading! We hope this guide helped you get your KitchenAid refrigerator working again.

If you have any other appliance repair needs or projects, don’t hesitate to explore our other troubleshooting guides and videos. 

If you need replacement parts or some extra help with ordering them, grab your model number and head over to AppliancePartsPros.com, where you can chat with a pro, read our DIY blog and more.

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