Refrigerator Not Cooling? Here's What's Really Wrong and How to Fix It

When your refrigerator not cooling, a household appliance designed to keep food fresh by maintaining low internal temperatures. Also known as a fridge, it’s one of the most relied-on devices in your home—until it stops working. Most people assume it’s time to buy a new one, but in over 70% of cases, the problem is fixable with a simple check or part replacement.

The issue usually comes down to a few key parts: the refrigerator thermostat, a control device that regulates temperature by turning the cooling system on and off, the compressor, the heart of the cooling system that circulates refrigerant, or blocked airflow from dirty coils or a failed fan. A clogged condenser coil, for example, is one of the most common fixes we see—it’s not expensive, and it often takes less than an hour. If your freezer is cold but the fridge side isn’t, that’s usually a defrost problem or a broken damper. If neither side is cold, the compressor or refrigerant leak is likely the culprit.

Don’t waste money replacing the whole unit until you’ve ruled out these simple fixes. Many homeowners overlook the door seal—when it’s cracked or dirty, cold air escapes and the fridge runs nonstop. A quick test? Put a dollar bill in the door and close it. If you can pull it out easily, the seal needs replacing. It costs under $20 and takes five minutes. Same goes for cleaning the coils at the back or bottom of the fridge. Dust buildup there forces the system to work harder and eventually burn out.

What you hear matters too. If your fridge is silent, the compressor might be dead. If it’s clicking every few minutes but not cooling, it could be a faulty start relay. Neither is a sign you need a new appliance—just a trained technician with the right tools. And if you’ve got frost buildup in the freezer, that’s not normal ice—it’s a defrost timer or heater failure. Left unchecked, it’ll eventually kill the cooling system.

We’ve seen fridges from 1998 still running because someone cleaned the coils every year. We’ve also seen brand-new models fail in two years because the owner never checked the vents. It’s not about age—it’s about maintenance. The right fix can save you hundreds, sometimes over a thousand dollars.

Below, you’ll find real fixes from actual repairs we’ve done across the UK. No theory. No guesswork. Just what works when your fridge stops cooling.