The Most Common LG Fridge Issues (And Our Best Tips For Fixing Them)
When some major appliances falter and need repairs, you might be able to manage for a week or two. Life is busy, so if the washer or dryer goes out, you can head to a laundromat (or hand-wash items). If your microwave sparks and dies, you can reheat your coffee on the stove the old-fashioned way. But if your fridge has a problem, it's a big deal. What are you going to do? Get a giant ice block delivered as though it's 1924? No, if your refrigerator isn't running properly, you might want to try to fix it yourself first and save a little time and money. This is even more the case if you have a refrigerator made by LG, which has come under fire for having condensers that are breaking long before the warranties are up, triggering service calls and replacement costs. The linear condensers in those LG refrigerators are chilling the love homeowners have for their products. Homeowners lamented that they didn't think twice before buying an LG fridge, only to discover that the condensers had an early rate of failure.
While your refrigerator may not have a linear condenser, you may have other issues that you can fix yourself — and it's generally worth a try — but first, it's helpful to know the most common LG fridge issues (and our best tips for fixing them), because often, fridge fixes for one brand work for other manufacturers' brands as well.
More than anything, you want to be chill
The most important thing about a refrigerator is that it keeps food at the correct temperature, set to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celcius) or below. If your fridge can't do that, the problem is likely related to the compressor or the condenser motor. You'll know your compressor isn't working if you don't hear the usual humming sound. Unfortunately, this usually isn't a problem you can fix yourself, and you'll need to call a repair person. Still, there are other issues you can address. If it's the motor causing problems, you might notice overheating, higher energy bills, or your refrigerator making scrapping or screeching noises. The fix could be as simple as making sure the motor can run without being clogged with debris, so cleaning refrigerator condenser coils is a good place to start.
A refrigerator also has something called a start relay, which turns its cooling cycle on and off. It can be tested with a multimeter ($7 at Harbor Freight) to determine if it's working. If it's not, replacing the start relay is a relatively easy fix by a trained technician. Finally, there's one last thing to check. If your refrigerator has water leaking somewhere, it could be from a clogged or frozen drain line (we love ice makers, but the water has to come from somewhere). Water and electricity don't mix well, so fixing any leaks can help solve issues with your refrigerator not running properly.