Refrigerator repair · Tulsa, OK
Dark and silent, or the light works but nothing hums. Those are two different problems, and the first few checks cost nothing.
Before you call
A burnt smell, or black marks on the plug or outlet? Leave it unplugged, switch off the breaker, and call. Don’t plug it back in to test it.
What usually causes it
A tripped GFCI, a breaker, a loose plug or a damaged cord accounts for more dead fridges than any part inside. Storms and power flickers trip GFCIs all the time.
Colby checks the voltage at the outlet and along the cord before he looks inside.
Fridges with a touch display run on circuit boards. A power surge or plain age can take one out, leaving the display dark and nothing running.
He tests what the board is getting and what it sends out, so a board gets replaced only when it’s really the fault.
On fridges with a dial, the control is a switch that starts the cooling. When it fails, the light still works, but the compressor and fans never come on.
He tests whether the control is switching on, and replaces it if it isn’t.
Some fridges use a timer to switch between cooling and defrosting. If it sticks in defrost, everything goes quiet while the light still works, and the fridge slowly warms.
He checks where the timer is in its cycle and replaces it if it’s stuck.
A click from the back and then nothing can mean the compressor is trying to start and failing. The relay that helps it start often wears out long before the compressor does.
He checks whether the compressor is getting its start, and replaces the relay if that’s where it stops.
Questions
AThe light only needs power and the door switch, so it proves the outlet works and not much more. The control, the defrost timer, the start relay or a board is usually the reason.
AStart with GFCI outlets and the breaker, since a flicker trips them easily. If those are fine, a surge may have damaged the control board, and Colby can test it.
AKeep the doors shut. Food guidance says a closed fridge keeps food cold for about four hours, and a full freezer for about two days, or about one if it’s half full.
AYes. There’s a diagnostic fee for the visit, and if you have Colby do the repair, the diagnostic fee is waived.
AMost appointments are within 48 hours, many within 24, and often the same day. Call or text and Colby will give you the soonest time he has.
Rather type it out?
Tell us what's wrong and how to reach you. Colby will call or text you back.
