Fridge freezer not cooling: what our engineers find
These figures come from NAC's own repair records: 1,987 fridge, freezer and fridge freezer jobs our engineers attended for this fault. Here is what they found, what fixed it and what it typically cost.
When a fridge stops cooling, the most common cause is a leak or shortage of the cooling gas that carries heat out of the cabinet. The next most common is ice building up over the cooling surface behind the inner back wall, which blocks the flow of cold air. Less often, the main control board or the board that drives the motor at the back has failed, so the motor never starts.
Now and then the thermostat or temperature sensor is at fault. Sometimes the defrost drain is blocked, so water freezes over the fan and air vents, or the small flap that lets cold air into the fridge has stuck shut. Engineers also sometimes find that the insulated cover over the cooling surface has failed.
To find the cause, an engineer checks the temperature in each compartment, confirms whether the motor starts and checks that the fans turn. For a gas fault, they fit a valve so they can read the pressure, test that the system holds it, then refill it. Built up ice is cleared and the drain is unblocked. Where a board, thermostat or flap needs replacing, the part often has to be ordered and fitted at a second visit.
Written by our engineers from these jobs.
- Jobs attended
- 1,987
- Confirmed repairs
- 475
- This is not a success rate. Jobs inside their 60-day window, jobs still being classified, jobs held for review and visits that didn't end in a repair aren't counted.
- Fixed at the first appointment
- 54%
- about half of our repairs
- Typical total paid by customers
- £104 to £212
- including parts and VAT, from 458 repairs
What's usually behind it
The causes our engineers found and fixed, as a share of our 475 confirmed repairs for this fault.
-
Refrigerant leak or low charge: about 1 in 4 of our repairs, from 112 jobs.
24% -
Iced evaporator restricting airflow: about 1 in 6 of our repairs, from 87 jobs.
18% -
Failed control or inverter board: about 1 in 8 of our repairs, from 57 jobs.
12% -
Faulty thermostat or temperature sensor: about 1 in 11 of our repairs, from 43 jobs.
9% -
Blocked defrost drain: about 1 in 15 of our repairs, from 33 jobs.
7% -
Faulty air damper: about 1 in 20 of our repairs, from 26 jobs.
6% -
Failed evaporator fan motor: about 1 in 20 of our repairs, from 25 jobs.
5%
We only list causes with enough repairs behind them, so the shares won't add up to 100%.
Error codes we see with this fault
- Hisense F1: Fault on the fridge temperature sensor circuit, possibly the sensor or its wiring.
- LG CF: Condenser fan fault.
- LG FF: Freezer (evaporator) fan fault.
By brand
Brands with enough repairs of their own for this fault to show separately.
Samsung fridge freezer not cooling
253 jobs, 89 confirmed repairs. Customers typically paid £102 to £252 (from 86 repairs). 44% fixed at the first appointment.
This is not a success rate. Jobs inside their 60-day window, jobs still being classified, jobs held for review and visits that didn't end in a repair aren't counted.
No single cause has enough repairs behind it yet to show for Samsung.
Beko fridge freezer not cooling
212 jobs, 40 confirmed repairs. Customers typically paid £158 to £217 (from 39 repairs). 55% fixed at the first appointment.
This is not a success rate. Jobs inside their 60-day window, jobs still being classified, jobs held for review and visits that didn't end in a repair aren't counted.
No single cause has enough repairs behind it yet to show for Beko.
Hotpoint fridge freezer not cooling
155 jobs, 42 confirmed repairs. Customers typically paid £98 to £159 (from 40 repairs). 71% fixed at the first appointment.
This is not a success rate. Jobs inside their 60-day window, jobs still being classified, jobs held for review and visits that didn't end in a repair aren't counted.
No single cause has enough repairs behind it yet to show for Hotpoint.
Bosch fridge freezer not cooling
93 jobs, 33 confirmed repairs. Customers typically paid £98 to £183 (from 32 repairs). 67% fixed at the first appointment.
This is not a success rate. Jobs inside their 60-day window, jobs still being classified, jobs held for review and visits that didn't end in a repair aren't counted.
No single cause has enough repairs behind it yet to show for Bosch.
Why the first-appointment figure differs by brand. Our engineers carry common parts on the van, so those repairs can be finished at the first appointment. Other parts have to be ordered in, and fitting them takes a second visit.
About the price. £104 to £212 is the typical total paid by customers, including parts and VAT: the middle half of what customers paid on 458 of these repairs. Repairs paid for by manufacturers and insurers aren't counted, because that work is charged at contract rates. It's a guide, not a quote. Your engineer confirms a fixed price before any work starts.
Before you check anything yourself
- Switch the fridge freezer off and unplug it, or turn it off at the isolator switch, before you touch anything. Our guide to safely isolating an appliance walks you through it.
- If it involves the mains supply, sealed parts, or you're not confident at any point, stop and book a qualified engineer rather than risk injury or further damage.
Rather leave it to us?
- Fixed-price quote before any work starts
- Same or next-day visits where available
- UK-wide engineer coverage