[kah5683]

Refrigerator is about 30 years old. Has been relegated to garage duty for years. The last few years it alternates between too cold and too warm. This last summer I bought a freezer thermometer and a separate thermometer for fridge. Adjusted dials for fridge and freezer until temperatures in both were within range - it took both dials to be at their lower/lowest settings. I kept the thermometers monitoring each and they were fine for a few months until the temperature here in Chicago area started to cool off (today around 40) Now the freezer and fridge are COLD: don't recall exact numbers, but freezer way below normal range, and the fridge around 26 degrees or so.

This summer, I also pulled back the fridge from wall and cleaned underneath for the first time in years. Not sure if I hit all the right spots.

I took out the fridge temperature control from behind the the fridge control dial (the freezer dial just opened and closed a small door to freezer). I used my multimeter to check. Off was infinity and 11 (max) was 0. Guy at parts place said I had to check the part cold, so I put in fridge and checked after a while, and it was the same.