My issue is with a Jenn-Air side by side refrigerator, model # JCD2389DTW, almost 10 years old. We first noticed the food inside the freezer starts thawing, and we have seen it before, we know it is the Adaptive Defrost Assy when we saw the frost built up on the coil at the back wall inside the freezer. We replaced the Defrost Assy and see the frost started to dissipate, but it didn’t fix the problem. Next we tied the clicking noise that we have been hearing for a couple days before the freezer issue start to realize we probably have a faulty relay, we replaced the Relay & Overload kit, 3 days after we have been hearing the clicking noise, the clicking noise stopped as soon as we plug the refrigerator back in.

It has been a day and half since we replaced the relay kit, both the evaporator (freezer) and condenser (compressor) fans are running, the compressor is warm to the touch. Both the freezer and refrigerator sides started to have improvements but some issues still persist. At the coldest setting for both freezer and refrigerator, freezer is only cold while refrigerator is only cool to the touch.

I don’t know what is next, any guidance you can provide is very much appreciated.

Thanks Denman for your reply. That’s what I was afraid of, if it’s a Freon issue… But a piece of good news, the coils are considerably evenly covered, only exception is the most bottom 2 inches closest to the defrost heating which remains frost free. Also After I read through some of the advices in this forum, I have gone back and adjusted the temperatures for both freezer and refrigerator back to the middle to allow for better airflow to the refrigerator side. It has been another day after I adjusted the temperature, the temperatures are now 38F degrees for refrigerator but 15F for the freezer side. I believe the 38F is acceptable for the 15F is not cold enough.

This is an improvement, but any other suggestion is certainly welcomed. Thanks in advance.

Thanks for your rely. I turned the freezer temp a notch colder and now the freezer is at 0 degrees F while maintaining the refrigerator side at 38F, I will keep monitoring that, same as keeping the coils and fan blades clean.

I was not certain the meaning when you asked if the compressor is cycling. The compressor is continuously running, the only time it stops is when the defrost timer kicks in, which is for about 30 minutes, then it restarts. I can hear the Relay kit clicked then the compressor & condenser fan starts, is this what you have expected?

Lastly, I can see myself shopping for a new refrigerator the next time it breaks down, in your professional experience, which type of frigerator(s) is more repair-prone than others? I.e. Side-by-Side, Bottom freezer, etc?

Thanks again for your time and advices.