Brand: Kitchen Aid Model Number: KRFC704FSS00 Main Symptom: Freezer ok, fridge warm, loud humming noise What happens & when: Loud humming noise inside fridge. Goes away and comes back on its own. Back wall of fridge had buildup of ice under/behind crisper drawers.
Error Code (if any): None
Parts or tests already tried: Removed all items, unplugged to de-ice 18 hours ago.
Photos / video link: Dropbox
My KitchenAid fridge is now 9 years old. Model KRFC704FSS00, serial #K71831949. It has worked great until recently. About 5-6 months ago I replaced the ice maker assembly, and that now works fine.
Just yesterday, the fridge was not cooling, while the freezer is still ice cold. As you can see/hear in the video, there is a loud humming noise. In about 30 minutes time, the noise stopped and re-started about 4-5 times, each time lasting a few minutes.
I removed everything inside and moved to our garage fridge. At this point I was able to see a buildup of ice on the back wall of the fridge, just behind/below the crisper drawers. I unplugged the fridge and left it off since last night to de-ice.
For the last 2-3 weeks, there is about a 1/4 cup of water on the floor in front of the fridge almost each morning. This typically only starts leaking at night. It is on the right side of the fridge and appears to be coming from the bottom freezer, but it is very difficult to tell. I looked at the coils on the back panel and did not see water in that area.
Looking for advice on testing or what parts to replace. Thanks very much!
In most cases, water leaking onto the floor is caused by a clogged evaporator defrost drain. The drain can become blocked by ice or debris, which can also lead to the ice buildup you observed. Once enough ice accumulates, any additional defrost water has nowhere to go and will overflow onto the floor.
Checking and Clearing the Defrost Drain
Unplug the refrigerator.
Access the rear evaporator compartment by removing the cover panel inside the refrigerator/freezer section that covers the evaporator coils.
Remove or melt any ice buildup present. Towels or a shop vacuum can be helpful for cleaning up the resulting water.
Once all ice and water have been removed, locate the shallow aluminum drain pan beneath the evaporator. Near the center of the pan, you should see a drain hole.
This drain hole connects to a drain tube that routes water to a collection pan underneath the refrigerator, where heat from the compressor evaporates the water.
Inspect the drain opening for any visible obstructions. Using a turkey baster, syringe, or similar tool filled with warm, soapy water, flush the drain line. You may need to repeat this process several times and apply moderate pressure to dislodge the blockage.
Do not insert hard objects into the drain, as this could damage the drain tube or connection point.
You’ll know the drain is clear when the backed-up water flows freely through the drain and disappears into the drain system.
Reassemble the refrigerator by reversing the disassembly steps.
If the drain is cleared monitor the unit for several days to verify that the leak and ice buildup have been resolved.