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Brand: Whirlpool Model Number: GB2SHDXPS01 Main Symptom: Fridge is warm, freezer cold, coils frozen over What happens & when: Seems like it’s not defrosting and freezing up
Error Code (if any): None
Parts or tests already tried: Ran Whirlpool fridge diagnostics tests, all passed, see below
Photos / video link:
My fridge is warm, and I pulled the freezer apart to find the coils completely frozen over. Fridge was at 67 degrees at this point. I thawed everything out manually with a hair dryer and, and fridge cooled to 45 degrees but no more, and it appeared to be forming ice again.
I ran the following diagnostics tests, and these were the results:
Defrost Thermostat Diagnostics: Response was “Shorted.” Instructions say this tests defrost thermostat and heating element and they should be ok if result is “shorted.”
Compressor & Condensor Fan Diagnostics: Fan turned on. Compressor I’d imagine is fine as freezer is cold. I didn’t listen for click of compressor, but want to be careful with this one to not risk damaging it.
Freezer Evap Fan Diagnostics: Passed
Fridge Sensor Diagnostics: Passed
Freezer Sensor Diagnostics: Passed
Fridge Damper Door Diagnostics: Passed
I started a manual Long defrost cycle from within the diagnostics menu, and I do see water dripping off the coils and the fridge is fairly quiet (doesn’t sound like much is running). Does this suggest anything? The fridge section is down to 40-42 degrees after the forced defrost completed and it cooled again.
Given all of this, a cold freezer, and luke warm fridge (colder but not cold enough after defrost), and frozen coils, I would think it’s the control board and not the defrost thermostat or heating element since the diagnostics passed the thermostat and element, and the forced defrost did the trick. Is it worth testing them and pulling it all apart, or am I right that it is likely the control board?
Thanks for the tech sheet. That’s better than what I was working off of. I did mention I did a forced defrost, and things worked fine it seemed. And after, fridge got down to 39 degrees. But it starts freezing up again in a few hrs it seems and slowly rises back to about 45 degrees. But given the heater seems to work, and I assume the thermostat is working, I’m thinking it must be the control board.
Thanks. You are correct on the temps, I think I’m just watching it too closely. With the fridge set on cold setting 4, it’s around 38 degrees. I’ve done a couple of forced defrosts, and they also seem to work, would that suggest the thermostat is working ok? I hear what you’re saying and I will likely just replace that too. The control board comes tomorrow, which I ordered right away once I saw the forced defrost was working. What goes bad on the control board that leads to defrost failures? Just a chip that wears out after a while? Fridge is 19 years old, so I guess it’s doing pretty good.
Thanks. Given I travel a bit, and need it reliable, I’m taking your advice and just replacing the thermostat too, why not! $200 total repair is better than the thought of a $2000 new fridge and the general hassle of buying it, installing, etc. Fridge is current sitting at 37 degrees. Perfect. Waiting for the parts.
I had a chance tonight to put the new thermostat in. I’m curious, is this what would be considered normal frost build up before the fridge goes into a defrost cycle? This is what I found when I pulled the freezer apart. Seemed like a lot, but I know the defrost melts everything pretty quickly. Just curious. I did put the new thermostat in, so it has a new jazz board and tstat now. I’ll monitor it via a smart/wifi temp sensor I have in the fridge and freezer.
That’s what I thought. And right when I decided to replace the thermostat, it was running around 44 degrees again. So maybe it wasn’t the control board, and was the thermostat, who knows. I just don’t want to worry about it when I’m not around.
Currently with the new thermostat and board, it’s running in the range of 39 degrees, on a setting of 5 which is a bit warmer than with the old thermostat it seems. I moved it to a cold setting of 6, and after 12 hrs, it’s still 38-39 degrees. Something still seems off.
How does the thermostat work with the control board too? Does the thermostat tell the control board when to start and stop a defrost cycle, based on when it opens and closes due to temp of the refrigerant line it’s clipped to? How do the thermistors play into the process too? Could one be failing even thought they both pass diagnostics?
Was there a procedure I should have followed after putting in the new board or thermostat? Should I have made sure to fully thaw the coils before turning it back on? I feel like with the new thermostat it’s running about 4 degrees warmer on cool setting 5 than the old one did. I did force a manual defrost once the freezer temp was enough below freezing, to help thaw it out. Maybe it’s not fully thawed and it won’t get to be, with the regular cycles running?
Maybe having a constant temp graph is way too much data for a rather simple appliance! Thank you for all your help. I just need to get confident that I’ve truly got this solved.
Yup, did a bunch of reading and learned how that defrost thermostat manages the defrost cycle length based on temp. I will say all seems good now without frosting up, but surprised the fridge isn’t cooler. Seemed it was before, but could be my imagination.
Can I ask one more question…seems the fridge likes to hang around 37-41 degrees. New jazz board and new defrost themostat. Doesn’t seem to matter if the fridge cold setting is 5 or 6, it’s around the same temps. Could I have an issue with the thermistor int he fridge, even though it passes diagnostics? Freezer is running around 1-2 degrees and is defrosting fine now. Thanks.
Thanks! I was going to give it another day or so before adding this comment, but with you responding, figured I’d add it now. I thought about the air damper this morning. I put the board into diag mode and ran the damper test. It fully opened and closed. But it made me think…how does the new board know, if it’s replaced, the status of the damper door? Is there a position sensor, does it get reset with a new board upon programming the board? So I exited programming mode with the door fully open, and all day today, the temps have been much lower on setting 6, like before. On to something? Not sure, but pleased to see this. I will reduce it back to 5 now if this persists. Temps are now 31-34 which is too cold, but I wasn’t see this on setting 6 until I did this with the door. Perhaps the door was getting stuck too, that’s a possibility. I’m also noticing reduced humidity too. It was much higher before I did this.
I am torn…bad new jazz board, bad air damper or both.
Since the board is under warranty I’d get them to send you another board and then see what happens after you replace that board again.
Thanks. I actually have a second board from them already. They sent a board, but it looked like it had been opened, as it was already “snapped” on the line and not properly wrapped. They insisted it was new, and sent another one anyway and said keep the first one. And I hear the damper doing it’s thing as I always have.
As of now, the attached pics shows the last 24 hrs. The fridge has been set to setting 5. No ice build up either, so defrost working normally. If I didn’t have a temp monitor in it now, I’d have no idea the temps fluctuated this much, as everything appears normal, and the food is cold. For comparison, another smaller whirlpool fridge I have in the basement running, is much more stable.
Yes, we always need to wait 24 hours after making a temp change for it to really do something.
We all loved the older mechanical temp controls…if 3 is too warm you could go to 3&1/4 (wait 24 hours) and then retest, if still too warm you go to 3&1/2 (wait 24 hours) and so on…but the electronic controls with numbers only don’t give you that same control. Our main refrigerator has the older mechanical controls!
Your charts do show the older mechanical control does appear to be more even in controlsing the temps!
Still battling this, but discovered something I think is interesting, and could be a tell. Fridge has been running a little warmer again, close to 40, maybe 38, maybe 41 at times. Freezer still cold, around -2 - 2 degrees. And not frozen over, so defrost cycle seems solved now. But in an effort to be more aware of the state of the damper door, I took the interior cover off. With the fridge currently running, and sitting at 41 degrees, the door is closed, so no cold air is getting into the fridge. Why would the fridge think 40-41 degrees, with a temp setting of 6, is good? Thermistor or damper issue? The last couple of times when running I caught it with the damper open, but this time it was closed…
$200 total repair is better than the thought of a $2000 new fridge and the general hassle of buying it, installing, etc. Fridge is current sitting at 37 degrees. Perfect. Waiting for the parts.
