Troubleshooting Evaporator Fan Problems in Refrigerators

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The evaporator fan at the back of the refrigerator blows cool air into your refrigerator and freezer when the compressor turns on. If your refrigerator isn’t cool because the evaporator fan isn’t blowing cool air, this video from Sears PartsDirect can help you diagnose the problem.

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1. Check the electronic control board in diagnostic mode
First, test if the evaporator fan runs in the diagnostic test mode.
To enter the diagnostic test mode on this Kenmore model, within 2 seconds, press the light switch 3 times and then press and hold it a 4th time until you hear a long beep. (If this method doesn’t work on your model, check the tech sheet for instructions. It’s usually behind the bottom front grill or on the back of the refrigerator.)
Test the evaporator fan by pressing the light switch twice. You’ll hear two beeps. Repeat 3 more times.
• If the evaporator fan runs in test mode, replace the electronic control board. Here’s a link to a video that will show you how to do that.
• If not, go to the next step.

2. Troubleshoot wiring problems
If the evaporator fan doesn't run in the diagnostic test mode, check for a break in the wiring.
Unplug the refrigerator. Remove the screw that holds the control box and lower the control box. Check the red wire with the white stripe for visible damage. Repair the wire if it's pinched or broken. See our video about repairing a broken wire.    • How to Repair Broken or Damaged Wires  

If the wire isn’t visibly damaged, check for electrical continuity in the wires supplying power to the fan.
First, remove the electronic control board, lower the back freezer panel and unplug the evaporator fan.
Put a multimeter lead on each end of the red wire with the white stripe. If the wire is intact, the multimeter reads near 0 ohms Check the light blue wire in the same way.
• If both wires have continuity, the problem is with the fan motor or the electronic control board. Go to the next section.
• If neither wire has continuity, unplug the wire harness from the refrigerator ceiling. First, check continuity between the ceiling plug and the control board plug on the wire that had no continuity.
If that checks out, check continuity between the ceiling receptacle and the fan plug.
If you find a wire that reads infinite resistance, repair the broken wire or replace the wire harness. If both those wires had continuity, the problem is with the fan motor or the electronic control board.

3. Check the fan motor
If you eliminated wiring problems in section 2, check the evaporator fan motor.
In this refrigerator, the evaporator fan motor has a control board inside the motor casing, so you can’t check for continuity. Instead, remove the support bracket and fan motor cover and examine the fan control board for damage. Replace the evaporator fan motor if the board has visible burn marks.
If you don’t see any damage, have a service technician do a bench test on the evaporator fan..
• If the fan doesn’t run when the technician tests it, replace the evaporator fan motor. See our video that shows how.    • How to Replace a Refrigerator Evaporator F...  

• If it runs in the bench test, replace the electronic control board, because the electronic control board isn’t sending power the evaporator fan motor. This video explains how to replace the control board.    • How to replace an electronic control board...  

Or call 1-800-437-1673 to speak with a parts specialist.

The video includes these parts. Look up your model to make sure you get the right parts for your refrigerator.
Electronic control board
https://www.searspartsdirect.com/part...
Evaporator fan motor
https://www.searspartsdirect.com/kenm...

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