Do you have a Samsung refrigerator?
Wow. How cool is that?
But you know what’s not cool?
Also your Samsung refrigerator…
You don’t have to worry, though.
Because I’m here to help you fix that problem.
So keep on reading to discover:
- 13 effective fixes to solve your fridge’s cooling problem.
- A clever trick to keep a cold temperature inside your fridge.
- A secret refrigerator feature that causes cooling issues (and how to fix it).
- And this is just the beginning…
Why is my Samsung refrigerator not cooling?
Your Samsung refrigerator isn’t cooling because of the wrong refrigerator and temperature settings. It might also be caused by poor airflow inside the fridge. A faulty power supply can also be the reason for the problem. Then, damaged parts like door seals and evaporator fans could be the issue.
Samsung refrigerator not cooling: 13 fixes
#1: Check the power supply
You know how people make dumb mistakes from time to time?
That often happens to me, especially when my brain’s on auto-pilot.
And maybe the thing that’s causing your problem is a simple, honest mistake:
An unplugged power cable.
So, double-check if your fridge’s plugged in correctly in the power socket.
“It’s plugged in.”
Okay. No worries.
From here on, there are two possible scenarios.
Your fridge is either ON or not.
If it’s ON, here’s what you can do:
You power cycle your fridge.
“What’s that?”
It’s a fancy word for restarting your fridge.
So here’s how to power cycle your refrigerator:
- Unplug the refrigerator’s power cable from the socket.
- Wait for around 5 minutes.
- Plug the power cable back correctly.
Power cycling may be able to help because, like people…
Devices must also take “naps” to function well.
But if your fridge’s OFF…
You’ll have to see whether the power cable or the socket’s the problem.
“How do I figure which one?”
You can figure it out by plugging a functional device into that same socket.
If the device works…
Then your fridge’s power cable is the problem. And you need to replace or repair it.
So, I suggest that you call a technician to fix it right away.
But if the device also won’t work…
That means that your socket isn’t working properly.
With that said, #2 might be able to help.
#2: Inspect circuit breaker
Your fridge may not be getting power from the socket…
And that’s why you’ll have to inspect your circuit breaker.
“What’s that?”
It’s like a big switch. And it controls whether electricity flows into your power sockets.
And that’s why you’ll check whether the circuit breaker is OFF or tripping.
In case it’s OFF, then you can simply turn it ON.
“Got it. But what’s tripping, and how’d I know if that’s happening?”
Your circuit breaker is tripping if it’s stuck in the middle.
Need a visual representation of what I’m talking about?
Then you can check this video out:
And if your circuit breaker’s tripping, contact a professional right away.
That’s because it means something’s wrong with the circuit.
But don’t worry. The trip stops electricity from flowing to prevent damage.
Warning: Don’t move your circuit breaker. It may cause a fire or electrical damage that’s hazardous. Wait for an electrician to assist you.
#3: Close refrigerator doors properly
Have cooling issues, but got no problems with the power supply?
You might have left your fridge doors open…
“I’m sure I closed it.”
Did you hear a deep clicking sound?
If not, then it’s likely that you haven’t closed them properly.
And that’ll mean that there are tiny gaps. And they allow cold air to escape.
“I double-checked. But my door doesn’t make that sound.”
Don’t worry. Because this next one might help you.
#4: Clean door seals
“What do you mean by door seals?”
Door seals are gray rectangular rubbers on your fridge’s doors.
They’re responsible for making sure your fridge’s appropriately closed.
But if there’s dirt build-up in the door seals, you won’t be able to close them fully.
Therefore allowing the cold air to escape.
And that’s why I suggest that you clean them regularly.
“But I do clean them.”
If that’s the case…
You can check if these seals are still in great condition.
Because these door seals experience wear and tear. And they might not fit perfectly anymore.
So, cold air will escape. And you’ll have trouble keeping your fridge cold.
In that case, you’ll need to change them.
And you may contact Samsung for door seal replacements
#5: Adjust the temperature setting
A wrong temperature setting is one of the common causes of a fridge’s cooling problem.
So, you should check the fridge’s current temperature setting first.
“What’s the correct temperature setting?”
According to the USDA, you must set the temperature below 40°F for refrigerated food. And that you should keep frozen food below 0°F.
So if your current fridge and freezer temperatures are higher than recommended…
You should adjust them accordingly.
“How do I adjust them?”
It’s relatively easy. But, the exact steps in adjusting the temperature are different among models.
So, you should read your refrigerator’s manual.
“But I don’t have its manual with me.”
No worries. You can follow these steps to access specific instructions:
- Go to this website.
- Click Home Appliances > Refrigerators.
- Choose your Refrigerator type, model, and series.
- Download User Manual.
After downloading the user manual, you can proceed with adjusting your temperature settings.
Note: After setting the temperature, it’ll take 4 hours for you to notice the temperature change. And about 28 hours to achieve the newly selected temperature.
#6: Put filled water bottles inside
If your Samsung refrigerator has lots of free space…
Then that might be the reason why you have a warmer temperature.
Storing only a few items doesn’t help maintain a stable temperature.
But here’s a clever hack:
Place bottles of water inside your fridge. They’ll help in keeping the cold temperature in your refrigerator.
“How’s that?”
It’s like ice in an ice box. Once you put the ice inside, the whole ice box also gets colder.
So if you put bottles of water inside the fridge, they get cooled eventually.
And that helps achieve and maintain a low temperature.
#7: Move away from direct sunlight
As you remember from grade-school science class…
The sun provides heat. And heat makes things warm.
And that’s the same for your Samsung refrigerator, too.
If it keeps getting warmed up, it’ll be hard for your fridge to achieve a low temperature.
So if you’ve placed your fridge where it gets direct sunlight…
Then you should move it to a different location.
Also, the new place must have the following qualities:
- Cool and dry.
- Well-ventilated.
Note: If your fridge was exposed to direct sunlight for a long time. Then I highly suggest you contact a professional to see whether parts got fried up.
#8: Ensure proper clearance
Just like people…
Refrigerators need their space, too.
They just don’t communicate that well.
But trust me. Fridges need room to “breathe.”
If they don’t have it…
Refrigerators will likely overheat. And that’ll make it hard for them to cool your stuff.
“Okay. But how big is that space?”
You only have to provide 2 inches of clearance at the:
- Top.
- Back.
- Sides.
#9: Don’t block the fridge’s vents
If #8’s focus is on the space outside….
This one’s about the inside.
Vents inside your fridge have fans.
And no, they’re not the showbiz type of fans.
I’m talking about those that circulate the cold air inside your fridge.
So if you block these vents, you’re also not allowing your fridge to breathe.
And that’s why you don’t have that low temperature.
This happens especially when you overload your fridge.
Pro tip: To avoid overloading your fridge, ensure the items only take up around 70% of the space.
You might be interested: Refrigerator do’s and don’ts
#10: Turn off Demo Mode
Recently bought your Samsung refrigerator?
Then you might still have it in Demo Mode.
It’s the fridge’s setting when it’s still in retail stores, where they’re on display..
Note: The Demo Mode can also be the Cooling Off Mode in some Samsung refrigerator models.
“How do I know if it’s in that mode?”
It’s pretty easy.
Just check if its display screen is showing:
- O FF.
- OF OF.
- OFF OFF.
- Temperature bars scrolling back and forth.
“And how do I fix that?”
The exact steps depend on your fridge’s panel. And that’s why you’ll need to check your user manual for that.
But, you can try the following steps first:
- Find the top two buttons on the panel’s left side.
- Touch and hold the buttons together for 5-8 seconds.
- Check the display if it’s still on Cooling Off Mode.
Note: You should hear a chime sound if you’ve turned it off. If not, repeat the steps until successful.
#11: Put Vacation Mode off
Is your freezer working properly, but not your fridge compartments?
Then your Samsung refrigerator might be in Vacation Mode.
Note: This is possible only if your display has a Vacation button or a Child Lock button.
Here’s how you turn off Vacation Mode:
- Locate the Vacation button.
- Press the button once.
- If you don’t see a Vacation button, press and hold the Child Lock button.
#12: Turn on Defrost Mode
You can try to defrost your Samsung refrigerator to solve the cooling problem.
“And why’s that?”
Because there may be ice build-up in your fridge’s parts.
And that’ll get in the way of having a low temperature inside the fridge.
Here are some parts that could’ve been frozen:
- Fans.
- Back panel.
- Evaporator coils.
Note: The defrosting process may take 36-48 hours to complete.
#13: Contact technical support
No luck in the previous fixes?
Don’t worry. I still have an ace up my sleeve.
And that’s contacting technical support.
Because if you didn’t solve the cooling problems with the methods above….
Then you’re likely dealing with underlying issues, like damaged parts.
And that’s why I strongly recommend letting a professional handle that.
At this point…
You can either contact Samsung Care. Or call an electrician to come your way.
They should be able to help you fix the cooling problem.