The GradedAppliance Hub

Fridge isn't cold but the freezer is fine

A warm fridge with a working freezer is a specific and very diagnosable pattern: cold air is being made but is not reaching the fridge compartment. Nine times out of ten it is a blocked airflow path or a failed circulation fan, not a dead compressor.

Verdict

DIY-able with care

Involves dismantling or a part swap — confident DIYers only

Urgency
Urgent

About 2 hr to work through

Typical cost

Free to £260

DIY: Up to £60 in parts

Before you start

  • Electrical safety: Unplug the appliance before removing any internal panel or defrosting with the heater exposed.

  • Refrigerant: Never puncture pipework or use a sharp implement to chip ice off the evaporator. Piercing a refrigerant line makes the appliance unrepairable and releases gas.

What causes it, most likely first

  1. Iced-up evaporator blocking airflow

    Most likely

    In a frost-free appliance the freezer makes the cold and a fan pushes it into the fridge. When the evaporator ices over, that path closes: the freezer stays cold because it is next to the ice, and the fridge goes warm.

    How to check: Take out the freezer drawers and the rear panel. A solid block of ice over the coils confirms it.

  2. Failed evaporator fan

    Common

    If the fan that pushes cold air into the fridge fails, the freezer still works and the fridge does not. Often preceded by a period of unusual noise.

    How to check: Open the fridge door and listen for the fan. On most models it should run with the door open if you hold the door switch in.

    Evaporator fan motor£20–£60 for the partDIY with care

  3. Failed defrost heater or timer

    Common

    The heater that periodically clears frost off the evaporator has failed, so ice accumulates until airflow stops. This is the underlying cause behind most iced-up evaporators.

    Defrost heater£15–£45 for the partEngineer

  4. Blocked air vents inside the fridge

    Common

    Packing food hard against the vents at the back of the fridge blocks the cold air path. Free to check and free to fix.

    How to check: Look for slots at the top rear of the fridge compartment and clear a hand's width around them.

  5. Perished door seal

    Common

    A failed seal lets warm damp air in continuously, which both warms the fridge and accelerates icing.

    How to check: Close the door on a sheet of paper. If it pulls out with no resistance, the seal is not sealing there.

    Door seal£20–£60 for the partDIY

  6. Blocked defrost drain

    Occasional

    The small drain hole at the back of the fridge compartment blocks, water pools and refreezes. Look for water under the salad drawer as the giveaway.

What to check, in order

  1. Check the vents and the thermostat setting

    Move food away from the vents at the back of the fridge compartment and confirm the temperature setting has not been knocked. Aim for 4°C in the fridge and −18°C in the freezer.

    10 min

  2. Listen for the circulation fan

    With the fridge door open, hold the door switch in and listen for a fan running behind the rear panel. Silence where there should be a fan is a strong pointer.

    5 min

  3. Check the evaporator for ice

    Unplug the appliance, empty the freezer and remove the rear internal panel. A solid sheet of ice over the coils confirms an airflow blockage and points at the defrost system.

    20 minScrewdriver, Torch

  4. Defrost fully

    Empty both compartments, leave the doors open and let it defrost naturally for 24 hours with towels down. Never chip at the ice — piercing a refrigerant pipe writes the appliance off.

    60 minTowels

  5. Clear the defrost drain

    Find the small drain hole at the back of the fridge compartment floor and flush it through with warm water and a soft pipe cleaner.

    15 min

  6. If it ices up again, get the defrost system tested

    A fridge that re-ices within a few weeks of a full defrost has a failed defrost heater, thermostat or timer. Tell the engineer it re-iced after a full manual defrost — it goes straight to the answer.

    10 min

Need an engineer for this?

We list 31 fridge repair businesses across the UK. Diagnostic callouts typically start around £55, and many will put that towards the repair if you go ahead.

Parts you might need

Typical UK prices for the part alone, before fitting. Worth knowing before you accept a quote — the part is often a small share of what a repair is priced at.

  • Defrost heater

    Periodically melts frost off the evaporator in a frost-free appliance. When it fails, ice builds up until airflow stops.

    £15–£45

  • Evaporator fan motor

    Circulates cold air between the freezer and fridge compartments. A dead fan usually means a frozen freezer and a warm fridge.

    £20–£60

  • Door seal

    The magnetic gasket around the door. A perished seal lets warm damp air in and is a very common cause of constant running and ice build-up.

    £20–£60

Worth repairing, or replace it?

At the top of this range the repair costs a significant share of a graded replacement, which typically starts around £150. Worth getting the quote first, then deciding — on a machine under about five years old a repair usually still wins.

Work out if it's worth fixingCompare graded fridges

Is there an error code on the display?

If your fridge is showing a code, that will narrow the diagnosis a lot further than symptoms alone.

Look up your error code