Model #KSSS48QMW01, this built in refrigerator seemed to be cooling properly, but the customer noticed the strip that separated the freezer from the fresh food section had become very warm to the touch. The problem wasn't to alarming until we had a string of very warm outside temperatures and what was only warm, became hot enough you didn't want to touch it.

The strip between the sections of a refrigerator is called the mullion. It is simply a divider that separates the cold fresh food section from the colder freezer section. But if you go and check the mullion of your own refrigerator, you may notice that it is warmer than the rest of the cabinet. The reason for this is part of the refrigeration system is routed just behind this strip to help keep it slightly warmer than the ambient room temperature. This helps prevent condensation from forming between these two cool zones.

The refrigeration system works to remove heat from the inside of the cabinet and moves it to the outside where it can dissipate into the room. This is why you will feel warm air blowing out the back or bottom of your refrigerator when it is running. Much of the heat of removed by the condenser coils in this way through the assistance of a cooling fan. But if this fan were to fail, or the airflow blocked due to lint or debris buildup around the condenser, not all the heat will be removed resulting in some of it remaining inside the sealed system. The sealed system runs from the condenser to the area behind the mullion strip, so any excess heat that is not removed will be felt right there between the doors.

Bult in refrigerators are often times a little different than their freestanding counterparts in that the system components are moved to the area above the unit allowing for more space down low for storage. Using a ladder, I removed the grill covering the system to have a look at the condenser coil package. It was no dirtier than expected, but the thing I did notice was how quiet it was while running. A few other screws removed gave me access to the condenser fan and compressor and here is where I found the fan wasn't moving at all. I check with my multimeter found 120 volts AC at the connector which means this fan motor has failed.

Wearing some gloves to prevent cutting my knuckles, I removed the old motor and installed a new condenser motor and fan assembly. The new motors have smaller shafts so the existing fan will not fit. But once installed, the fan started moving air again, and the temperature of the mullion strip quickly returned to acceptable levels.



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