Frigidaire Evaporator Motor Is Not Working

Safety Considerations

• Before beginning any repairs on your refrigerator, it is important that you disconnect the refrigerator's power source. This is achieved by either unplugging the refrigerator from the wall outlet, or turning off of the refrigerator breaker in your home's service panel. Also, it is a good idea to wear gloves to protect your hands during the repair, as components in the refrigerator's airflow system may contain sharp edges.

Location

• The evaporator fan is located in the freezer compartment, behind the rear panel. To access the fan, you must first remove all of the contents of the freezer, including shelves, drawers and drawer rails, and then remove the rear panel of the freezer, which is secured with screws. On side-by-side models, you must lift the upper rear panel, at which point the evaporator fan is accessible.

Evaporator Fan Purpose

• The evaporator fan ensures that the air is constantly moving throughout the freezer compartment. The movement of air ensures a consistent temperature throughout the compartment, eliminating hot or cold spots. Additionally, because the air is moving, it passes through the damper when the damper is opened, which is how the fresh food compartment is cooled.

Reasons for Failure

• There are a few reasons that the evaporator fan may fail. For starters, age, or a defect in the fan motor itself, will cause the fan to fail, at which point it must be replaced. Occasionally, a power surge may impact the fan, causing the motor to stop working. Lastly, if an object, such as a wire, obstructs the fan blade, the motor will eventually burn out, requiring replacement.