LG Refrigerator Not Cooling? What’s Actually Wrong

Why So Many LG Refrigerators Stop Cooling: The Linear Compressor Issue

To understand why your LG fridge is not cooling, it helps to know what makes LG refrigerators different from other brands. LG introduced its linear compressor technology around 2001 and has been using it across most of its refrigerator lineup ever since. A linear compressor uses a single piston moving back and forth in a straight line rather than the rotary motion of a traditional compressor. LG marketed it as quieter, more energy-efficient, and more durable.

The reality has been more complicated. A very large number of units manufactured from 2014 onward began failing prematurely, often between years three and seven of ownership. The LG inverter linear compressor proved to be a weak point across French door, side-by-side, and bottom freezer models alike.

The LG Compressor Lawsuit and Class Action History

The scale of the problem led to multiple legal actions. A first major settlement was reached in 2020 covering certain models manufactured between 2014 and 2017, providing affected owners with extended warranty coverage and compensation. That settlement did not end the problem. New LG refrigerator lawsuit and LG compressor lawsuit filings appeared in 2024 and 2025, including a November 2024 class action filed in New Jersey federal court covering LG refrigerators manufactured from January 1, 2018 onward. A separate case was filed in New York federal court in November 2025 by a consumer whose 2023 LG refrigerator failed completely by August 2025.

According to attorneys involved in earlier litigation, approximately 1.6 million LG refrigerators may be affected by LG refrigerator compressor problems. The pattern is consistent across cases: the LG linear compressor fridge stops cooling with little or no warning, food spoils, and repair or replacement becomes necessary sooner than any reasonable owner would expect.

LG Compressor Warranty: What You May Be Entitled To

As part of the original 2020 settlement, LG extended the LG compressor warranty to 10 years from the original purchase date for compressor parts on covered models. This is separate from the standard 1-year parts warranty and 10-year sealed system warranty that LG offers on new units. If your LG refrigerator is not cooling and it was manufactured between 2014 and 2017, check your model and serial number at lg.com/us/support before scheduling any paid repair. The LG refrigerator compressor warranty may cover your repair at no cost.

For units manufactured from 2018 onward, active LG refrigerator class action lawsuit proceedings are ongoing as of 2026. If your fridge has failed and is outside any warranty period, it is worth checking the current status of these cases. Wilson & Myers can help you verify your warranty eligibility before starting any work.

Symptom-Based Diagnosis: Match What You Are Seeing to the Cause

Before anything else, identify your exact symptom. The same phrase “LG refrigerator not cooling” can mean five completely different problems. Start here.

Quick Checks You Can Do in Under 30 Minutes

Before calling a technician, run through these steps. They resolve a meaningful percentage of LG fridge not cooling calls and cost nothing.

Check Temperature Settings and Demo Mode

Confirm the fridge is set to 37F and the freezer to 0F. LG touch panels are easy to nudge during cleaning. Also check whether the unit is in Demo Mode, sometimes called Display Mode or Showroom Mode. In Demo Mode the display and lights operate but the compressor and fans do not run. On most LG models, hold the Refrigerator and Ice Plus buttons simultaneously for 3 to 5 seconds to toggle Demo Mode off.

Inspect Door Seals and Interior Airflow

Close the door on a dollar bill. If it slides out with no resistance, the door gasket is no longer sealing and cold air is escaping continuously. A failing gasket makes the compressor run constantly without ever reaching target temperature. Also check that no items inside the fridge are blocking the internal air vents. Blocked vents prevent cold air from circulating correctly and create warm spots even when the cooling system is working fine.

Clean the Condenser Coils

On most LG refrigerators the condenser coils sit behind the toe kick panel at the bottom front. When coated with dust and pet hair they cannot shed heat, and cooling capacity drops noticeably. Use a vacuum with a brush attachment. This takes about 10 minutes and should be done once a year. It is the single most effective preventive maintenance step you can take to avoid a service call.

Perform a Complete Power Cycle Reset

This is the proper LG fridge not cooling reset procedure. Unplug the refrigerator completely, wait 60 seconds, then plug back in. This allows the control board capacitors to fully discharge. After plugging back in, allow 24 hours before deciding the problem persists. If the unit stopped cooling after a power outage, always try this first. Power surges can corrupt the board’s memory and lock it in a non-cooling state even when all physical components are functioning correctly.

Listen Carefully After the Reset

After the power cycle, pay attention to what you hear. A healthy LG should start with a hum from the evaporator fan motor, followed by the compressor starting a few minutes later. If you hear rapid clicking every few minutes followed by silence, the start relay or compressor is struggling. If you hear nothing at all from the back of the unit, the compressor is not starting. Write down what you observe before calling a technician, it cuts diagnostic time significantly.

Major LG-Specific Failures: What Breaks and Why

Linear Compressor Failure

The most common serious failure on LG refrigerators is the linear compressor. When it fails, the unit hums but produces no cold. You may hear clicking or a brief buzzing from the lower rear of the unit as the compressor attempts to start and cannot. The LG refrigerator compressor replacement process involves recovering and recharging refrigerant, which requires EPA Section 608 certification by federal law. This is never a DIY repair.

Before scheduling a paid replacement, verify your warranty status. The original 2020 settlement extended the LG compressor warranty to 10 years from purchase date on covered 2014 to 2017 models. If you have an LG inverter linear refrigerator not cooling and it falls within that window, the LG fridge compressor replacement may be covered. For 2018 and newer models, the standard LG warranty covers the sealed system including the compressor for 5 years from purchase.

Start Relay Failure

The start relay is a small inexpensive component mounted on the side of the compressor. It provides the electrical kick the compressor needs to start. When the relay fails, the compressor will not start at all, or will attempt to start and click off repeatedly. A quick DIY test: pull the relay off the compressor terminals and shake it. A rattling sound means it is dead. Replacing the start relay is one of the few genuine DIY options for an LG refrigerator not cooling or freezing — it is inexpensive and requires no refrigerant handling.

Evaporator Fan Motor Failure

The evaporator fan motor circulates cold air from the evaporator coils throughout both compartments. When it fails, the freezer stays cold because it sits directly beside the coils, but the fresh food section warms up. This is the most common cause of the LG fridge not cooling but freezer works symptom. Early warning signs include scraping or grinding noise from inside the rear freezer wall, or the fan running intermittently before stopping entirely.

Defrost System: Heater and Thermostat

LG refrigerators use an automatic defrost cycle to prevent frost buildup on the evaporator coils. When the defrost heater or defrost thermostat fails, frost accumulates on the coils until it physically blocks the evaporator fan. The result looks identical to a fan motor failure: the fridge warms while the freezer stays cold. If you see thick ice on the rear panel inside the freezer, that is your indicator. A manual defrost test confirms it: unplug the unit and leave both doors open for 24 to 48 hours. If cooling returns afterward, the defrost system is the problem, not the fan.

Thermistor and Sensor Malfunctions

The thermistor reports compartment temperature to the control board. When it fails or reads inaccurately, the board believes the fridge is already at the correct temperature and instructs the compressor to stop. The fridge runs at 45 to 50F rather than 37F, food spoils faster than it should, and everything seems to be operating normally. This produces the LG refrigerator not cold enough symptom and is one of the most frequently misdiagnosed problems in LG repair. A technician can test it with a multimeter in LG service mode in minutes.

Control Board Failure

A failing control board produces a range of symptoms: partial cooling, fans running continuously without cycling, compressor that does not start, or the LG refrigerator not cooling or freezing after a power event. Power surges are the most common trigger. If your fridge started behaving erratically after a recent storm or outage, tell your technician — it points directly to the board and avoids unnecessary part replacement.

Condenser Fan Motor and Damper Control

The condenser fan motor keeps the compressor and condenser coils cool by drawing air across them. When it fails, the compressor overheats and shuts down on thermal overload. The damper control regulates how much cold air flows from the freezer section into the fresh food compartment. A stuck or failed damper can cause uneven temperatures: the freezer is fine but the fridge runs warm, or vice versa. Both components are accessible and testable by a technician on the first visit.

Refrigerant Leak in the Sealed System

A refrigerant leak in the sealed system is the most difficult LG cooling repair. When the LG fridge freezer not cooling at all — both compartments warm gradually over several days and the compressor runs non-stop without producing cold — a leak is the most likely cause alongside compressor failure. Signs include a gurgling or hissing sound from the rear of the unit and no frost formation anywhere in the freezer even after days of operation. Sealed system repairs require locating and patching the leak or replacing the damaged coil, then recharging the system. On units that are 10 years old or more, a sealed system failure is worth evaluating honestly against replacement.

LG Refrigerator Error Codes: What the Display Is Telling You

If a code is showing on the display, write it down before doing anything else. LG refrigerator error codes tell you exactly which component has reported a fault and cut diagnostic time considerably.

LG Smart Diagnosis and the ThinQ App

If you have an LG ThinQ refrigerator not cooling, open the LG ThinQ app before calling anyone. The app can surface active error codes and run a Smart Diagnosis remotely, transmitting diagnostic data directly to LG’s servers. For non-ThinQ models, LG’s Smart Diagnosis feature works by holding your smartphone’s microphone to the LG logo on the refrigerator and calling the LG support line while the app transmits a series of tones. This gives a technician your exact fault codes before they arrive, which means they can bring the right parts on the first visit.

LG Refrigerator Not Making Ice or Water Dispenser Not Working

When your LG refrigerator is not making ice, the cause is usually not the ice maker itself. The most frequent root cause is a freezer that is not cold enough for the ice maker to complete a cycle. The ice maker requires 0F to function properly. If the LG freezer not freezing is your underlying problem, fix the cooling issue first and ice production will likely return on its own.

If the freezer is holding temperature correctly and the ice maker still is not producing, check the following in order: ice maker power switch (it has its own on/off on most models), the ice maker arm position (it must be in the down position), and the water inlet valve. A failed water inlet valve is the most common cause of LG refrigerator not making ice but water works — or stops both at the same time. On LG ThinQ refrigerator not making ice models, check the ThinQ app for an Er IS code before doing anything else.

If your unit has LG’s Craft Ice feature and LG refrigerator not making craft ice while regular ice works fine, the Craft Ice maker has its own separate circuit and motor that can fail independently of the main ice maker. Our ice maker repair service covers all LG ice maker configurations.

LG Refrigerator Not Cooling by Model Type

LG French Door Refrigerator Not Cooling

The LG French door refrigerator not cooling in the upper fresh food section almost always comes down to the evaporator fan motor or defrost system. The evaporator sits in the freezer drawer below, and when the fan fails, cold air stops moving upward to the main compartment. French door models also have more complex door-in-door seals that can degrade and are easy to miss during a quick inspection. Check all door seals carefully, including the inner panel seals if your model has a door-in-door feature.

LG Inverter Linear Refrigerator Not Cooling

The LG inverter linear refrigerator not cooling is almost always a compressor or sealed system problem. All LG refrigerators sold in the US use the linear compressor platform, so this applies broadly. If your unit was manufactured between 2014 and 2017, check warranty status first. For 2018 and newer, LG’s standard sealed system warranty covers five years. The LG linear compressor fridge design means repairs must be handled by a technician trained specifically on this platform — standard compressor experience is not sufficient.

LG ThinQ Refrigerator Not Cooling

Before doing anything else on an LG ThinQ refrigerator not cooling, check the ThinQ app for active alerts and run Smart Diagnosis. The ThinQ platform gives you better diagnostic information than any other LG model and often identifies the failing component before the display shows a code. The underlying hardware failures are the same as on non-ThinQ models — compressor, fan, defrost system — but the app makes the diagnosis faster and more accurate.

LG Bottom Freezer Not Freezing

When the LG bottom freezer not freezing while the top fridge section seems normal, the defrost heater is the first component to investigate. Frost buildup on the evaporator coils (located in the bottom freezer section on these models) blocks cold air circulation. The manual defrost test applies here too: unplug for 24 to 48 hours with the freezer door open. If the freezer returns to proper temperature after that, the defrost system needs replacement.

Preventive Maintenance: How to Keep Your LG Running Longer

Most LG cooling failures we diagnose at Wilson & Myers were preventable with consistent maintenance. Here is a practical schedule tailored to the Denver Metro Area climate.

Monthly

Check that the fridge is not overloaded and that nothing is blocking the internal air vents. Overloaded shelves restrict airflow and force the compressor to work harder than necessary. Make sure there is at least 2 inches of clearance around the sides and back of the unit for ventilation. A refrigerator pushed tight against a wall traps heat around the condenser and shortens compressor life.

Every Three Months

Clean the condenser coils. Denver’s dry climate means dust and debris accumulate on the coils faster than in humid environments. A vacuum with a brush attachment takes 10 minutes and is the single highest-value maintenance task you can do. Also check the door gasket on all compartments for cracks, tears, or loose sections. A gasket that fails to seal makes the compressor run constantly and shortens its lifespan significantly.

Once a Year

Have a technician inspect the sealed system, test the thermistor readings, verify the defrost cycle is completing correctly, and confirm that the start relay is in good condition. Annual professional service on an LG refrigerator is especially worthwhile if your unit is between years four and eight of operation, which is the highest-risk window for linear compressor problems based on failure patterns we see across Denver Metro.

Repair or Replace: Making the Right Call

Not every LG refrigerator not cooling situation warrants a repair. Here is how to think about it honestly.

If the unit is under 7 years old and the problem is a fan motor, defrost heater, thermistor, start relay, or damper control, repair is almost always the right choice. These are predictable, mid-range repairs that restore years of useful life. If the unit is covered by the LG refrigerator compressor warranty or an active class action program, pursue that before spending anything out of pocket.

If the unit is 10 or more years old and the compressor or sealed system has failed, the calculation changes. A sealed system repair on an aging unit can be expensive, and if other components are also approaching end of life, a new refrigerator may be the better investment. At Wilson & Myers, we give you a complete diagnosis and a straight answer before any work begins. We do not start repairs without your approval, and we will tell you directly if the repair does not make financial sense for your situation.

LG Refrigerator Repair in Denver Metro Area

Wilson & Myers provides same-day refrigerator repair across the Denver Metro Area. We carry linear compressors, evaporator fan motors, defrost heaters, thermistors, start relays, control boards, water inlet valves, and condenser fan motors for the full range of LG models. Most repairs are completed on the first visit.

We are familiar with the full LG platform including French door, side-by-side, bottom freezer, and ThinQ-connected models. We also handle commercial refrigerator repair and freezer repair for businesses throughout Denver Metro. For a full list of our appliance repair services, see our services page.

FAQ

Why is my LG refrigerator not cooling?

The most common causes are linear compressor failure (especially on 2014 to 2019 units), evaporator fan motor failure, defrost heater failure causing frost buildup on the coils, a faulty thermistor, a failing start relay, or a refrigerant leak in the sealed system. Start by checking temperature settings, cleaning condenser coils, and doing a full power cycle reset. If none of those resolve it, the problem is mechanical.

Why is my LG fridge not cooling but the freezer works?

This specific symptom means the cooling system is working but cold air is not reaching the fresh food section. The most likely causes are a failed evaporator fan motor, a failed damper control that is stuck closed, or a defrost heater failure that has allowed frost to block the fan. The manual defrost test confirms whether the defrost system is the cause: unplug for 24 to 48 hours. If cooling returns, the defrost system needs repair.

How do I reset an LG refrigerator that is not cooling?

The proper LG fridge not cooling reset: unplug completely, wait 60 seconds, plug back in and set temperatures to 37F and 0F. Wait 24 hours before deciding the reset did not work. Also check that the unit is not in Demo Mode. On most LG models, holding the Refrigerator and Ice Plus buttons for 3 to 5 seconds toggles Demo Mode off. If the fridge is still not cooling after 24 hours, the problem is mechanical.

Is my LG compressor covered under warranty?

It depends on the model and purchase date. The 2020 class action settlement extended the LG refrigerator compressor warranty to 10 years from purchase for covered models manufactured between 2014 and 2017. For units purchased from 2018 onward, LG’s standard warranty covers the sealed system including the compressor for 5 years. New LG compressor lawsuit proceedings covering post-2018 models are ongoing as of 2026. Check your serial number at lg.com/us/support, or call Wilson & Myers and we will verify your coverage before starting any work.

Why is my LG refrigerator not making ice?

When your LG refrigerator is not making ice, start with the freezer temperature. The ice maker needs 0F to cycle. If the LG freezer not freezing properly is the root issue, resolve the cooling problem first. If the freezer is at the correct temperature and the ice maker still is not producing, check the ice maker arm position and the water inlet valve. An Er IS error code on the display points to the ice maker sensor. Our ice maker repair service covers all LG configurations including ThinQ and Craft Ice models.

Is it worth repairing an LG refrigerator that is not cooling?

For units under 7 to 8 years old with fan, defrost, thermistor, or relay failures, repair is almost always worthwhile. If the unit is covered by the LG compressor warranty or active settlement programs, pursue that first. For older units with sealed system or compressor failures, weigh the repair cost against the age of the unit. Wilson & Myers always provides a full diagnosis and a straight recommendation before any work begins. Visit our refrigerator repair page for more information.