An LG refrigerator not cooling is one of the most common calls we get at Wilson & Myers. The answer depends on three things: is the freezer still cold? Is the compressor humming? And what year was the unit made? That last question matters more than most people realize. If your LG was manufactured between 2014 and 2017, a class-action settlement may cover the repair entirely. Read that section before you pay anyone.
This is not where most repair guides start. Most go straight to causes and fixes. We start here because a large number of LG refrigerator cooling failures involve a known compressor defect, and there is a legal settlement that may pay for your repair. Skipping this step could cost you hundreds of dollars you did not need to spend.
In 2020, a class action lawsuit called Rosen v. LG was settled. Approximately 1.6 million LG refrigerators manufactured between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2017 were found to have premature linear compressor failures. The settlement included cash compensation and extended warranty coverage.
The compensation tiers are specific. Three or more no-cooling events on a covered unit qualifies for meaningful compensation. A repair delayed more than 30 days qualifies for additional compensation. Documented property or food loss can reach significant reimbursement. Beyond the settlement itself, LG voluntarily extended the inverter linear compressor warranty to 10 years on parts for covered units. That is the LG compressor warranty extension, sometimes also called the compressor warranty program.
If your LG was made between 2014 and 2017, verify coverage before scheduling service with anyone. Find the serial number inside the fridge (top-left corner on most models, or on the inner side rail), go to lg.com/us/support, enter the serial number, and confirm whether it is covered. The LG fridge not cooling warranty check and the LG refrigerator not cooling warranty path both lead to the same place: that page on LG’s support site.
The LG refrigerator compressor recall context is frequently misunderstood. This was not a traditional recall with free replacement for all units. It was a civil settlement. Coverage depends on your specific model, serial number, and purchase date.
The LG refrigerator class action lawsuit settled in 2020, and a second wave of litigation has emerged for units made after 2017. The LG linear compressor lawsuit proceedings are ongoing as of 2026. If your unit was made after 2017 and the compressor has failed, it is worth checking current case status before agreeing to any out-of-pocket repair.
After 15 years of repairing LG refrigerators in Denver, the fastest way I can narrow a diagnosis is to ask one question: what exactly is warm, and what is still cold? That single observation points to a completely different part of the machine each time.
Time pattern matters too. A fridge that goes from perfectly cold to completely warm overnight almost always points to a compressor or relay failure. Gradual warmth building over days or weeks is almost always a refrigerant leak or defrost system failure. The speed of the failure is a diagnostic clue in itself.
If you own a Samsung or Whirlpool and landed here by mistake, we have dedicated guides: Samsung refrigerator not cooling and Whirlpool refrigerator not cooling.
Technicians do this instinctively. It does not appear in any consumer guide. Thirty seconds. No tools required.
Pull the fridge a few inches from the wall. On most LG models, the back panel is a piece of cardboard held by four Phillips screws. Remove it. You will see the compressor: a black dome-shaped housing roughly the size of a large cantaloupe, sitting at the lower right. Place your hand on it.
This is Split A. The LG fridge not cooling but freezer works (also described as LG refrigerator not cooling but freezer is fine) means the sealed system is functioning. Cold is being produced. It is just not reaching the fresh food section. Three components are responsible for moving that cold air from the freezer into the fridge compartment.
The evaporator fan sits inside the freezer section and forces cold air through a duct into the refrigerator compartment above. When it fails, the freezer stays cold because it sits right beside the coils, but the fridge warms quickly. Open the freezer and listen. On a working unit you will feel airflow at the vent. Silence means the fan has stopped.
Early signs include a scraping or grinding sound from inside the freezer before the fan stops entirely. If you hear that noise, the motor is failing and you have a short window. The LG refrigerator not cooling but running pattern, where everything sounds normal but the fridge is warm, often traces here.
The damper is a small motorized flap that regulates how much cold air flows from the freezer side into the refrigerator compartment. Stuck in the closed position, no air passes through regardless of how well the fan and compressor are working. The fridge stays warm while the freezer is perfectly cold.
Confirming a damper failure requires a multimeter. Normal resistance on the damper motor runs 373 to 456 ohms. Outside that range and the motor has failed. This is a technician test.
A clogged defrost drain builds ice at the base of the evaporator coil over time. The ice block eventually grows large enough to physically block airflow from the coil into the fridge duct. The fridge slowly warms over one to two weeks. You may notice water pooling under the crisper drawers.
Confirm it by opening the freezer back panel. A solid block of ice around the evaporator coil tells you what you need to know. DIY fix: unplug the unit, remove all food, leave both doors open for 24 hours to defrost completely, then flush the drain line with hot water and a little baking soda using a turkey baster. Takes a day but costs nothing.
This is Split B. The compressor is humming but nothing is getting cold. Either the refrigerant that carries heat out of the fridge is leaking somewhere in the sealed system, or the defrost heater has failed and frost has blocked the evaporator entirely.
Frost builds up on the evaporator coils with every cycle. The defrost heater runs briefly every several hours to melt that frost. When it fails, frost accumulates until the evaporator is completely encased in ice. No cold air can pass through. Both compartments warm up, but the compressor keeps running because temperature sensors cannot read correctly through the ice.
Open the freezer back panel. A thick layer of frost covering the evaporator completely is the tell. A multimeter continuity test confirms heater failure in seconds.
A slow refrigerant leak produces a distinctive pattern: gradual cooling loss over weeks, then months. The compressor runs more and more frequently trying to compensate. Eventually both sections warm at roughly the same rate. The LG refrigerator and freezer not cooling together, with the compressor still humming, is the classic presentation.
You cannot diagnose or repair a refrigerant leak without professional equipment. Refrigerant handling requires EPA Section 608 certification by federal law. Book a professional LG refrigerator repair and mention you suspect a leak so the technician arrives with detection equipment.
The thermistor is a temperature sensor that reports the current compartment temperature to the control board. A faulty thermistor sends incorrect readings, causing the board to cycle the compressor at wrong intervals. The fridge may run at 45 or 50 degrees instead of 37. Food spoils faster than it should, but the machine sounds completely normal. This is the LG refrigerator not cooling enough symptom rather than a complete failure.
This is Split C. Both sections warm, compressor silent. Here is where the LG-specific context matters most.
LG’s compressor technology has two generations, and the difference matters for both diagnosis and warranty.
The first generation, the LG linear compressor, was used from roughly 2001 through 2017. Single piston, magnetic drive, runs at a fixed speed. Quieter than a rotary design, but proved prone to premature failure on 2014 and later production. This is the generation covered by the Rosen v. LG settlement.
The second generation, the LG inverter linear compressor, arrived in 2018. Variable speed control added to the linear design. Failure rates are meaningfully lower. If you have an LG inverter linear refrigerator not cooling and it is a 2018 or newer unit, the compressor is less likely the cause than on older models. Still possible, but less common.
One important detail: the same model number can include either generation depending on production date. Use the serial number, not the model number, to identify which you have.
When LG linear compressor fridge not cooling calls come in, the LRFXS2503 series is among the most common we see. It uses the FC75LANA compressor, which has the highest documented failure rate of the affected LG linear compressor fridge lineup. If you own one of these and it stopped cooling, check warranty status before agreeing to any paid repair.
Not every “compressor silent” situation is a dead compressor. The start relay is a small cylindrical component bolted to the side of the compressor housing. It provides the electrical kick the compressor needs to start. When the relay dies, the compressor will not start at all, or you will hear it clicking every 30 to 90 seconds as it tries and fails.
Replacing the start relay costs far less than replacing the compressor. Always test the relay first. If it tests bad, replace it and run a 24-hour test before touching anything else.
The LG refrigerator compressor running but not cooling pattern is a sealed system issue, not a compressor failure. When the compressor itself has actually failed on an out-of-warranty unit, the LG fridge compressor replacement is a major repair. On a premium LG French door or ThinQ model, it almost always makes financial sense. On a mid-tier unit approaching 10 years old, it deserves an honest conversation about replacement.
At Wilson & Myers, we give you a straight answer before any work starts. If the repair does not make financial sense for your situation, we will tell you. Visit our refrigerator repair page for more on how we approach these evaluations.
If a Sub-Zero, Samsung, or Whirlpool compressor has also failed, we cover those repairs too. See our guides: Sub-Zero refrigerator not cooling and our LG appliance service page for the full LG lineup.
If you own an LG ThinQ refrigerator not cooling, the smart platform gives you a diagnostic head start that older models simply do not have. Open the LG ThinQ app before doing anything physical. Smart LG refrigerators report cooling errors through the app before they show on the door display, and a meaningful percentage of these alerts are not hardware failures at all.
Common false-alarm causes: the unit lost its wifi connection and the app is reading sensor silence as an error, a firmware update is pending and sensor calibration is off, or a temperature sensor had a one-time glitch. In the app, go to Settings, reset the network connection, and check for pending firmware updates. Apply the update and give the unit 24 hours.
If the LG ThinQ fridge not cooling alert persists 24 hours after a firmware update and network reset, and the fridge is genuinely warm when you check it physically, then it is hardware. The smart platform has not prevented the underlying mechanical failure. It has just given you earlier notice. Use the diagnostic sections above from that point.
The LG French door refrigerator not cooling situation is the most common configuration we see across Denver. French door models from the LFXS, LFXC, LRFXS, and LMXS series all use the linear compressor architecture. The evaporator and defrost system sit in the bottom freezer drawer, which makes the airflow path from freezer to fresh food section longer than on a top-freezer unit. Defrost drain clogs and damper failures hit harder here for exactly that reason.
This is the reverse of Split A. LG freezer not freezing but fridge is cold usually points to a sealed system problem, or a compressor that is still producing some cooling but not enough to reach freezer temperatures. Freezers need colder air than fresh food sections, so insufficient cooling shows there first. The LG refrigerator freezer not cooling, LG fridge freezer not cooling, and LG fridge freezer not freezing labels all describe different stages of the same underlying deterioration.
When LG refrigerator not making ice and freezer not cooling appear at the same time, the freezer temperature is almost always the root cause of both. Fix the cooling and ice production usually returns on its own. These symptoms together point directly to Split C: check the compressor, check warranty, and get a technician to confirm before spending money on the ice maker.
A new LG refrigerator not cooling within the first week or two is almost always an installation issue. The three most common causes: insufficient clearance from the wall (LG recommends at least two inches), temperature settings left in shipping mode, or doors not given time to seal properly after delivery. Give a new unit 24 hours to stabilize before concluding something is wrong.
The most common question before people call a technician. People describe it as “my LG fridge is not cooling” and want to know whether a reset will fix it. There is no dedicated reset button on LG refrigerators. The LG fridge not cooling reset procedure is simpler than most people expect.
Unplug from the wall or flip the circuit breaker. Wait 5 to 10 minutes. Plug back in. On some models, holding the Refrigerator button and the Express Freeze button simultaneously for 5 seconds power-cycles the control board without a full unplug. Both approaches work.
Here is the honest part: a reset only resolves software faults. A sensor glitch, a minor control board error after a power surge. It cannot fix a failed fan, a dead compressor, a blocked evaporator, or a refrigerant leak. On the how to reset LG refrigerator not cooling question, the answer is to try it once. If LG refrigerator not cooling troubleshooting continues beyond that single reset, the problem is hardware.
Most of the cooling failures we see at Wilson & Myers were preventable. A few habits add years of reliable operation.
Clean the condenser coils every six months. On most LG models they sit behind the lower back panel. Dust and pet hair insulate the coils and force the compressor to work significantly harder over time. A vacuum with a brush attachment takes 10 minutes.
Do not block the freezer airflow vent. Overfilling the freezer, particularly letting the ice maker bin overflow, can block the cold air return and trigger all three airflow failure modes described above.
Keep the unit at least two inches from walls and away from heat sources. LG compressors run hotter than average, and ambient temperature management matters more than on most other brands.
The LG fridge not getting cold gradually over weeks, or the LG fridge water not cold through the dispenser, often traces to dirty condenser coils, a weakening sealed system, or a thermistor reading incorrectly. Annual service catches these before they become major failures.
For 2014 to 2017 units specifically, annual professional inspection is worth scheduling. A slow refrigerant leak caught early is a manageable repair. The same leak found after the compressor overheats trying to compensate becomes a much more expensive situation. And for ThinQ models: keep firmware updated. LG ships calibration improvements for temperature sensors through app updates.
Wilson & Myers provides same-day LG refrigerator repair across Denver Metro Area. Our insured technicians have been repairing LG refrigerators in Denver for over 15 years. We service all LG series: LFXS, LFXC, LRFXS, LMXS, LSXC, ThinQ smart models, and side-by-side configurations. We source LG OEM and OEM-equivalent parts through national supplier networks and manufacturer contracts, including compressors, evaporator fan motors, defrost heaters, thermistors, and start relays, so most repairs are completed on the first visit.
For 2014 to 2017 units, we help you verify warranty status before any paid work begins. If the repair is covered under the class action settlement or LG’s voluntary warranty extension, we will tell you and direct you to the right channel. We would rather lose a diagnostic fee than have you pay for something that should be free.
We also repair freezers and service all major brands including Samsung, Whirlpool, Sub-Zero, GE, Bosch, and Maytag. For more on all our LG appliance services, see our LG brand service page.
LG Refrigerator Not Cooling?
Same-day diagnosis across Denver Metro Area. Call Wilson & Myers or book online.
When you find yourself thinking “my LG refrigerator is not cooling but running just fine,” the compressor is working but something is blocking the cooling process. The three most common causes are a failed evaporator fan, a damper stuck in the closed position, or a slow refrigerant leak in the sealed system. Run the tap test described above to confirm whether the compressor is actually humming before going further.
There is no dedicated reset button. Unplug for 5 to 10 minutes, or flip the circuit breaker. On some models, holding Refrigerator and Express Freeze for 5 seconds power-cycles the control board. A reset resolves software faults only. It does not fix mechanical failures. If the LG fridge not cooling reset does not restore cooling within an hour, the problem is hardware.
Check whether the freezer is still cold. That one observation determines which diagnostic path applies. Then check temperature settings and condenser coils. Then run the tap test to find out whether the compressor is running. Five minutes. These three steps narrow the field considerably before anyone pays for a service call.
Linear compressor failure on units manufactured between 2014 and 2017. Approximately 1.6 million LG refrigerators are covered by the 2020 Rosen v. LG class action settlement for this defect. The LG refrigerator lawsuit and LG refrigerator compressor lawsuit context is important: if your unit is from that production window and the compressor has failed, check warranty status at lg.com/us/support before paying anyone for a repair.
Check the serial number inside the fridge, typically at the top-left corner or inner side rail. Go to lg.com/us/support and enter it. LG will confirm whether the unit falls within the covered 2014 to 2017 production window. The LG refrigerator compressor recall coverage depends on your specific serial number. Wilson & Myers can also verify coverage before starting any work.
The LG linear compressor is the first generation, used through approximately 2017. Fixed speed, single piston, magnetic drive. The settlement and most of the LG linear compressor lawsuit proceedings relate to this generation. The LG inverter linear compressor is the second generation from 2018 onward. Variable speed, meaningfully lower failure rate. The LG linear compressor warranty extension and LG fridge compressor warranty program both apply to the first generation specifically. Use your serial number to confirm which you have.
Not always. A wifi disconnection or a pending firmware update can cause false cooling alerts. Update the firmware, reset the network connection, give it 24 hours. If the alert persists and the fridge is physically warm, it is hardware. The app gives earlier warning but does not prevent the underlying mechanical failures described in this guide.
LG freezer not freezing but fridge is cold usually means the sealed system is weakening or the compressor is losing capacity. Freezers require colder temperatures than fresh food sections, so insufficient cooling shows there first. The LG fridge cooling but not freezing pattern needs a professional diagnosis. Do not ignore it.
Yes. We service all residential LG refrigerator models including French door (LFXS, LFXC, LRFXS, LMXS), side-by-side (LSXS, LRMVS), LG Studio (LSXC), and all ThinQ smart refrigerators. We also help verify warranty and settlement coverage for 2014 to 2017 units before any paid work starts. See our LG appliance service page for the full list.
Contact us or submit a request, we will find a solution.
Found This Helpful?
Your oven isn’t heating because one of seven components failed: bake element, igniter, thermal fuse, temperature sensor, control board, gas safety valve, or a single lost leg of 240V power. Identify your fuel type first; gas and electric ovens fail for entirely different reasons. Recent self-clean cycles trip thermal fuses most often. The ranked list […]
A refrigerator leaking water traces to one of six causes. Locate the source by where the water appears: under the crisper, in front, behind the unit, or near the ice maker. Clear a drain clog yourself or book a Denver Metro tech for parts-level work.
You came here because your Samsung fridge is not making ice, and you also want to know whether you should be paying for this repair at all. Both questions have answers. We start with sixty-second checks that fix about half of all calls. Then we cover the class-action history and Samsung's free-repair Ice Maker Service program, so you know what is on you and what is on Samsung. Then we walk the diagnostic spine: filter, valve, fill tube, frost, sensor, board.
A Wolf oven not heating up is one of the more stressful appliance failures a homeowner can face. The unit is expensive, integrated into your kitchen, and not something you simply swap out. At Wilson & Myers, we handle Wolf oven repair calls across Denver Metro Area regularly, and a meaningful number of them resolve in minutes without any parts. This guide covers what to check first, what the F-codes actually mean, and when to call a pro. Bonus: Explore troubleshooting video in the end of the blogpost.
A Sub-Zero freezer not working is a different situation from almost any other appliance failure. You are looking at a high-value built-in unit that is part of your kitchen design. It is not something you just swap out. Before you call anyone, there are three things worth checking yourself and one thing worth verifying that could save you significant repair costs. This guide covers both, then walks through what the real causes are and when it genuinely requires a technician.
The drum is spinning. The timer is counting down. Clothes are coming out cold and damp. If you are asking why is my Samsung dryer not heating, you are in the right place. Or maybe you are thinking "my Samsung dryer is not heating and I have no idea where to start." Either way, Wilson & Myers handles this call more than almost any other across Denver Metro Area. Some of these are 30-second fixes. Others require a technician and a multimeter. This guide walks through every cause, in the order we actually find them in the field.
Welcome to the community.
You'll receive our next expert update soon.
Wilson & Myers is a verified member of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.
