KitchenAid 2311008, Refrigerator Use & Care Manual

10

TROUBLESHOOTING

Try the solutions suggested here first in order to avoid the cost of an unnecessary service call.

Your refrigerator will not operate

■

Is the power supply cord unplugged? Plug into a grounded 
3 prong outlet.

■

Has a household fuse blown, or has a circuit breaker 
tripped? Replace the fuse or reset the circuit.

■

Is the Refrigerator Control turned to the OFF position? 
See “Using the Control.”

The lights do not work

■

Is the power supply cord unplugged? Plug into a grounded 
3 prong outlet.

■

Is a light bulb loose in the socket? Turn the refrigerator 
control to the off position. Disconnect the refrigerator from 
the electrical supply. Gently remove the bulb and reinsert. 
Then reconnect the refrigerator to the electrical supply and 
reset the refrigerator control.

■

Has a light bulb burned out? Replace with an appliance 
bulb of the same wattage, size, and shape. See “Changing 
the Light Bulb.”

There is water in the defrost drain pan

■

Is the refrigerator defrosting? The water will evaporate. It is 
normal for water to drip into the defrost pan. 

■

Is it more humid than normal? Expect that the water in the 
defrost pan will take longer to evaporate. This is normal when 
it is hot or humid.

The motor seems to run too much

■

Is the temperature outside hotter than normal? Expect the 
motor to run longer under warm conditions. At normal 
outdoor temperatures, expect your motor to run about 40% 
to 80% of the time. Under warmer conditions, expect it to run 
even more of the time.

■

Has a large amount of food just been added to the 
refrigerator? Adding a large amount of food warms the 
refrigerator. It is normal for the motor to run longer in order to 
cool the refrigerator back down. 

■

Is the door opened often? Expect the motor to run longer 
when this occurs. In order to conserve energy, try to get 
everything you need out of the refrigerator at once, keep food 
organized so it is easy to find, and close the door as soon as 
the food is removed.

■

Is the control set correctly for the surrounding 
conditions? See “Using the Control.”

■

Is the door closed completely? Push the doors firmly shut. 
If they will not shut all the way, see “The door will not close 
completely” later in this section.

■

Are the condenser coils dirty? This prevents air transfer and 
makes the motor work harder. Clean the condenser coils. See 
“Cleaning.”

■

Is the evaporator fan running? The evaporator fan is 
designed to run continously. See “Normal Sounds.”

Temperature is too warm

■

Is the door opened often? Be aware that the refrigerator will 
warm when this occurs. In order to keep the refrigerator cool, 
try to get everything you need out of the refrigerator at once, 
keep food organized so it is easy to find, and close the door 
as soon as the food is removed.

■

Has a large amount of food just been added to the 
refrigerator? Adding a large amount of food warms the 
refrigerator. It can take several hours for the refrigerator to 
return to the normal temperature.

■

Is the control set correctly for the surrounding 
conditions? See “Using the Control.”

There is interior moisture buildup

■

Is the door opened often? To avoid humidity buildup, try to 
get everything you need out of the refrigerator at once, keep 
food organized so it is easy to find, and close the door as 
soon as the food is removed. When the door is opened, 
humidity from the room air enters the refrigerator. The more 
often the door is opened, the faster humidity builds up, 
especially when the room itself is very humid.

■

Is it humid? It is normal for moisture to build up inside the 
refrigerator when the air is humid.

■

Is the food packaged correctly? Check that all food is 
securely wrapped. Wipe off damp food containers before 
placing in the refrigerator.

■

Is the control set correctly for the surrounding 
conditions? See “Using the Control.”

The door is difficult to open

■

Is the gasket dirty or sticky? Clean the gasket and the 
surface that it touches. Rub a thin coat of paraffin wax on the 
gasket following cleaning.

The door will not close completely

■

Are food packages blocking the door open? Rearrange 
containers so that they fit more tightly and take up less 
space.

■

Are the shelves out of position? Put the shelves back into 
their correct positions. See “Refrigerator Use” for more 
information.

■

Is the gasket sticking? Clean the gasket and the surface 
that it touches. Rub a thin coat of paraffin wax on the gasket 
following cleaning.