Bosch refrigerators are known for their longevity, which explains their popularity in U.S. households. According to a recent report by Yale Appliance, Bosch refrigerators have an 11.6% service rate.
In this report, Bosch refrigerators come in second place in service rates, meaning the brand offers lower rates than the average of 13.4% for most brands. This reflects the brand’s reliability and durability.
However, this doesn’t make these fridges immune to defects and malfunctions. You may find one day that your Bosch refrigerator is not cooling as expected. This discovery can throw you into a state of dismay. You’ll immediately be concerned about the loss of fresh groceries, the inconvenience of spoiled food, and the looming expense of repairs.
But fear not, fellow homeowner! Before resigning yourself to the lack of cool air inside your fridge, let’s delve into the potential culprits and explore solutions to get your Bosch back to its expected performance.
Why Is Your Bosch Refrigerator Not Cooling and How To Fix It
If your Bosch refrigerator is not cooling properly, you can blame various components. Usually, dirty coils, jammed dampers, faulty thermostats, or defective door gaskets are the first things to come to your mind. But, there are other hidden causes like defective VitaFresh drawers.
In most cases, regular maintenance steps like cleaning coils and checking seals, can often prevent these cooling woes.
Now, let’s delve deeper into the common and unique causes behind your Bosch refrigerator not cooling.
8 Most Common Bosch Refrigerator Problems & Troubleshooting
1a- Faulty VitaFresh Drawers
This problem goes beyond the obvious culprits that you typically put on top of the list. However, this component affects your Bosch fridge’s performance. To ensure whether your refrigerator has this component, you can check the model number online or refer to the user manual.
VitaFresh drawers are responsible for optimizing temperature settings and humidity conditions for different types of stored food. This component balances the long preservation of food without compromising the quality, taste, and nutrients.
These drawers rely on airtight seals and adjustable temperature settings to work efficiently. Troubles occur when the seal fails or the temperature controls malfunction. This disrupts the delicate flow of cold air within your Bosch fridge, causing frost buildup and multiple other problems, including:
- Uneven cooling
- Overworked compressor
- Airflow blockage
1b- How To Fix Faulty VitaFresh Drawers
Diagnosing and troubleshooting these drawers isn’t impossible, as you don’t need to remove any other parts to access them. Here’s what you can do to fix problematic drawers:
- Open the refrigerator door: Disconnect the refrigerator from its power outlet and open the door. Adjust or remove the shelves and food items to access these drawers.
- Find the component: Look for these VitaFresh drawers at the bottom of your Bosch refrigerator, particularly below the main shelves.
- Check the temperature settings: These drawers have separate humidity and temperature settings. Refer to the manual to ensure whether the existing settings are appropriate for the stored groceries.
- Defrost the drawers: Inspect these drawers for frost or water buildup. If found, you can wipe the water with a dry cloth. As for frost buildup, you can defrost with a hairdryer or wait for frost to melt naturally. While at it, remove any dirt or food particles blocking the drawers’ vents.
- Fix minor cracks: In case of visible cracks in the drawers, use epoxy to fix them. Otherwise, opt for new drawers and install them.
2a- Blocked Damper
This component might not be as known as the condenser coils or the temperature control board, but its problems affect your fridge’s cooling efficiency. Think of it as a traffic cop that regulates the flow of cold air between the refrigerator and freezer compartments.
When this tiny component malfunctions, you can notice excessive cold temperatures in the freezer and warm air inside the fridge. Also, you may notice higher energy consumption and costs due to overworked compressors, thermostats, and other vital components.
2b- How To Fix Blocked Damper
Before working on a blocked damper or any other internal component, remember to stay safe. Unplug the refrigerator’s power cord to avoid any risks or hazards. Now, let’s get to work:
- Find the damper: Look for a tiny flap in the refrigerator compartment. This damper is hidden behind a vent in the fridge’s ceiling or back wall.
- Remove the cover: Grab your flathead screwdriver and unscrew the vent cover. This gives you access to the damper.
- Move the damper: Gently remove the flap to evaluate whether it’s blocked. If it shows resistance when you move it, look for obstructions like food debris. Remove blockages with a dry towel or a vacuum cleaner. Clearing obstructions should make the flap open and close smoothly.
- Consider a replacement: If the damper remains stuck, you should replace it. If you are familiar with disconnecting electrical wires, you can DIY replace this component. If not, you should seek professional help.
3a- Defective Evaporator Fan Motor
This component rotates the cold air from the evaporator coils, ensuring every corner of your fridge stays refreshingly cool. When this motor goes kaputt, the cold air remains trapped around the evaporator coils.
This scenario results in only one part of the fridge being cold, but the rest of the unit becomes warm and creates an ideal environment for bacterial growth.
3b- How To Fix Defective Evaporator Fan Motor
Before troubleshooting this motor, prioritize your safety by unplugging it from the power source. Also, keep your user manual close for any specific recommendations:
- Locate the evaporator fan motor: Look for this small motor in its hideout in the freezer compartment. It’s nestled behind the freezer’s rear panel.
- Unscrew the panel: Remove the screws of this cover or panel using a plastic pry tool or your trusty screwdriver. Removing the panel gives you access to the evaporator coils and the fan motor.
- Look for damage signs: Visually inspect the motor for frayed or burned wires or physical damage signs. Check whether the refrigerator evaporator fan spins smoothly or dust and food buildup choke its movement. Also, ensure that the fan blades are not bent or broken.
- Test it for continuity: Use a multimeter to perform a continuity test. Connect the multimeter’s red probe to one end of the motor, and hook the black probe to the other end. If it provides high and inconsistent readings, you should get a new motor.
Remember to call in for professional help if you are not comfortable with tackling electrical components.
4a- Incorrect Refrigerator’s Temperature
Besides the compressor, the temperature control thermostat is a key player in regulating your Bosch refrigerator temperature. But don’t confuse this component with the defrost thermostat. The former is tucked inside the fridge’s compartment near its lightbulb, while the latter is inside the freezer.
Also, the main thermostat controls the fridge’s internal climate, whereas a defrost thermostat contributes to the success of the fridge’s defrost cycles.
If the temperature control thermostat is defective or set to the highest settings, it results in inconsistent temperature and uneven cooling.
4b- How To Fix Incorrect Refrigerator’s Temperature
By regulating the power supply to the compressor, a functional thermostat maintains stable temperatures inside your Bosch refrigerator. A malfunctioning thermostat isn’t always defective and calls for replacement. Sometimes, an accidental bump causes changes in the temperature settings. To diagnose and correctly troubleshoot incorrect settings, follow these steps:
- Find the thermostat: Usually, this component is nestled near the light bulb, but this location may vary in some older models. To have better access to the thermostat, you can remove some shelves and food.
- Check the knob: You don’t need to remove any components to adjust this knob. Check the settings mentioned in the manual and adjust the knob accordingly.
- Detach the thermostat: If the previous step doesn’t resolve the issue, you’ll need to test the component for continuity. Bring your needle-nose pliers to disconnect the wire connectors from the thermostat.
- Bring your multimeter: Connect the multimeter to check for continuity. If the tester beeps and or lights up, it indicates a functional thermostat. Otherwise, you should opt for a replacement part.
5a- Troublesome Condenser Fan Motor
This motor and its fan are responsible for cooling down the condenser coils. This small but crucial component pulls in fresh air, allowing the system to release heat and maintain that chilled fridge.
A troublesome condenser fan motor stands in the way of proper air circulation. This results in trapping the heat released by the compressor and turning your fridge into a tropical sauna. You can identify a faulty motor by listening to the outdoor coils.
If they click or hum, it’s indicative of motor issues. Also, if these coils seem excessively hot, this is another sign. this problem usually occurs when the start capacitor isn’t functional, which deprives the motor of getting the required performance boost.
Also, this motor fails when none of its bearings or blades work properly. Overheating and dust buildup contribute to the condenser fan motor issues.
Fridge Compressor Running But Not Cooling: 9 Ways To Fix It
5b- How To Fix Condenser Fan Motor
As with most electrical components of a Bosch refrigerator, it is not always easy or safe to handle a condenser motor. But if you know your way around wires and connections, you can proceed with the following steps:
- Locate the condenser motor: Look for this component in the back part of the fridge, practically at its bottom section near the compressor.
- Unscrew the panel: Gently, remove the holding screws and keep them in a safe place. Use your screwdriver for this task.
- Remove and test the motor: Unmount the motor from its bracket or housing using a screwdriver. Keep your approach cautious and gentle as you lift the motor from its wire harness. Test this motor the same way you did with the evaporator motor.
- Replace the old motor: A failed motor can’t be fixed. But a replacement is always a suitable solution to a dead electrical component.
Conclusion
To sum it up, when faced with a Bosch refrigerator not cooling, it’s crucial to identify the root cause without delay. From faulty components like VitaFresh drawers to blocked dampers and defective fan motors, there are various potential issues to address. By following the provided troubleshooting steps, you can often resolve these problems yourself.
However, there is nothing wrong with seeking professional assistance for simple or more complex issues. If are uncertain of your DIY, you can get someone qualified enough to troubleshoot your Bosch refrigerator on your behalf.
But remember that with proactive maintenance and timely repairs, you can ensure your Bosch refrigerator continues to operate efficiently and avoid more complex and expensive repairs.
Now that we’ve unmasked the most common suspects behind this frustrating issue, are you ready to restore your fridge’s optimum cooling? If so, grab a screwdriver, and a thirst for knowledge, and let’s tackle those temperature tantrums together!
Adrian is an ISCET licensed professional that has completed the National Appliance Service Technician Certification Exam and has the expertise to diagnose and repair any appliance. He is well-versed in the latest technologies and techniques and is always up-to-date on the latest industry standards.
