It’s quite interesting to find out that your fridge is warm but your freezer is working just perfectly as it should. Maybe you wanted to grab a snack or a tin of milk you kept in there, only for you to discover that the refrigerator is not cold, what do you do at this point? Well, here in this article, we have provided some of the main causes of the issue and also how best to fix the fridge not working but freezer is.
Two common errors cause this glitch which is either, a weak or faulty defrost system. The defrost systems malfunction once the heater elements and thermostats burn out, or the defrost drain is clogged by ice, preventing warm air to escape from the refrigerator.
To be sure if your refrigerator’s defrost system is broken or not, check how much frost accumulates on the coils.
This post will walk you through why your fridge is not working but freezer is, how to fix these causes, and also how you can fix the fridge that is working but freezer is not. Ensure you scroll down to the end!
Why the fridge is not working but freezer is
Do you have an ice cream in your freezer which is solidly iced while the vegetable you placed in your fridge is getting spoilt even without a constant power supply? I’m sure you will be wondering what on Earth is happening because it’s absurd.
You may even be left with a mess to clean up in your fridge because of the spoilt foods. Once the fridge is not cold but the freezer is, the issue is probably related to one of your refrigerator’s mechanisms which stopped working as it was designed. Check out the following causes of why the fridge not working but freezer is below:
The evaporator fan is faulty
Every refrigerator has a set of coils called an evaporator, which is designed to make the interior part of the fridge cold. A small fan and motor are fastened near the evaporator, helping it draw air over the coils and circulate it to the fridge and freezer concurrently. If the evaporator fan is faulty, then you may likely be stuck with a warm refrigerator.
Evaporator Fan Motor is defective
If your refrigerator won’t get cold, but the freezer is still working, then you may need to check your evaporator fan motor and replace it with a new one if you have a broken evaporator fan motor.
The evaporator fan motor helps to power the fan that blows cold air over the coils so that the refrigerant won’t cool enough to maintain a temperature without it.
Refrigerator is Overfull
If you’re wondering why your fridge is not working but the freezer is, then your refrigerator may be overstuffed. Apart from having wastage from the food kept in your fridge not getting cool, it also leads to a higher energy bill.
To fix this issue, remove all unnecessary items and stock up on ice packs if you will be heading out for an extended period.
Condenser Coils are Dirty
Why is the fridge not working but the freezer is may because your condenser coils are dirty? These coils are not able to cool refrigerants effectively once they are covered with dust and debris.
This can cause your refrigerator to stop getting cold but the freezer will still maintain its temperature.
The defrost heater system is not working
One essential part of your fridge and freezer is the defrost heater system. The defrost heater system consists of several components working together to keep it going! Without this machine, most refrigerators would get too iced up and stop running altogether and ice cream lovers will be affected everywhere.
In situations where the defrost heater burns out or the defrost thermostat is defective, frost can easily build up on the evaporator coils. As these coils become frosted over, finally no air will be able to pass through to provide cooling.
Faulty Damper control
The damper control is a manually or automatically operated door that opens and closes to allow more or less cold air into the refrigerator. Once this door is stuck or broken, then it won’t allow in enough cold air to maintain a proper temperature thereby causing the fridge not working but freezer is the problem.
A defective Thermistor
A thermistor is a temperature sensor used in most refrigerators and freezers. This sensor is very important and it’s designed to send the temperature reading from the fridge to the control board, however, if it’s faulty, it’s likely the refrigerator will not cool.
The temperature control board is defective
The control board of the refrigerator can be likened to the ‘brains’, it monitors the temperature sensors, kick-starts the compressor and fans, and also regulate the defrost cycle.
A faulty board will not read the temperature sensors properly, meaning the fridge will be unable to cool accurately.
How to fix Fridge not working but freezer is
Even though this issue looks absurd it sure happens. When your fridge is warm but your freezer is cold, what do you do at that moment? Below are some fixes that will help you solve the problem so easily in five minutes also and save a few hundred dollars.
Sounds interesting, right? Follow the steps below to fix the fridge not working but freezer is the problem:
Remove Frost from the Evaporator Coil of a fridge
If your fridge is not cooling properly but freezer is, there may be frost on the evaporator coils. To remove it, follow the steps below:
- Disconnect and turn off power at the breaker panel before removing any panels or dismantling anything for safety reasons.
- Clean up as much frost from all parts of the coil can you can reach with a cotton swab soaked in rubbing alcohol.
- Allow them to dry completely before turning the refrigerator back on.
- Once you are done making repairs, ensure airflow via the freezer and refrigerator is free by checking the doors for resistance when it’s opened and closed.
In case removing frost from the evaporator coil of a fridge does not fix the fridge not working but freezer is, check out the next fix below. 
Improve the air circulation in your Refrigerator
Follow the simple steps below to improve the air circulation in your refrigerator:
- Before you begin, ensure to get rid of all old food and spoilt items in the fridge.
- Wash the interior part of your refrigerator with mild soap to remove any sludge or mold from previous spills that might have seeped in during fridge storage over time.
- Re-arrange your shelves to create more space for airflow on both sides.
- This also helps to regulate temperature levels too!
- You can as well place a bowl filled with water at the back (that is by the side away from where you open it) as an extra cooling agent because air typically flows towards colder objects.
- Keep your fridge at a three-quarter capacity to ensure the best air circulation all over.
In case this does not fix fridge not working but freezer is, check out the next fix below.
Clean dirty Condenser Coil
Timely cleaning of the dirty condenser coil every 6 months to a year should do the trick just fine and fast. Here are some easy steps to clean a dirty condenser coil:
- Disconnect the refrigerator (to avoid an electric shock).
- Detach any removable panels around the condenser coil housing.
- Unplug the power cable by loosening terminal screws.
- Vacuum clean all dirt off the aluminum fins.
- Replace the panel(s), and reconnect the power cord.
- That’s it! You have successfully cleaned the dirty condenser coil.
In case cleaning the dirty condenser coil does not fix fridge not working but freezer is, check out the next fix below. 
Fix the Defrost Heater System
Once you have a faulty defrost heater system, the ice builds up behind the back panel, which blocks the air vents between your freezer and the fridge. This prevents the fridge from getting cold enough to keep your food fresh longer!
Low-tech fixes like simply opening a window or switching on a fan may not be powerful enough to fix this problem. Here is the how to fix the defrost system:
- Thoroughly clean the ice out from behind your refrigerator’s back panel.
- You can use a vacuum cleaner with an extendable attachment (or a hairdryer can also work if you have one)
- To prevent this issue from reoccurring in the future, ensure to always check your defrost cycle timer and be sure it is set accordingly for your fridge model (which is usually somewhere between 30 minutes and two hours).
- In case it’s not stated on the manual that came with your home appliance then you can consult available online service manuals.
If none of the above fixes work, then you can go ahead to replace any faulty components in your Refrigerator.
How to fix Fridge is working but freezer is not
However, if it’s the other way round, that is, your fridge is still cooling the food, but the freezer is not, then the freezer needs to be defrosted. Follow the steps below to defrost your freezer:
- Switch off the power to the refrigerator by unplugging it.
- Detach the fridge’s back panel, and then find the compressor.
- You can as well refer to the owner’s manual for an easy guide to the location and removal instructions.
- Remove all the frost that you can with the aid of a frost scraper or heat gun.
With this, your freezer should start getting cold and eventually freeze.