A refrigerator that stops cooling is a race against the food inside it, so the first question is how cold it still is and the second is which part stopped. One repair on this list changes the arithmetic: compressor or sealed-system failure at $670–$1,330 installed [S1], against a middle of the list around $389 installed. Everything else sits in a tight band, which is why the age of the unit decides more than the part number does. a warm fresh-food compartment while the freezer stays cold arrives described as fridge is warm but the freezer still works, both compartments are warm, runs constantly and never gets cold or cooling comes and goes. Start where it is free or nearly free: condenser coils packed with dust or pet hair [S1].
What a technician actually does
failed evaporator fan motor [S1]
high likelihood advanced $180–$422 installed about 60 min
fridge is warm but the freezer still works cooling comes and goes
The most common real fault: one evaporator coil sits in the freezer and a fan pushes that cold air through a duct, so a stopped fan leaves the freezer cold and the fridge warm. S1 medians the job at $422 across 130 completed repairs; S2 prices the fan motor at $180-340 installed. Tell them apart by ear: a working fan is audible with the door switch held in. Time basis: no published duration, book estimate.
both sources price this as an installed job rather than a bare part; no part-only figure is claimed
frosted evaporator coil (defrost circuit failure) [S1]
high likelihood advanced $200–$395 installed about 75 min
cooling comes and goes fridge is warm but the freezer still works
A sheet of frost on the back wall of the freezer means the defrost cycle stopped clearing the coil; S1 medians defrost heater and timer work at $395 across 58 jobs, S2 puts the defrost heater or thermostat at $200-380 installed. Unplugging the fridge overnight appears to fix it because it thaws the coil - the fault returns within days. Time basis: no published duration, book estimate.
the sources publish the defrost heater or thermostat repair as an installed job, so no part-only figure is claimed
failed start relay or overload protector [S1]
medium likelihood advanced $389 installed about 45 min
both compartments are warm
Clicking every few minutes followed by silence is the signature, and the relay is always tested before the compressor because it is far cheaper: median $389 across 24 jobs. Time basis: no published duration, book estimate.
the source publishes a median completed-job price for this repair, not a part price
failed thermistor or temperature sensor [S1]
medium likelihood advanced $150–$386 installed about 60 min
both compartments are warm fridge is warm but the freezer still works
A sensor reading a few degrees off quietly tells the control to stop cooling early, so it looks like a fridge that is simply not as cold as it used to be. S1 medians it at $386 across 65 jobs; S2 prices the part and job at $150-250. Time basis: no published duration, book estimate.
the sources quote the sensor job installed, not the sensor alone; no part-only figure is claimed
control board failure (often after a power event) [S2]
low likelihood advanced $300–$650 installed about 90 min
both compartments are warm
S2 puts a main or inverter board at $300-650 installed; S1 medians board replacement at $564 across 78 jobs, the second most expensive routine repair on a refrigerator. Both sources say the relay and the sensors have to be ruled out first, because they produce overlapping symptoms far more cheaply. Time basis: no published duration, book estimate.
both sources price a board as an installed replacement; no part-only figure is claimed
compressor or sealed-system failure [S1]
low likelihood advanced $670–$1,330 installed about 180 min
both compartments are warm runs constantly and never gets cold
The one repair that changes the arithmetic: S1 medians a compressor at $956 with the middle half at $670-1,330; S2 puts it at $700-1,200 installed and notes that refrigerant work needs EPA Section 608 certification and vacuum equipment, so it is never a DIY job. Time basis: no published duration, book estimate.
sealed-system work is priced as a completed job because it needs EPA-certified recovery and recharge equipment, never as a part
Repair or replace?
Every repair on the list except the compressor is straightforward arithmetic: a $386-564 fix on a refrigerator that cost well over a thousand is not a close call. The compressor changes it - at a median of $956 the repair approaches a real share of a mid-range replacement and signals the sealed system is at the end of its service life. Under eight years old, and especially on a built-in, repair usually still wins; past twelve years on a standard freestanding model, replacement generally does. [S1]
- Typical completed repair: $150–$650 [S1]
- Comparable new unit: $700–$3,200 [S1]
- Planning life used for the decision: 12 years
- A basic top-freezer replacement is $700-1,100 in 2026 and a French door $1,600-3,200, which is exactly why repairing a built-in at $900 often makes sense.
S1 puts the replacement line at twelve years for a standard freestanding model; S2 notes built-in and column units are designed for 15-20 years of service, which is why repairing those usually pencils out
Run your own quote through the calculator — the same half-of-new-price rule with your numbers.