Kenmore Refrigerator Compressor Failure: A 12-Year-Old Unit in Irvine

A Kenmore refrigerator compressor failure stopped this 12-year-old unit, model 79571603014, from running. Kenmore refrigerators in this series are built by LG, and the compressor is a known weak point. The repair was a new Set Assembly Compressor, part TCA35533601, brazed in under nitrogen and recharged with refrigerant.

The refrigerator was in Irvine, 92618. It was a Kenmore, model number 79571603014, twelve years old, and it was not running.

What causes a Kenmore refrigerator compressor failure?

The compressor is the pump at the bottom of the refrigerator that moves refrigerant through the sealed system. It pressurizes the refrigerant so it can shed heat through the condenser coils and then absorb heat inside the cabinet. When the compressor stops pumping, nothing in the sealed system moves, and the box warms up no matter what the controls or the fans are doing.

This model carries a Kenmore badge, but the 795 prefix on the model number means it came off an LG line. I see these compressors fail regularly on that platform, and this one had run for twelve years before it quit.

How the compressor was replaced

I offered the customer a compressor replacement along with the sealed system components tied to it, and that is what we did. The replacement part was a Set Assembly Compressor, part number TCA35533601.

Changing a compressor means opening the sealed system. The old compressor comes out, the new one goes in, and the connections are brazed while nitrogen flows through the lines. After the system is closed up, it gets charged with refrigerant. The refrigerator was cooling again before I left.

This is not work for a homeowner. Sealed refrigerant systems need recovery equipment, brazing gear, and a proper charge, so call a professional for anything behind the compressor cover.

What did the parts cost?

The compressor assembly was $527.27. The nitrogen, brazing alloys, and refrigerant came to $60.00.

On a twelve-year-old refrigerator, that parts cost is the number the decision hinges on. The customer chose to repair rather than replace.

FAQ

Why does a refrigerator compressor need nitrogen to be installed?

Nitrogen flows through the tubing while the joints are brazed. Without it, the heat from the torch causes scale and oxide to form on the inside walls of the copper. That debris breaks loose later and travels with the refrigerant, where it can plug the capillary tube or the drier and kill the new compressor. The nitrogen displaces the air so the inside of the line stays clean.

Is a Kenmore refrigerator actually made by Kenmore?

No. Kenmore is a Sears brand, and the refrigerators are built by outside manufacturers. The first three digits of the model number identify who made it. The unit on this job, model 79571603014, starts with 795, which is LG. That matters for parts, because the compressor I installed is an LG part number, TCA35533601, not something unique to Kenmore.

Can I replace a refrigerator compressor myself?

No. The compressor sits inside a sealed refrigerant circuit, and opening it requires recovering the existing refrigerant rather than venting it, brazing the line connections, and putting back an accurate charge. Guessing the charge weight leaves the refrigerator running warm or overloading the new compressor. The equipment needed for the job costs more than the repair itself for most homeowners.

Need a compressor diagnosed?

If your Kenmore or LG refrigerator has stopped cooling and you are in Irvine or nearby, call us and we will find out whether the compressor is the problem before you spend anything on parts.