LG Refrigerator Not Cooling? What a Failed Compressor Looks Like

On this Irvine call, an LG LMXC23746D was warm in both the fresh food section and the freezer. Diagnosis showed the compressor had failed, so no refrigerant was being circulated and nothing was pulling heat out of the cabinet. I installed a replacement compressor assembly, part number TCA38151706. The repair came to $1,100.

What the customer described

The call came in as a refrigerator that had stopped working. When I asked what he was seeing, the answer was that everything inside was warm, top and bottom. That detail matters more than people realize, because a refrigerator that is warm everywhere behaves differently from one where only the fresh food side has gone soft while the freezer still makes ice.

What usually causes an LG refrigerator not cooling?

Most no-cooling calls fall into a short list, and they sort out by which compartment is warm.

Airflow and fan problems. A condenser fan that has stopped turning, or a blocked condenser, lets the system run hot and lose capacity. An evaporator fan that has quit leaves the freezer cold but the fresh food compartment warm, since the cold air never gets moved forward.

Defrost system failure. When the defrost heater or control stops working, frost builds over the evaporator coil until air can no longer pass through it. Again, the usual picture is a cold freezer and a warm refrigerator.

Control board or start components. If the compressor is not getting a run signal or its start device has failed, the compressor sits there doing nothing even though the rest of the appliance looks alive.

Sealed system failure. This covers refrigerant loss, a restriction, and a dead compressor. These are the cases where nothing anywhere in the box gets cold, because the part that actually produces the cooling is out of the picture.

What it turned out to be on this LG LMXC23746D

The compressor was the failed component. The compressor is the pump at the heart of the sealed system. It takes low-pressure refrigerant vapor, squeezes it, and pushes it out to the condenser coils where the heat is shed to the room. When it stops pumping, nothing else in the refrigerator can compensate. The fans still run, the lights still come on, the display still responds, and the cabinet still climbs to room temperature.

I replaced it with the set assembly compressor, part number TCA38151706, which is the matched compressor assembly for this LG model. Total for the job was $1,100.

What can you check yourself before calling?

Start with the simple things that do not involve opening the sealed system. Confirm the refrigerator still has power and that the temperature settings have not been changed by someone bumping the control panel. Listen at the back for the condenser fan running. Check that the condenser coils underneath or behind the unit are not packed with dust and pet hair, and that the doors are closing and sealing all the way.

Anything past that point on a cooling failure means opening the refrigerant circuit, which requires recovery equipment and certification. That part is a call to a professional, not a weekend project.

FAQ

Why is my LG refrigerator warm in both the fridge and the freezer?

When both compartments are warm, the problem is usually at the source of the cooling rather than in how the cold air is distributed. A broken evaporator fan or a frosted-over coil typically leaves the freezer cold while the fresh food side warms up. Losing the compressor or the refrigerant charge takes out both compartments at once, because the single sealed system serves the whole cabinet on these LG models.

Is it worth replacing the compressor in an LG refrigerator?

It depends on what a comparable replacement unit costs against the price of the repair. On this LMXC23746D in Irvine, the compressor replacement was $1,100, and the customer chose that over buying a new French door refrigerator. Large-capacity LG models are expensive to replace, so the math often favors the repair when the rest of the appliance, doors, controls, fans, and liner, is in good shape.

Can I replace a refrigerator compressor myself?

No. The compressor sits inside a sealed refrigerant circuit that has to be recovered before anything is cut open, then brazed, evacuated under vacuum, and recharged to a specific weight. Handling refrigerant without the equipment and certification is both illegal and a good way to get hurt. This is also the step where an incorrectly matched compressor will cool poorly even when the installation itself is clean.

Refrigerator not cooling in Irvine?

If your refrigerator is warm throughout and you want it diagnosed properly before spending money on a new one, get in touch and we will come take a look.