Problem: Initially the refrigerator would slow down the cooling process and I notice water under the lower crisper pan. Also, I stop hearing the "click-click" noise which probably indicates that the auto-defrost is not happening anymore. After a day or 2 the refrigerator would give up completely and after 3 to 4 days, the ice-cream is the freezer section would start melting. This is followed by lot of ice formation on the lower back wall of the freezer.

My temporary fix: Power down the refrigerator for 24hrs and let all the ice melt down. Clean up everything and connect the power supply. After 24hrs, things are restored back to normal and I start hearing the click-click noise about 4 - 6 times a day. The above mentioned problem re-occurs after 5 to 8 weeks.

Question:
- Is the auto defrost system broken ?
- If so, why does is function normally for few weeks before giving up ?
- We are suspecting that a partially opened door for a prolonged period of time is throwing off the auto defrost timer or thermostat or whatever. Could this be true ?

Please let me know,
_Mamtech

After you unplug it for 24 hrs. the frost melts from the evaporator coil, then it could cool fine for awhile, but with a bad/intermittent defrost board, it will do the same thing.

A partially opened door would case frost on everything, not just the lower back panel inside the freezer.

Sounds like you need a new defrost board as noted in this thread:
http://www.applianceblog.com/mainforums/showthread.php?t=223

Jake

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