FIXED KitchenAid Refrigerator KRMF706EBS01 - Freezer not cold enough and no ice from ice maker

[PABosse]

Model Number

KRMF706EBS01

Brand

KitchenAid

Age

1-5 years

Hi. We have some issues with our French door KitchenAid fridge. Problems are:

- Freezer not cold enough - Set point is at -20C and the middle drawer is at -6.6C (stuff on top drawer is thawing)
- No ice from the ice maker. E5 is the error we have when we look in the test mode.

I have looked at the back of the freezer by removing the top drawer at there is some ice build-up on the plastic trim at the back of the freezer mostly on the bottom right area, near the temperature probe (??) on the top right area and some on the top left area (see picture).

Any idea where to look first in trying to solve this.

Thanks

 

[Jake]

Ok, first do you hear the freezer(evaporator) fan running when you open the freezer door?

Its best to remove that back panel inside the freezer and take a photo of it. It looks like a auto-defrost problem.

I'm attaching your tech. data sheet below, Do Service Test - 77 Defrost Thermistor--->The board will check the resistance value of the thermistor and display (01 = PASS, 02 = OPEN, 03 = SHORT)

This video should give you the general idea of how to remove the back panel inside the freezer:

KitchenAid 5 Door Refrigerator Freezer Evaporator Fan Motor Repla | Repair Clinic

This video provides step-by-step repair instructions for replacing the freezer evaporator fan motor on a KitchenAid 5 Door Refrigerator (Model KRMF706ESS01. Learn more from the experts at Repair Clinic.

www.anrdoezrs.net

Here's the FC fan motor assembly for your model below, See the brass looking thermistor bulb with the clip on it in the photo below? That's your defrost thermistor.



On this model the defrost thermistor comes only with the FC evaporator fan motor assembly. Its in-stock here: W11249952

Jake

 

[PABosse]

Hello Jake.
Many thanks for the reply.
With regards to the freezer evaporator fan, how much sound should we hear? When opening the freezer, the sound looks more like the compressor running.
Service test #77 gave a 01 value.
Thanks
Pierre-Alexandre

 

[Jake]

With regards to the freezer evaporator fan, how much sound should we hear?

It should sound like a normal fan blowing air, you should feel cold air coming out the freezer vent on the back panel too, on some models you will need to hold the door switch in when the door is open to hear the fan running.

Service test #77 gave a 01 value.

That's good then.

Jake

 

[PABosse]

Ok. I just remove the top drawer in the freezer (to have a better access to the back), by-pass the door switch so that the freezer is considered closed and tried to feel some air flow at the back of the freezer from the top opening. No air flow could be felt.

Also, I looked through the bottom opening and they are filled with ice/snow, so I guess this is another sign of the evaporator being full of ice and that something is not working properly in there!

Not super clear on the picture, but the two bottom openings are filled with snow/ice.

Thanks
PA

 

[Jake]

Ok, so you may have a evaporator fan motor problem.

DO--->Service Test - 3 Evaporator fan motor and air baffle motor • Control the RC & FC Evaporator Fan Mtrs. by depressing SW3 (01 = Both Fan Mtr. OFF, 02 = FC Fan ON). • Depress SW3 once to advance.

Step 3 will flash quickly and advances to steps 13/23 very quickly. The result is RC Fan on, Pantry Air Damper on. Pantry Air Damper will open and close automatically. (13 = Damper Open, 23 = Damper Closed. Verify air flow inside pantry on left hand side when damper is open, 912 displayed). Air flow in pantry will cease when 23 is displayed. • Depress SW3 to advance to last step. (04 = Both RC & FC fans on).

FC stands for Freezer Compartment fan motor.

Jake

 

[PABosse]

He is the evaporator with everything open. No ice!
We will do the test as you indicate above.
Thanks
PA

 

[PABosse]

So I did the service test #3. There is air flow in the fridge, but not sure that there is a major difference between damper open/close. But at step #4, nothing from the FC fan. So seems that the issue is the freeze evaporator fan not working.

 

[Jake]

He is the evaporator with everything open. No ice!

Was the compressor running(in normal cooling operation) when you took that photo of the freezer evaporator coil? Of did you unplug the machine or have it turned off? Normal frost pattern when it on and running in cooling model would be a thin layer of frost on all the coils from Top to Bottom.

P14-1(BLUE WIRE) to F14-2(WHITE WIRE) you should get 12.7 volts DC in TEST 3 for the FC fan motor. If you do get 12.7 volts DC and its not running, then the FC fan motor is the culprit.

Jake

 

[PABosse]

I unplugged the machine when removing everything and took the photo when I was done. We plugged it to try to see if the motor was turning.

How long should it take for the frost pattern to appear on the evaporator once the machine is plugged in?

I will take everything apart again probably tomorrow and test the voltage on the FC fan motor.

Thanks again for the replies.

PA Bossé

 

[Jake]

How long should it take for the frost pattern to appear on the evaporator once the machine is plugged in?

2 hours, keep the door closed.

Jake

 

[PABosse]

So I took the FC evaporator cover off and reinstalled the door. Let the system run for 2 hours and I got the following frost pattern on the evaporator. Seems adequate to me; frost from top to bottom, but I am no expert.


Tried to measure the voltage on the connector that feeds the motor (with equipment in test mode #3, step 4) but I was not able the measure it. So I took the motor out and put 12V on the motor wire (blue & white) and nothing. So assuming that the fridge is sending 12V to the connector, it seems that the culprit is the motor.

 

[Jake]

Yes, your FC evaporator coil looks like a good frost pattern.

I agree, I'd order and replace the FC evaporator fan motor that I posted in post #2 above and that should fix it.

Jake

 

[PABosse]

Will do that and revert back with the result once replace.
Thanks
PA Bossé

 

[Jake]

Ok, sounds good.

Jake

 

[PABosse]

My wife went to recover the part at our US delivery location and brought it back (we are in Canada!). I am actually away at work in the Canadian Arctic and back home later this week. Can't wait to get the part installed to confirm if it was the problem.

 

[Jake]

Ok, yes keep us posted.

Jake

 

[PABosse]

So just installed new motor this morning. Before closing everything, I tested it with Service Test #3 and nothing! Nothing with service test #3 step 2 or step 4. The fridge fan runs but not the freezer one.

What next?? I guess that I would need to confirm that there is current that is sent to the motor, but how??

 

[Jake]

Confirm this on the main control board--->P14-1(BLUE WIRE) to F14-2(WHITE WIRE) you should get 12.7 volts DC in TEST 3 for the FC fan motor. If you do get 12.7 volts DC and its not running, then the FC fan motor is the culprit.

Here's the main control board for your model:
Refrigerator Control Board WPW10675033


Jake

 

[PABosse]

So, here is the latest on this.

Pulled the fridge out with my son to go measure the voltage on the P14 connector on the control board. We had some issue at first so we took the connector off to try to go directly on the pins with no real success. So we reinstalled the connector and used needles to get a good contact.

We first measured on pins 6-7 to see if there was voltage; we got a good value. We then measured on pins 1-2 (FC evap fan 12V supply) when is service test #3, step #2 and we got 12.7V. So basically ruling out the main circuit board.

Knowing that the motor is brand new, we decided to go and reopen the freezer to go and measure at the fan connector to see if there was voltage. So we took everything apart (again!) and before trying to measure voltage, we did another test with service test #3 step #2 and surprise, the motor ran.

Not sure where the problem was, but the only thing we did is unplugging/plugging connector P14 on the main circuit board. Is this just coincidence???

Anyhow, the fridge is now running; we will see tomorrow what is the temperature inside the freezer and then we will try the ice machine, but for now, it looks good.