FIXED WRV986FDEM01 Whirlpool Refrigerator started acting crazy, followed by all the lights out, water/ice non functional, and the drawer control out.

[Brew78]

Hi - I have this same fridge and came across this thread while searching for possible solutions, since I was having the exact same problem. Fridge started acting crazy, followed by all the lights out, water/ice non functional, and the drawer control out.

Now, I'll start by saying that a few weeks back I'd also run into the problem with the blown freezer light, where most of the lights would be dim but the freezer light actually went fully out. And replacing that LED brought back all the interior lights and everything worked normal. So I don't know if this is in any way related to the current issues.

BUT, as described in the troubleshooting steps in this thread, disconnecting the drawer control unit DID bring back most of the rest of the fridge. The interior lights came back on, I regained use of the main control panel, and ice now dispenses. However, unlike the other poster, our water is still out. I'm not hearing the click of the solenoid, just the click of the switch being pushed on by the glass. Is there any correlation between the drawer unit (being disconnected) and the water dispenser not functioning?

I'm honestly ok with leaving the drawer controls disconnected, since we rarely use varying temperatures in that drawer anyway (which is to say we always manage to push the button when reaching in, and it's always on an arbitrary setting anyway), but we'd really like to get the water dispenser back, especially since if the water's not flowing, that probably means ice won't be getting made either.

Any suggestions? And thanks!

Edit: Forgot to mention, a week or two ago (after the freezer light incident) we did have a brownout followed by a several minute blackout, I think a branch hit a nearby power line or something. So maybe some random electronics got damaged?

 

[Jake]

Download the tech. data sheet I posted in post #9 and do--->Service Test - 46 Water Dispensing Test
--->Displays the status of the water dispense valve. Press the water pad to initiate a water dispense. (00 = Water Dispense Valve OFF, 01 = Water Dispense Valve ON).

You can take a voltage reading on the main control board(located in the very back of the refrigerator) Find the connectors P3 and P1, then at P3 Pin 4(violet wire) to P1 Pin 2(white/black wire) sends 120 volts from the main control board to the water inlet valve in Service Test - 46

If you are not getting 120 volts when it displays 01 = Water Dispense Valve ON, your main control board is the culprit.

Here's the main control board for your model: W10843055

Jake

 

[Brew78]

Thanks for the suggestion! I don't have access to the back of the fridge right now and it may need to wait for the weekend (it's super tricky to move the way its embedded into the surrounding kitchen cabinets, weighs a ton, is currently full of food, and I think a foot is hung up on the linoleum), but I did run Service Test 46. And the result was... confusing.

When in diagnostic mode, the water dispensed just fine. Totally wasn't expecting it, wet my hand. Thinking maybe a glitch fixed itself, I went back into regular mode, but once again, water doesn't dispense. Ice and even crushed ice do work fine.

So.. the solenoid is ok, and in fact the water pad does dispense water, but.. only in diagnostic mode. Does this imply control board is indeed cooked? Some kind of logic problem? I've already rebooted the fridge several times.

 

[Brew78]

Looks like it's too late to edit my post above. I wanted to note that I also checked ice ejection and refilling the tray, and although I can't see inside the tray, it did make the usual sound of the pump running as it filled the ice tray. So the only function not working (other than the unplugged pantry drawer) is water dispensing, but only when in regular user mode.

 

[Jake]

That's usually a control board issue if it works in test mode and not in regular mode.

Jake

 

[Brew78]

Ok, thanks for the input. I think my only hope at this point is a full 5 minute discharge, really reboot it. Failing that, I guess we go with tap (or Brita) water for awhile.

 

[Brew78]

Ok, against all odds, water came back after a 5 minute power down. I'm not sure the 5 minutes did anything or if it was just the reboot.

So, after the reboot, water didn't work. I went into the test menu and #46 still dispensed water. I gave up and exited to regular mode. After a couple moments, the ice door started rehoming itself, sounded kind of sluggish.

Once the homing was complete, water started dispensing again. So I guess the ice door either hadn't fully shut or didn't home properly or something, which was preventing dispensing of water. But maybe the test menu bypasses interlock or sensor checks and just dispenses when asked?

Either way, back in business without needing to shell out $400. Minus the drawer controls. Which I honestly don't care about anyway .

Thanks for all the help! If nothing else, I now have wiring diagram and test menu, so can more effectively troubleshoot moving forward!