Hi All,

I just wanted to share my experience and repair of a 2011 Whirlpool Gold Side-By-Side Refrigerator GSF26C4EXY02.

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that the freezer wasn't as cold as it usually is. A digital thermometer confirmed that it was averaging 14F to 25F, instead of at the 0F setpoint. The refrigerator side was around 37F to 43F. I could hear the compressor running at times, the condenser fan would run with the compressor, and the evaporator fan was running.

I removed the bottom grill and immediately noticed the dust buildup on the coil. Figuring this was the problem, I cleaned it up and it seemed to work a bit better. Left it for a few hours, and saw that the temp was hovering at 10F and the compressor and condenser fan was stopped while the evaporator fan was running...weird. So I figured it may be a defrost thermistor issue and/or a bad start relay/capacitor. I figured the compressor was ok because it *was* cooling (but not enough), so I would spend the time and $$ to replace those parts all at once. Every repair website has these items at the top of the list of typical failures.

I replaced the 3 parts, started it back up and all seemed well. The temperature again started to drop nicely, compressor and fans were running. Left it overnight figuring it was fixed. Left the digital thermometer in the freezer expecting it to read 0F by morning.

In the morning, I checked the thermometer and to my shock it was reading 30F in the freezer! What is going on? I heard the evaporator fan running, but no compressor or condenser fan. Multiple power resets did not work and the compressor and condenser fan were no longer running.

The only other thing it could be is the main control board. At almost $400, I was not inclined to replace it since the refrigerator was 11 years old and I already spent $150+. However, I decided to remove it and take a closer look at the components (a bad capacitor, bad relay, blown resistors, transistors, etc.). I took off the cover and decided to check if the board was sending out 120V to the compressor. Using my DMM and the schematic, I started to probe the power connectors. As I touched and put pressure on one of the connectors, I immediately noticed movement in the condenser fan. When I wiggled the connector, the fan would briefly power up. So, I decide to unplug the unit, remove the board, and take a closer look at the components and solder joints.

Under magnification, some of the solder joints around the connector pins had a typical 'halo' immediately around the pin (no arcing or heat issues). In my experience with circuit board repairs, this sometimes is a clue that the solder connection is not good or consistent. So I re-soldered ALL of the connections around the board. Everything else on the board looked ok.

Re-installed the control board, powered everything back up, and SUCCESS!! The compressor and condenser fan immediately started to run, and the freezer temp began to drop again. Its been running for at least 2 hours and the temperature is down to 2F, very close to the 0F setpoint.

I am hopeful that this completes the repair. If it fails again, sadly I will likely get a new refrigerator as I am not willing to spend another $400+ to replace the board.

FWIW... This refrigerator has not been exactly "trouble free". I had an icemaker issue only 2 years into ownership and found broken wires below the lower hinge. I have repaired these 2x in the 11 years of ownership. Bad design and poor choice of conductors (high flex areas require a high strand count conductor and better insulation).

I hope this helps someone else save $$ and aggravation! Just paying it forward...