Refrigerator not cooling

LG Refrigerator Clicking but Not Cooling

Direct answer: When an LG refrigerator clicks but stops cooling, the first thing to sort out is where the click is coming from. A click every few minutes with little or no hum usually points to a compressor trying and failing to start. If the freezer is still somewhat cold or you hear fans running, look harder at airflow, frost buildup, or a stalled refrigerator fan instead.

Most likely: The most likely causes are a failed compressor start attempt, dirty condenser airflow causing an overheated shutdown, or heavy frost behind the freezer panel choking off cold air.

Start with the easy tells: is the click from the back near the compressor, from inside the freezer, or only when the doors shut? Reality check: a refrigerator that is truly warm in both sections and clicks from the back is often beyond a simple thermostat issue. Common wrong move: unplugging and replugging it over and over without checking the condenser area or frost pattern first.

Don’t start with: Do not start by ordering a compressor, main board, or random sensor. Those are expensive guesses, and this symptom often turns out to be airflow, frost, or a simpler start problem.

Back-bottom click every few minutesSuspect a compressor start failure or an overheated compressor shutting itself off.
Freezer has frost or fan noise but fridge is warmCheck for blocked airflow, an iced evaporator cover, or a refrigerator evaporator fan problem before buying parts.
Last reviewed: 2026-04-17

What the clicking pattern usually tells you

Clicking from the back near the floor

You hear a click, maybe a brief hum, then silence. Both sections get warmer over time.

Start here: Start with condenser airflow and compressor behavior at the back of the refrigerator.

Clicking or tapping from inside the freezer

The freezer may still be somewhat cold, but airflow is weak or uneven and the fresh-food side warms first.

Start here: Start with the evaporator fan area and look for frost or ice rubbing the fan.

Freezer cold, refrigerator warm

Food in the freezer stays frozen or slushy, but milk and leftovers in the refrigerator are too warm.

Start here: Start with the damper and evaporator frost pattern, not the compressor.

No cooling after a move or power event

The unit clicks after being moved, cleaned behind, or after a power outage or surge.

Start here: Let the refrigerator sit upright if it was tilted, then check outlet power, reset conditions, and compressor start behavior.

Most likely causes

1. Compressor trying to start and tripping off

A repeated click from the back every few minutes with no steady compressor run is the classic field sign. The compressor may get very hot to the touch while the refrigerator stays warm.

Quick check: Pull the unit out, remove the lower rear cover if needed, and listen at the compressor area. If you hear click-hum-click and the compressor never settles into a smooth run, this is your leading suspect.

2. Dirty condenser area or poor ventilation overheating the system

Packed dust under or behind the refrigerator can make the compressor run hot and shut down on overload. You may still hear clicking as it tries again after cooling off.

Quick check: Look under the front toe area and behind the lower rear cover for lint, pet hair, and blocked airflow around the condenser and compressor.

3. Evaporator fan blocked by ice or failed

If the freezer has some cold but the refrigerator section is warm, the cold air may not be moving. A clicking or ticking inside can be fan blades hitting ice, or a fan motor trying to turn.

Quick check: Open the freezer and press the door switch. Listen for the evaporator fan. If it is silent, rough, or tapping ice, move to the frost and fan checks.

4. Defrost problem causing a solid frost blanket behind the freezer panel

A heavy frost sheet on the back freezer wall or behind the evaporator cover blocks airflow and makes the refrigerator side warm first. The click may be a fan hitting ice or a relay elsewhere, which can distract from the real problem.

Quick check: Look for snow-like frost on the inside back wall of the freezer or poor airflow from the refrigerator vents even though the freezer still feels cold.

Step-by-step fix

Step 1: Check the simple stuff that can mimic a major failure

A bad setting, weak outlet, or recent move can make a refrigerator act dead-cold one hour and warm the next. These checks cost nothing and keep you from chasing the wrong part.

  1. Make sure the refrigerator has power and the outlet is holding voltage well enough to run the unit, not just the lights.
  2. Confirm cooling is actually turned on and the temperature settings were not changed during cleaning or a power outage.
  3. If the refrigerator was recently moved or laid over, leave it upright and unplugged for several hours before restarting.
  4. Make sure the doors are closing fully and nothing is holding a door slightly open.
  5. Give the unit a full minute after plugging back in, then listen for where the click starts: back-bottom, freezer interior, or control area.

Next move: If normal cooling returns after settings, power, or move-related checks, keep monitoring temperatures for the next 24 hours. If it still clicks and stays warm, the sound location matters more than the brand label. Move to the back-of-unit check next.

What to conclude: You have ruled out the easy false alarms and narrowed the problem to either a start issue, an airflow issue, or a frost issue.

Stop if:
  • The outlet is scorched, loose, or intermittently dead.
  • You smell burning plastic or hot electrical insulation.
  • The refrigerator was recently tipped and you are not sure how long it should sit upright before restart.

Step 2: Listen at the compressor area and inspect the condenser airflow path

This separates a true no-cooling start failure from a refrigerator that is overheating and shutting itself down. It is the most important split on this symptom.

  1. Unplug the refrigerator and pull it out far enough to work safely behind it.
  2. Remove the lower rear access cover if present.
  3. Look for heavy dust, pet hair, or blocked airflow around the condenser area and compressor.
  4. Clean loose dust carefully with a vacuum and soft brush without bending tubing or wiring.
  5. Plug the refrigerator back in and listen for the sequence over several minutes: steady run, click only, or brief hum then click.
  6. Carefully feel near the compressor shell without resting your hand on wiring. A very hot compressor that never settles into a run is a strong clue.

Next move: If cleaning restores a steady compressor run and cooling starts coming back, reinstall the cover and let the refrigerator stabilize for 24 hours. If you get repeated click-hum-click from the compressor area and no sustained run, the refrigerator likely has a compressor start problem or a sealed-system problem that needs a pro diagnosis.

What to conclude: A dirty condenser can cause thermal overload shutdown. If the condenser area is clean and the compressor still only clicks and quits, the problem is no longer a simple airflow issue.

Step 3: If the freezer still has some cold, check the evaporator fan and air movement

When the freezer is colder than the refrigerator, the machine may still be making cold air but failing to move it. That is a very different repair path than a dead compressor.

  1. Open the freezer door and press the door switch so the fan is allowed to run.
  2. Listen for a smooth fan sound from the back of the freezer compartment.
  3. Check airflow at the refrigerator vents. Weak or no airflow with a cold freezer points away from the compressor and toward fan or frost trouble.
  4. If you hear ticking, scraping, or intermittent clicking inside the freezer, look for frost or ice around the rear interior panel.
  5. Do not chip at ice with a knife or screwdriver. If needed, unplug the refrigerator and let surface ice soften naturally with the doors open and towels down.

Next move: If the fan starts running normally after light ice clears and airflow returns, monitor closely. If the ice comes back, a defrost problem is likely. If the evaporator fan never runs when the door switch is pressed and the freezer is cold enough to support fan operation, the refrigerator evaporator fan motor becomes a strong suspect.

Step 4: Look for a defrost-pattern problem before replacing any major part

A refrigerator with a frost-packed evaporator often gets misdiagnosed as a compressor failure because the fresh-food side goes warm first. The frost pattern tells the story better than the click alone.

  1. Check the back wall inside the freezer for a heavy, even frost layer or snow-like buildup.
  2. If you can safely remove the freezer rear interior panel, inspect the evaporator area for a full frost blanket versus just a small patch.
  3. A full white frost blanket across the coil area usually points to a defrost failure path.
  4. A tiny frost patch on one corner with the rest of the coil bare is more concerning for a sealed-system problem and is not a parts-guess situation for DIY.
  5. If the evaporator fan was hitting ice and the coil area is packed with frost, plan on a defrost-related repair path rather than a compressor purchase.

Next move: If you confirm a heavy frost blanket, you have a solid reason to focus on refrigerator defrost components and airflow restoration. If there is no heavy frost and the compressor still only clicks from the back, go back to the compressor-start branch and stop short of buying control parts blindly.

Step 5: Make the repair call based on what you actually found

By now you should know whether you have a simple airflow cleanup, a fan problem, a defrost problem, or a compressor that is not starting. The right next move is different for each one.

  1. If cleaning the condenser restored normal running, reassemble the covers, set temperatures normally, and verify cooling with a refrigerator thermometer over the next day.
  2. If the freezer is cold but airflow is dead and the evaporator fan will not run, replace the refrigerator evaporator fan motor after confirming fit by model.
  3. If the evaporator area is packed in frost and airflow is blocked, replace the failed refrigerator defrost component that testing or inspection supports, most often the refrigerator defrost heater assembly or refrigerator defrost thermostat depending on design.
  4. If the compressor area gives repeated click-hum-click with no sustained run after airflow cleanup, stop DIY part-guessing and schedule a professional diagnosis. That branch can involve a start device on some designs, but it can also be a locked compressor or sealed-system failure.
  5. After any successful repair, let the refrigerator run undisturbed and recheck freezer and fresh-food temperatures the next day.

A good result: A steady compressor run, normal fan operation, and dropping temperatures in both sections confirm you are on the right path.

If not: If temperatures do not recover or the clicking returns quickly, the problem is deeper than a simple maintenance issue and needs a technician with sealed-system and electrical diagnostic tools.

What to conclude: You are no longer guessing. You are either finishing a supported fan or defrost repair, or you are stopping before sinking money into the wrong major part.

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FAQ

Why does my LG refrigerator click every few minutes and stay warm?

That usually means the compressor is trying to start, failing, and then trying again after the overload cools down. First rule out a dust-choked condenser area and poor ventilation. If the click is clearly from the compressor area and it never settles into a steady run, that often needs professional diagnosis.

Can a dirty condenser make a refrigerator click and not cool?

Yes. A condenser packed with lint and pet hair can make the compressor run hot and shut off on overload. You may hear repeated clicking as it tries to restart. Cleaning the condenser area is one of the first checks because it is common and low-risk.

If the freezer is cold but the refrigerator is warm, is the compressor bad?

Not usually. That pattern more often points to an airflow problem, an iced-over evaporator, or a failed refrigerator evaporator fan motor. Check fan sound, vent airflow, and frost on the freezer back wall before blaming the compressor.

Should I replace the refrigerator control board if it clicks but will not cool?

Not as a first move. A control board is a common guess and an expensive miss. On this symptom, airflow problems, defrost ice buildup, and compressor start failure are all more practical places to look first.

Is it safe to keep resetting a clicking refrigerator?

A single restart after basic checks is fine, but repeated unplug-and-replug cycles are not a real fix. If the compressor is overheating or the unit smells hot, stop cycling it and diagnose the cause. Repeated hot restarts can make a failing condition worse.

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