Fridge Stopped Working? What to Do First (and Why Not to Panic)

You open the fridge and the light is off, or everything inside feels warm. It is stressful, especially with a full fridge. But acting quickly and calmly can save most of your food, and many fridge breakdowns turn out to be simpler than they first seem.

Fridge Stopped Working? What to Do First

Keep the doors closed, check the power and settings, protect your food, then call a technician. A closed fridge generally keeps food cold for around four hours, and a full freezer for longer. Check the power point, circuit breaker and temperature settings before assuming the worst. If the fridge is still not working, move high-risk food to an esky with ice and book a repair.

Step 1: Keep the Doors Closed

Every opening lets cold air out. Keep doors shut while you work out what is happening. As general guidance, a closed fridge keeps food cold for around four hours, and a full freezer can stay frozen for much longer.

Step 2: Check the Power

• Is the display or interior light on?
• Is the plug fully in and the power point switched on?
• Try another appliance in the same power point.
• Check the switchboard for a tripped circuit breaker or safety switch.

If the safety switch trips again as soon as you reset it, leave the fridge off and call a technician. That can indicate an electrical fault.

Step 3: Check the Settings

Controls can be bumped, set to showroom or demo mode, or reset after a power cut. Check both compartments are set correctly. Our guide on how to reset a fridge thermostat explains how.

Step 4: Listen and Look

• Clicking every few minutes: the compressor may be failing to start.
• Silence and a warm fridge: could be the compressor, relay, board or power.
• Fans running but no cooling: could be a compressor or sealed system fault.
• Freezer cold, fridge warm: often a fan or defrost fault.
• Error code on the display: see our fridge error codes guide.

Step 5: Protect Your Food

Move high-risk items such as meat, seafood, dairy and cooked leftovers into an esky with ice or ice packs, or into another fridge. As general guidance, perishable food that has been above 5 degrees Celsius for several hours may not be safe. Follow NSW Food Authority advice, and when in doubt, throw it out.

Step 6: Note the Details and Call

Write down the model number, what you have noticed and when it started. That helps the technician bring the right parts and diagnose the fault faster.

Fridge stopped working? Call Ace Fridge Repairs on 0452 462 556, 24/7.

Why You Do Not Need to Panic

Many breakdowns come down to a fan, relay, sensor, control board or defrost part, which are routine repairs. Even for larger faults, a technician can explain your options, including whether repair or replacement makes more sense. See our repair vs replace guide.

For Businesses

If a commercial fridge, display cabinet or coolroom stops working, move stock to other cold storage, record temperatures and call for a 24/7 commercial fridge repair.

Emergency Fridge Repairs Across Sydney

Ace Fridge Repairs attends breakdowns across Greater Sydney, including Abbotsford, Cecil Hills and Wetherill Park, from 93B Pagoda Crescent, Quakers Hill NSW 2763. All repairs carry a 12-month warranty on parts and labour.

For residential fridge repairs, call 0452 462 556, 24/7.

Frequently Asked Questions