Whirlpool Gold Refrigerator Troubleshooting (DIY Guide!)

Most Whirlpool Gold refrigerator owners will tell you that nothing worries them more than a failing fridge. So many spend hundreds of dollars on repairs without realizing that most of the Whirlpool Gold refrigerator troubleshooting is DIY

Some of the issues you can troubleshoot DIY include a Whirlpool Gold refrigerator that won’t cool, freeze, make ice, dispense water or ice, or defrost. A majority of their probable causes don’t require an expert’s input to fix, and that’s where this guide comes in handy.

I’ve tried making this troubleshooting manual as simple but effective as possible while sharing some handy tips to get your Whirlpool Gold back working. 

Let’s jump into it.

In a hurry? Below is a simple troubleshooting guide to use when your Whirlpool Gold refrigerator doesn’t work.  

Quick Whirlpool Gold Refrigerator Troubleshooting Guide

Whirlpool Gold Refrigerator Not Working – Troubleshooting 5 Common Problems 

Below are five problems prevalent in the Whirlpool Gold refrigerator series for DIY troubleshooting:

1. Whirlpool Gold Refrigerator Not Cooling

Sometimes the Whirlpool Gold refrigerator won’t cool but freeze, and other times, it won’t cool or freeze. Let’s look at the two issues:

a) Whirlpool Gold Refrigerator Not Cooling or Freezing

If your Whirlpool Gold refrigerator will neither cool nor freeze foods and drinks, it’s likely because of one of these issues:

• Wrong temperature setting – The recommended refrigerator or freezer temperatures are 33 – 40⁰F and 0⁰F or less, respectively. Anything outside that will fail the refrigerator or freezer. 
• Warm location – If your refrigerator is in a warm setting, such as the garage, it won’t cool or freeze properly or may fail.
• Unlevelled installation – If the refrigerator is too shaky, it won’t be able to cool and freeze correctly. 
• Leaky gasket/door seal – The door seal/gasket may leak cold air if it’s loose, damaged, or worn out.
• Dirty condenser coils – Dusty, greasy, or filthy coils will prevent the refrigerator from cooling and freezing correctly.
• Obstructed air vents (stuffiness) – if you overstuff the refrigerator and freezer with food or the two become too dusty and block the air vents, the unit won’t freeze or cool. 
• Failed component (compressor, start capacitor, temperature control board, or start relay) – If any of these components are faulty, the refrigerator cannot run properly, affecting its ability to heat and cool. 

DIY Fix

Start by adjusting the temperature setting accordingly if that’s not the case. Set the freezer below 0⁰F and the refrigerator at 33 – 40⁰F.

Move the refrigerator away from a warm or unlevelled location and if the door seal is leaky, replace it. Clean the condenser coils and unit if dirty, and don’t overstuff the refrigerator.

When to contact a fridge expert:

Call a fridge expert to handle the component replacement. They’ll be able to check them for faults and determine if they need replacing. 

b) Whirlpool Gold Refrigerator Not Cooling But Freezer Works

Sometimes the Whirlpool Gold refrigerator compartment may become warm (which is an anomaly) while the freezer is cold as expected. In such a case, the issues could be any of these:

• Frosted evaporator coils – If ice cakes over the evaporator coils, air won’t flow freely, preventing the refrigerator from cooling. 
• Faulty evaporator fan motor – If the fan motor is not working correctly, the cold air won’t circulate properly in the refrigerator compartment preventing it from cooling.
• Faulty defrost system – If the defrost timer or the defrost control board is defective, the evaporator coils will frost over quickly, preventing the refrigerator from cooling. 
• Bad temperature control board – A defective control board prevents the fan motor and compressor from running, interfering with the cooling. 
• Defective damper control – The damper control cannot let cold air into the fridge, and as a result, the refrigerator fails to cool. 
• Failed main control board – If none of the other components is faulty, the problem could be a failing main control board. 

DIY Fix 

Consider emptying the refrigerator and leaving it to self-defrost if the evaporator coils are frosty. Replace the evaporator fan motor if the blade won’t turn by hand or the motor is excessively loud or worn out.

When to contact a fridge expert:

Call a fridge expert to check and replace the defrost system, temperature control board, damper control, or main control board.  

2. Whirlpool Gold Refrigerator Not Making Ice

One of Whirlpool Gold’s impressive qualities is ice production. Sometimes, however, the ice maker fails to produce ice due to one of these issues:

• Disconnected, loose, or blocked water line – If the water line is disconnected, loose, kinked, or frozen, water won’t get to the ice maker; consequently, the ice maker won’t make ice. 
• The shut-off valve is off – If the water shut-off valve is off, water won’t get to the ice maker, which will halt the ice maker.
• Clogged filter – A clogged filter stops water from reaching the ice maker, which deters the ice maker from making ice.
• Trapped air – Usually, Whirlpool recommends flushing out the water system after filter change to get rid of the trapped air. The trapped air will block the water flow maker if you don’t do it.
• Warm freezer – If the freezer is warmer (over 10⁰F), the ice maker won’t make any ice.
• Low water pressure – The correct water pressure for a Whirlpool refrigerator is 30 – 120 psi. If it’s less than 20 psi, water won’t reach the ice maker.
• Mispositioned control arm – If the control arm is out of place, either lost or broken, it’ll halt the ice production. 
• Bad water inlet valve – The ice maker will also fail to produce ice if it’s faulty, especially if the pressure is 20 psi plus. 

DIY Fix

Start by checking the water line. Ensure it’s well-connected and not blocked. Remove any kinks and run warm water through it if frozen. Turn on the shut-off valve if it’s off, and replace a clogged water filter.

After a filter change, flush out the water system by pressing the dispenser lever. Then set the freezer temperature at 0⁰F and adjust the water pressure to 30 – 120 psi by unkinking the water line and properly opening the shut-off valve. 

When to contact a fridge expert:

Call an expert when you have a broken or out-of-position control arm or suspect a faulty water inlet valve. 

Whirlpool Gold Refrigerator Not Making Ice But Water Works

If your Whirlpool Gold refrigerator ice maker won’t produce any ice, but the water dispenser is working just fine, consider these issues:

• The ice maker might be turned off, thus unable to make more ice. 
• Also, consider the possibility of any of the reasons shared above
• Your ice maker is no longer working – it has failed and needs a replacement.

3. Whirlpool Gold Refrigerator Not Dispensing Water

The Whirlpool Gold refrigerator water dispenser rarely fails, but it can happen. Overall, here are the most probable reasons your Whirlpool refrigerator water dispenser isn’t working:

• Trapped air – Air trapped in the water line, especially after a filter change, could prevent the dispenser from getting sufficient water. 
• Low water pressure – A water pressure level under 20 psi will prevent adequate water from running down the dispenser.
• Clogged or wrongly fitted filter – If the water filter is clogged or improperly placed, it becomes defective, preventing water from reaching the dispenser. 
• Blocked or disconnected water line — If the water line is kinked, frozen, or loose, it’ll stop water flow to the dispenser. So the dispenser won’t have any water to run down. 
• Control Lock – If the Control Lock (CL) function is enabled, it locks the water dispenser preventing it from dispensing. 
• Bad dispenser/ door switch – Water won’t run down the dispenser if the dispenser or door switch is not working.
• Bad water inlet valve – Lastly, if the water inlet valve is faulty, more so when the water pressure is okay, the water dispenser won’t work.

DIY Fix

Flush out trapped air after a filter change by holding down the dispenser lever. Adjust the water pressure to 30 – 120 psi.

If the water filter is filthy or wrongly fitted, replace it. Unblock the water line and ensure it’s not loose. If Control Lock is enabled, disable it.

Replace the door/dispenser switch if it’s faulty (if it’s broken or fails the multimeter continuity test). And if none of the fixes work, consider replacing the water inlet valve. 

When to contact a fridge expert:

Call an expert when the water dispenser doesn’t work after the above troubleshooting. 

4. Whirlpool Gold Refrigerator Not Dispensing Ice

If your Whirlpool Gold unit won’t dispense any ice or does it slowly, it’s likely because of the following:

• Ice clumping – Sometimes ice clumps in the delivery chute and ice bin and won’t run down the dispenser.
• Bad dispenser switch – If the dispenser switch is defective, it won’t trigger the dispenser to run, and as a result, the dispenser won’t dispense. 
• Control Lock – The Control Lock function locks the ice dispenser, preventing it from dispensing ice. 
• Faulty components (auger motor, dispenser control board, ice crusher auger, or ice crusher blade) – If any of these components fail, the ice dispenser won’t be able to dispense the produced ice. 
• Failed ice maker – Sometimes, the problem is the dead ice maker. If so, you’ll need to replace it. 

DIY Fix 

Use a plastic utensil to scoop off the ice clumps in the chute and ice bin. Then test the dispenser switch with a multimeter and replace it if it lacks continuity. Meanwhile, disable the dispenser Control Lock if it’s active. 

When to contact a fridge expert:

Call a fridge expert to inspect and replace the auger motor, dispenser control board, ice crusher auger, or ice crusher blade if faulty. 

5. Whirlpool Gold Refrigerator Not Defrosting

Lastly, if your Whirlpool Gold unit won’t defrost, the problem could be with any of these defrost system components:

• Defrost heater – If the refrigerator’s defrosting heater is defective, it won’t melt the accumulated frost. 
• Defrost timer – The refrigerator will fail to go into defrost if the timer is faulty (does not show continuity).
• Defrost control board – If the defrost control board is not working, the refrigerator won’t run the defrost cycle. 
• Thermostat – If the defrost thermostat is broken or defective, the defrost heater won’t run, and thus the ice will accumulate.

DIY fix/ when to contact a fridge expert:

You need an expert’s help to examine the defrost system components and fix them. 

How Do I Reset My Whirlpool Gold Refrigerator?

You can reset your Whirlpool Gold refrigerator by pressing its in-door reset button for a few seconds. Alternatively, you can plug out the fridge for a few minutes and then plug it in to reset it. And if you’ve replaced the water filter, press the filter reset button to reset it. 

Closing Thought:

Now you know the basics of Whirlpool Gold refrigerator troubleshooting. Use the guide to fix common Whirlpool Gold refrigerator problems.

Remember, only when you cannot fix your non-working refrigerator DIY should you call an expert. After all, not all issues require a fridge expert.