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Homeowner Forum / Repair / November 2003



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GE Refrigerator problems !! Long

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chatty - 02 Nov 2003 02:19 GMT
I have a GE Profile side by side refrigerator that is less than a year old.
It has already been repaired once for water leaking from it.  Now it has
this horrible smell coming from the vent underneath the bottom front.  It
smells foul - like rotting food or  really stinky cheese.  There is
definitely no smell coming from inside. I suspected the condensate pan but
couldn't get the damn front off to access it. When I called GE they said
it's not meant to be accessed and  they sent a repairman out who was, shall
we say, less than helpful.  He said the smell was coming from lint and that
I should vacuum it out and then place vanilla in the condensate pan.  I am
dead serious. He really said that. Instead, I vacuumed all the lint out from
the back and cleaned the pan and everything I could access really well, but
it really wasn't that dirty.  And I confirmed that the smell is coming from
the fan in the back that vents warm air out from under the bottom front of
the fridge. He said there is nothing else to do.  He say it's impossible
that anything got in there (no food or anything else). I am not satisfied.
There must be something else to find and eliminate the smell. Any ideas?
Also, now the freezer door leaks water out onto the floor.  Is this fridge
just a lemon and should it be replaced?
Stormin Mormon - 02 Nov 2003 13:23 GMT
With that combination of symptoms, it sounds like you've got a clogged drain
line under the evaporator.

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I have a GE Profile side by side refrigerator that is less than a year old.
It has already been repaired once for water leaking from it.  Now it has
this horrible smell coming from the vent underneath the bottom front.  It
smells foul - like rotting food or  really stinky cheese.  There is
definitely no smell coming from inside. I suspected the condensate pan but
couldn't get the damn front off to access it. When I called GE they said
it's not meant to be accessed and  they sent a repairman out who was, shall
we say, less than helpful.  He said the smell was coming from lint and that
I should vacuum it out and then place vanilla in the condensate pan.  I am
dead serious. He really said that. Instead, I vacuumed all the lint out from
the back and cleaned the pan and everything I could access really well, but
it really wasn't that dirty.  And I confirmed that the smell is coming from
the fan in the back that vents warm air out from under the bottom front of
the fridge. He said there is nothing else to do.  He say it's impossible
that anything got in there (no food or anything else). I am not satisfied.
There must be something else to find and eliminate the smell. Any ideas?
Also, now the freezer door leaks water out onto the floor.  Is this fridge
just a lemon and should it be replaced?
chatty - 03 Nov 2003 00:11 GMT
> With that combination of symptoms, it sounds like you've got a clogged drain
> line under the evaporator.

Makes sense.  I will check it out. Thanks!!
Dave L. - 02 Nov 2003 17:15 GMT
Chatty,

Water coming out of the freezer door means the drain is blocked. When it
flows freely, it ends up in the condensate pan and the fan drys it up
between defrost cycles.
Trying removing the drawers from the bottom of the freezer, locate the
drain and blow it out with the other end of the vacuum cleaner.
Some drains are hidden by interior panels and will require more skill to
get at for cleaning.

Unplug the fridge to avoid electrocution.

Maybe some food or maybe a mouse got stuck in there. Mice look for water
to drink and can get stuck in equipment. Dead mice smell bad.

Lint doesn't smell all that much. Vanilla is a mask for other problems.
Electric motors can smell when burning up, but that's different.
Sounds like a competant technician can fix it.

Try again.

Dave

> I have a GE Profile side by side refrigerator that is less than a year old.
> It has already been repaired once for water leaking from it.  Now it has
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> Also, now the freezer door leaks water out onto the floor.  Is this fridge
> just a lemon and should it be replaced?
chatty - 03 Nov 2003 00:14 GMT
"Dave L." <davidlaine_spamnot_@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:davidlaine_spamnot_-342580.12154102112003@nntp.bloor.is.net.cable.roger
s.com...
> Chatty,
>
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>
> Dave

Ok,  what you've said makes a lot of sense!  I looked for the drain line but
it is in fact behind a panel.  At least now when I call a different
repairman, I'll have more to go on.  As for the smell, I think you're right
there as well, it's definitely food or a dead something.  I'll get on the
phone again! Thanks so much!
Dan O. - 02 Nov 2003 21:45 GMT
>chatty wrote
>
[quoted text clipped - 25 lines]
>He said there is nothing else to do. I am not
>satisfied.

Than ask for a different technician to come look into it for you. You
should even be able to call a whole different service company as there
are usually multiple *factory authorized* service agents for each
brand in any given area. Check the YellowPages under "Appliance,
Major, Service" (or something to that effect). Be sure to ask if
they're "factory authorized" and can do GE warranty work.

>Also, now the freezer door leaks water out
>onto the floor.

That means there is a problem somewhere in the appliance which will
need to be looked into. They may even be related.

BTW. A number of other fridge manufacturers (not GE to my knowledge)
have recently had problems with odors (usually smells like urine)
actually coming from the condensate pan material itself. In those
cases the pans themselves had to be replaced.

>Is this fridge just a lemon and should it be replaced?

I doubt it (no more than any other GE product anyway) but replacement
is between you and the dealer. Most manufacturer's warranties state
something to the affect "We [the manufacturer] will repair or replace
and *part* of the appliance which fails to function due to material or
workmanship". I've never seen one where the manufacturer says they
will replace the *whole* major appliance should a problem occur. If
the selling dealer has a return policy, than they'll have to make that
determination.

JMO

Dan O.
-
Appliance411.com
http://ng.Appliance411.com/?ref411=+GE+fridge

=Ð~~~~~~
chatty - 03 Nov 2003 00:17 GMT
> Than ask for a different technician to come look into it for you. You
> should even be able to call a whole different service company as there
> are usually multiple *factory authorized* service agents for each
> brand in any given area. Check the YellowPages under "Appliance,
> Major, Service" (or something to that effect). Be sure to ask if
> they're "factory authorized" and can do GE warranty work.

Makes sense. I will call another company tomorrow.

> I doubt it (no more than any other GE product anyway) but replacement
> is between you and the dealer. Most manufacturer's warranties state
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> the selling dealer has a return policy, than they'll have to make that
> determination.

I actually had a Frigidare refrigerator replaced (under warranty) within the
first year because it never worked correctly.  I'd be satisfied if they
could get this one fixed however so I'm not necessarily looking for
replacement, just a little jaded by bad past experience I guess. Thanks for
your help!!
Dan O. - 04 Nov 2003 02:46 GMT
>>"Dan O." wrote
>>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>> to ask if they're "factory authorized" and can do
>> GE warranty work.

chatty wrote in message ...

>Makes sense. I will call another company tomorrow.

Let us know how you make out.

Dan O.
-
Appliance411.com
http://ng.Appliance411.com/?ref411=+GE+fridge

=Ð~~~~~~
chatty - 06 Nov 2003 04:32 GMT
> Let us know how you make out.
>
> Dan O.

Will do. I have an appointment scheduled for next week.
TURTLE - 02 Nov 2003 23:50 GMT
> I have a GE Profile side by side refrigerator that is less than a year old.
> It has already been repaired once for water leaking from it.  Now it has
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> Also, now the freezer door leaks water out onto the floor.  Is this fridge
> just a lemon and should it be replaced?

This is turtle.

Did he pull the back cardboard cover over the fan and compressor area to
inspect for dead rats or food in the area. If not he was a turkey. Unplug
the box and pull it out to pull the cardboard cover off to inspect for food,
dead animal, or mold and deposits. At this time feel of the compressor and
fan motor and see if either one will feel too hot to hold your hand on it
more than 5 seconds. If so there is something wrong. You should be able to
hold your fingers on the fan motor or compressor for atleast 30 seconds
before having to remove it. No you do know the refrigerator is to be
unplugged at this time.

Now the water coming out the front of the refrigerator. you have a drain
from the freezer area going to the pan underneath plugged up. Unplug the
drain will stop this.

G/E and others have the cheapest bidder to do their service work that the
industry has to offer. now you have seen it first hand in action and you
don't have to be explain to you what I'm talking about.

TURTLE
chatty - 03 Nov 2003 00:18 GMT
> This is turtle.
>
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> TURTLE

I will try what you've suggested. Sounds like a plugged drain and dead
animal are the consensus of the group. Thanks for your help!!
TURTLE - 03 Nov 2003 22:48 GMT
> > This is turtle.
> >
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> I will try what you've suggested. Sounds like a plugged drain and dead
> animal are the consensus of the group. Thanks for your help!!

This is Turtle.

If you open the back up. look around the fan blade area for dead mice. This
is where they get killed by crawling through the fan blade housing and the
fan turn on. It will pop them in the head and kill them. I don't do many
refrigerators anymore but when I did this was the case. About 70% of the
time when a customer saied there is a smell coming from under the
refrigerator it would be a dead mouse killed by the fan blade. He sticks his
head in a fan blade traveling at 1,550 RPM's and it takes them out.

TURTLE
Dan O. - 04 Nov 2003 02:44 GMT
TURTLE wrote in message ...

>If you open the back up. look around the fan blade area
>for dead mice. This is where they get killed by crawling
>through the fan blade housing and the fan turn on. It will
>pop them in the head and kill them. He sticks his
>head in a fan blade traveling at 1,550 RPM's and it
>takes them out.

I've seen the remains of squirrels which have gotten into a dryer's
vent and been caught by its blower fan. That fan is much more powerful
and often ends up totally dicing them.

JFYI

Dan O.
-
Appliance411.com
http://ng.Appliance411.com/?ref411=dryer+smell

=Ð~~~~~~
chatty - 06 Nov 2003 04:34 GMT
> This is Turtle.
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> TURTLE

I was sure this was the problem.  I opened the back and can't see any
rodents or anything for that matter. I have an appointment with another
repairman next week. Crossing my fingers they figure it out. The plugged
drain sounds like it might be a factor. We'll see. Thanks again.
 
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