April 25, 2023

DIY freezer repair

A stand-alone freezer lets you stock up on frozen foods so you can take advantage of good prices and make fewer trips to the store. If your freezer isn't keeping food frozen enough or not at all, Sears PartsDirect's DIY repair advice can help you figure out the problem. We offer both upright freezer and chest freezer troubleshooting tips to help you fix common freezer failures.

If the control displays an error code, use our freezer error code charts to figure out the cause of the problem. Then use our step-by-step repair guides to replace the broken part.

Our freezer articles and videos provide plenty of troubleshooting and maintenance advice, including how to prevent freezer burn and energy saving tips. To find the owner’s manual or a complete list of replacement parts for your freezer, search for your model number.

Freestanding Freezers
Freestanding Freezer type

Symptoms common to all freestanding freezers

Choose a symptom to see related freezer repairs.

Main causes: leaky door or lid gasket, broken defrost heater, bad defrost bi-metal thermostat, defrost control failure, faulty compressor
Main causes: lack of power, bad compressor, refrigerant leak, bad thermistor, defrost system failure, dirty condenser coils, control failure
Main causes: burned out light bulb, bad door or lid switch, faulty LED light board, wiring failure, control system failure
Main causes: excessive frost, bad defrost heater, bad defrost bi-metal, control system failure, low refrigerant charge, compressor problems
Main causes: damaged door or lid gasket, cracked cabinet liner, bad defrost bi-metal thermostat, broken defrost heater, bad defrost timer
Main causes: compressor failure, no refrigerant, faulty sensor, control failure, broken defrost heater, bad defrost bi-metal thermostat
Main causes: lack of power, control system failure, broken compressor start relay, locked up compressor, compressor motor failure
Main causes: dirty condenser coils, condenser fan failure, dirty bottom front grill, leaky door or lid gasket

Articles and videos common to all freestanding freezers

Use the advice and tips in these articles and videos to get the most out of your freezer.

August 19, 2022

Are DIY appliance repairs safe?

Are DIY appliance repairs safe?

Find out how to stay safe when repairing your appliances.

August 17, 2021

How to read a wiring schematic video

How to read a wiring schematic video

Learn how to decipher symbols so you can buy the right part for your problem.

December 15, 2014

5 tips for finding food in the freezer faster

5 tips for finding food in the freezer faster

Don't get chapped hands digging through the icy depths. Get organized! Here's how.