Whirlpool Residential Refrigerator Repair

[JohnyUtah324]

Hi all...bought a 2021 Jayco Eagle 330rsts last fall and took it on two trips before putting it away for the winter. This spring after prepping it for the season our Whirlpool residential refrigerator seemed fine for well over a month. Maintained cold Temps, made ice, etc. About a month ago both the refrigerator and freezer stopped cooling.

Luckily the refrigerator was still under warranty by Whirlpool and I just had it fixed. Thank God for the repair access panel on the outside of the trailer. The issue was one of the copper tunes the the refrigerant passes through to the compressor developed a leak releasing all the refrigerant. A new copper tube had to be sweated in and the unit refilled. Has anyone else experienced this issue and I am wondering if the issue was from the factory or did the cold northeast winters cause the copper tube to crack during freezing and thawing weather?

Appreciate any thoughts!

Shawn

[Grumpy]

Refrigerant lines don't freeze. Your house a/c sits outside with no problem.

[JohnyUtah324]

Unfortunately my refrigerator woes are not over. After the original repair to the leaking refrigerant, less than 24hrs the unit not cooling/freezing again. The service company came back and this time determined that the evaporator may now be the culprit leak location and have ordered a new one. So, we have a brand new TT with a brand new refrigerator and both sit as we wait for Whirlpool to send the new part which has been back ordered for over three weeks.

I did contact Jayco and understandably they pointed the finger at Whirlpool because it is their warranty the product sits with. However, Jayco uses these products and thus to me its a direct reflection on them as my $50k TT that we are planning a trip across the country with in August is practically useless without a refrigerator that works for a trip of this magnitude.

A bit worried and frustrated!

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by JohnyUtah324

I did contact Jayco and understandably they pointed the finger at Whirlpool because it is their warranty the product sits with. However, Jayco uses these products and thus to me its a direct reflection on them as my $50k TT that we are planning a trip across the country with in August is practically useless without a refrigerator that works for a trip of this magnitude.

A bit worried and frustrated!

I can understand you're frustrated, but no different than.having a new house built with the appliances included. If the fridge goes out you call the manuf not the builder. Also Whirlpool is one of the few still built in the US.

Just about all the companies are weeks out on appliance deliveries.

[Topperace]

How did you end up removing the fridge from the cabinet? Ours is about two years old. now and want to pull it out to clean in the cabinet where it is mounted...I took off the brace at the top...can lean the fridge to the front a little, but it will not budge from the bottom front..in the NP 383FKWS is sits atop about a four inch piece of wood cabinet frame at the bottom and I am a little Leary of damaging that piece by man handling the fridge out... ??

[jetlag]

Originally Posted by Topperace

How did you end up removing the fridge from the cabinet? Ours is about two years old. now and want to pull it out to clean in the cabinet where it is mounted...I took off the brace at the top...can lean the fridge to the front a little, but it will not budge from the bottom front..in the NP 383FKWS is sits atop about a four inch piece of wood cabinet frame at the bottom and I am a little Leary of damaging that piece by man handling the fridge out... ??

If I understood him correctly, they worked on it from the outside and access door.

[jetlag]

Originally Posted by JohnyUtah324

Hi all...bought a 2021 Jayco Eagle 330rsts last fall and took it on two trips before putting it away for the winter. This spring after prepping it for the season our Whirlpool residential refrigerator seemed fine for well over a month. Maintained cold Temps, made ice, etc. About a month ago both the refrigerator and freezer stopped cooling.

Luckily the refrigerator was still under warranty by Whirlpool and I just had it fixed. Thank God for the repair access panel on the outside of the trailer. The issue was one of the copper tunes the the refrigerant passes through to the compressor developed a leak releasing all the refrigerant. A new copper tube had to be sweated in and the unit refilled. Has anyone else experienced this issue and I am wondering if the issue was from the factory or did the cold northeast winters cause the copper tube to crack during freezing and thawing weather?

Appreciate any thoughts!

Shawn

I am guessing we have a similar unit on our '21 Pinnacle. so far so good, it is powered and should be throughout the winter at home.

[Topperace]

Ah.... we don't have an external access panel, ours sits in a wood framed
cabinet about four inches off the floor... no way to get to the compressor and fan to dust/clean, without removing entire fridge from the cabinet...we live in ours full time so it's been running continuous for almost two years now on the road...through some fairly dusty areas...

[robkelly]

We had to replace the fridge in our unit this year. Only way to get it out was to move the island (only 9 screws hold it in place) and then remove the fridge doors in order to get it out. There was about 2" of clearance on either side going in/out the door. Repair facility wanted $3500 - $4500 + the price of the fridge to do the job, no way I was paying that...

Topperance - if you pull the valance off the bottom front of the fridge (two screws) you'll likely find a screw through the fridge frame into the floor to keep the bottom of it in place. I was also very nervous about damaging the cabinet face, but a piece of 2x4 and 3/4" plywood was almost level with the height of the cabinet floor and I was able to roll the fridge out. I used an old sheet between the plywood and finished cabinet for some extra protection against damage.

[Topperace]

Well Duh... I get dumber every day since after retired last year....

Removed the valence of the fridge and was able to access the front part of the coils that seemed to have caught all the dust/hair, etc.... so was able to clean some of it... and can see the plywood shelf that the fridge sits on...doesn't seem that it is screwed in any where from the front and the front two pads aren't even on the ply wood or barely on the plywood...will tackle that in a bit....

Thanks for the reply!!