Appliance Spares
Quick answer: An LG fridge that has stopped cooling usually comes down to one of three parts. If the freezer is still cold but the fridge section is warm, the evaporator fan motor has almost always failed — replacements start at $29.95. If both compartments are warming up and the back of the cabinet is running hot, look at the condenser fan motor (from $39.95). On older dial-controlled LG models, erratic or no cooling points to the thermostat ($29.95) or the temperature sensor ($19.95). All are in stock and ship same day from Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
Find the right LG fridge part by model number
Match the symptom to the fault
| What you see | What you hear | Most likely cause |
|---|---|---|
| Fridge warm, freezer still freezing | No airflow noise from the vents, or a fan that chirps and stops | Failed evaporator fan motor |
| Both fridge and freezer slowly warming | Compressor running hot and constantly; silence where the rear fan should be | Failed condenser fan motor |
| Cooling cuts in and out, or never cuts out | Compressor short-cycling or running non-stop | Faulty thermostat (dial models) or temperature sensor |
| Error code on the display | — | Check the code — see our LG fridge error code guide |
If the display is showing a fan-related code, our LG Er IF error guide walks through that specific fault. And if your symptom is exactly “fridge warm, freezer fine”, the full fridge not cooling but freezer works guide covers the diagnosis for every brand.
Why LG fridges stop cooling
Most LG fridge-freezers made for the Australian market are fan-forced: a single evaporator coil in the freezer does the cooling, and a small fan pushes that cold air through a duct up into the fresh-food compartment. That design has one obvious weak point — if the fan stops, the freezer keeps freezing but the fridge section gets no cold air at all. Three failure modes account for nearly every no-cooling call:
- The evaporator fan motor wears out. The bearing dries out or the winding fails, often after the motor has spent months labouring against ice build-up. The fridge compartment warms first because it depends entirely on that airflow.
- The condenser fan motor fails. This fan, down near the compressor at the back, dumps the heat the system pulls out of the cabinet. Without it the system overheats and cooling capacity collapses in both compartments.
- The thermostat or sensor drifts. On dial-controlled models the mechanical thermostat loses calibration or fails outright; on electronic models the temperature-humidity sensor feeds the control board bad readings, so the compressor never gets the right instruction.
Confirm the fault in ten minutes
- Check the basics first. Door closing fully, seals intact, vents inside the cabinet not blocked by food, and the model not in demo mode. Rule these out before buying anything.
- Listen for the evaporator fan. Open the freezer door and press the door switch in (or hold the door nearly closed). You should hear the fan spin up behind the freezer’s rear panel. Silence, or a laboured chirping, points to the fan motor — or to ice jamming it, which the next step separates.
- Look for ice on the back panel. A sheet of ice behind the freezer’s rear panel means a defrost problem is strangling the airflow, and it may also have seized the fan. Defrost the cabinet fully (24 hours, doors open, towels down) and retest — if the fan still won’t run once the ice is gone, the motor is your part.
- Check the condenser fan. Pull the fridge out and look through the rear access area near the compressor. With the fridge running, that fan should be turning steadily. A stopped or wobbling blade with the compressor hot to the touch means the condenser fan motor has failed.
- Test the thermostat on dial models. Turn the dial slowly from minimum to maximum with the fridge quiet — you should hear a click and the compressor should start. No click and no compressor response points to the thermostat.
The parts that fix it
| Part | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
 Evaporator (freezer) fan motor 4680JB1019T / 4680JB1019F | Common replacement freezer fan motor across many LG fridge-freezers | $29.95 |
 Evaporator fan motor DC12V for GF-B505 / GF-B530 / GF-B590 / GF-L500 / GF-B570 | GF-series bottom-mount models | $58.95 |
 Evaporator fan motor DC12V for GF-L570 / GF-LN500 / GF-V500 / GF-V570 / GF-V910 | Larger GF-series models | $58.95 |
 Evaporator fan motor for GT-1S / GT-2S / GT-2W / GT-3S / GT-4S / GT-4W / GT-5B / GT-5S | GT-series top-mount models | $79.95 |
 Condenser fan motor 4680JB1026B for GR-B197DVCA / GR-B207EC / GR-L247EQ | GR-series models — heat-rejection fan at the compressor | $39.95 |
 Condenser fan motor 13VDC 4681JB1029L | Models with the 13 VDC condenser fan — match against your model sticker | $49.95 |
 Fridge thermostat 6930JB1003D for GR-332SF / GR-372SF / GR-432SF / GR482SFA | Dial-controlled GR-series models with erratic or no cooling | $29.95 |
 Temperature and humidity sensor 6500JB2001B | Electronic models reading the cabinet temperature wrongly | $19.95 |
Not sure which one fits? Your model number is on the model sticker inside the fridge compartment, usually on the side wall — run it through the Part Finder for the exact-fit part.
Replacing the evaporator fan motor, step by step
- Unplug the fridge and empty the freezer compartment.
- Remove the freezer shelves and undo the screws holding the rear panel inside the freezer.
- If the panel is iced in place, let it defrost fully before levering — forcing it cracks the plastic.
- Photograph the wiring, unclip the fan connector, and unscrew the motor from its bracket.
- Fit the new motor, making sure the blade is seated the same way and spins freely by hand.
- Refit the panel and shelves, plug in, and confirm airflow at the fridge-compartment vents within a few minutes.
Allow about 30–45 minutes with a screwdriver — longer if you need to defrost first. The condenser fan is a similar job from the rear of the cabinet; the thermostat and sensor are simple plug-in swaps behind the control housing.
Repair cost summary (Australia 2026)
| Fix | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Clear blocked vents / full defrost | $0 | up to 24 hours defrosting |
| New evaporator or condenser fan motor (DIY) | $29.95–$79.95 | 30–45 minutes |
| New thermostat or sensor (DIY) | $19.95–$29.95 | about 30 minutes |
| Repairer callout plus the same part | $180–$300+ | wait for a booking |
| New LG fridge-freezer | $800–$3,000+ | — |
The 50% rule: every part on this page costs under a tenth of a replacement fridge. If the compressor still runs and the cabinet is sound, replacing a fan motor or sensor is always the economical call.
Frequently asked questions
My LG fridge is warm but the freezer works — what does that mean?
Cold air isn’t reaching the fridge compartment. On a fan-forced LG that is either a failed evaporator fan motor or ice blocking the airflow duct. Defrost fully first; if the fan still doesn’t run, replace the motor. The full symptom guide covers the diagnosis step by step.
Why does my LG fridge keep icing up behind the freezer panel?
A defrost fault. The ice eventually chokes the airflow and can seize the evaporator fan — which is why fan motors and defrost problems so often turn up together. Fix the ice source, then test the fan before closing everything up.
The fridge is silent and warm all over — is it the compressor?
Not necessarily. Check the power point and controls first, then the condenser fan. A dead condenser fan can shut the whole system down long before the compressor itself is at fault.
Where is my LG model number?
On the model sticker inside the fridge compartment, usually on the left or right wall. LG fridge models typically start with GR, GT, GB, GF or GS. Enter it in the Part Finder for the exact-fit part.
Do these parts ship same day?
Yes — order before 12pm Sydney time for same-day dispatch Australia-wide, flat $10.60 shipping.
Related
- Fridge not cooling but freezer works — the definitive fix guide
- LG fridge error codes explained
- LG fridge Er IF error — what it means and the fix
- LG fridge making a loud noise — fan and motor diagnosis
- All LG fridge parts in stock
- Find your exact part with the Part Finder
Ready to fix it?
- Run your model number through the Oz Appliance Spares Part Finder — model in, exact-fit part out.
- Browse 3,000+ parts in stock
- Order before 12pm Sydney time → ships same day from our Sydney Northern Beaches warehouse, Australia-wide.
Disclaimer: this article is general information only and is provided without warranty of any kind. Appliance designs vary between models and production runs — always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, switch off and unplug the appliance before starting any work, and confirm parts against the model number on your appliance’s model sticker. Any repair is undertaken at your own risk and Oz Appliance Spares accepts no liability for injury, loss or damage arising from work performed after reading this guide, to the maximum extent permitted by law. If in doubt, use a qualified technician.
