Kenmore Refrigerator Temperature Control Troubleshooting &

Quick Answer

When your Kenmore fridge stops holding the right temp, the first thing I always tell my family to check is the air damper between the freezer and the fridge. If that little door is stuck closed, your milk will spoil even if the freezer is rock solid. Most of the time, it is either a blocked vent or a faulty thermistor sensor telling the brain the wrong temperature.

Ignoring a temperature swing in your Kenmore can lead to a way bigger headache than just spoiled groceries. In my fifteen years on the road, I've seen small sensor failures eventually burn out the compressor because the system never knows when to stop running. Catching a faulty damper or clogged air passage early keeps the heart of your kitchen running for its full expected lifespan and saves you from a $1,200 compressor job.

KenmoreRefrigeratorSeverity: highDifficulty: intermediate88% DIY Success

Time to Fix

30–90 min

Difficulty

intermediate

Parts Cost

$15 – $90

Tools Needed

Phillips #2 screwdriver, ¼ inch nut driver

What Does the TEMP-CONTROL-FAULT Code Mean?

Repairing temperature issues usually ranges from a free fix, like vacuuming dust off the coils, to a couple hundred dollars for a new control board. Before you go buying an expensive main board, we need to rule out the smaller components like thermistors and fans. Most homeowners can handle these tests with a basic multimeter and a little patience.

Most Likely Causes

Based on aggregated repair data, here is the probability breakdown for this error code:

Faulty thermistor (temperature sensor)35%

Stuck or broken air damper control assembly25%

Clogged or dirty condenser coils20%

Main electronic control board malfunction15%

Failed evaporator fan motor5%

Symptoms You May Notice

The fresh food section climbs to 50°F or warmer while your freezer still has rock-solid ice cream, which tells you the problem is somewhere between the two compartments.
Your lettuce and berries are actually freezing solid, turning brown and mushy when you pull them out.
Compressor runs 24/7 without ever cycling off, and you can feel warm air blowing from underneath the unit constantly.
The digital display keeps jumping to different temps every few minutes instead of holding steady at whatever you set.
A rhythmic clicking or grinding noise from the back of the unit, usually starting about 30 seconds after the compressor kicks on.

Can you reset a Kenmore refrigerator to clear the TEMP-CONTROL-FAULT code?

On most Kenmore models, press and hold the 'Ultra Ice' and 'Freezer' buttons at the same time for five seconds until you hear a beep. If yours doesn't have those buttons, just unplug it for a full ten minutes. Not two, not five, ten. That clears the control board's memory completely and forces a fresh sensor calibration on the next startup. After plugging back in, don't open the doors for at least an hour and let it stabilize.

Tools Required for Diagnosis

Phillips #2 screwdriver¼ inch nut driverDigital multimeter (set to ohms)Condenser coil cleaning brush, 12-inch or longerVacuum with crevice attachmentFlathead screwdriver for popping plastic clipsFlashlight or headlamp

Service / Diagnostic Mode

For Kenmore Elite (LG-made) models, press and hold the 'Freezer' and 'Ice Plus' buttons at the same time for 5 seconds. The display will beep and enter a test mode where you can cycle through the fan, damper, and compressor functions.

Diagnostic Checklist

Follow these steps in order. We start with the easiest external fixes before opening up the machine.

ComponentComponent Under Test

Expected Range2000–15000 ohms

ConditionIf Open (OL) or infinite, replace component.

Replacement Parts

If your diagnostic testing proves the component has failed, you will need a replacement. We recommend OEM parts over aftermarket for water-handling components.

Part Name	OEM Number	Estimated Price
Temperature Sensor (Thermistor)EBG60663230 · $15–$35	EBG60663230	$15 – $35
Air Damper Control AssemblyADL73272201 · $45–$90	ADL73272201	$45 – $90

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Kenmore fridge freezing my lettuce?

Almost always a bad thermistor or a stuck-open air damper. If the sensor tells the fridge it's 50°F inside when it's actually 33°F, the fridge keeps pumping cold air and never backs off. Or if the damper's broken in the open position, cold air from the freezer just dumps in constantly with no regulation at all. Test the thermistor resistance first since it's the easier check, then feel that top vent for airflow when the fridge should be in a warm cycle. One of those two is almost always the answer.

What should the temperature settings be on a Kenmore?

37°F (3°C) for the refrigerator and 0°F (-18°C) for the freezer. That's the USDA recommendation and what Kenmore engineers targeted. If your model uses a 1 to 7 dial instead of actual degrees, 4 is the factory midpoint. Don't go colder than you need to because every extra degree of cooling makes the compressor work harder and shortens the life of the whole unit over time.

Can I replace the temperature control board myself?

Yeah, if you've already ruled out the sensors and fans, the board swap is actually pretty approachable for a DIYer. It's in a plastic housing, usually on the back or top interior of the fridge. You'll unplug a bunch of wire harnesses, swap the board, and plug them back in. The connectors are keyed differently so you can't really mix them up. Take a photo before you disconnect anything though, just in case. The board runs $80-150 for most Kenmore models depending on where you source it.

How do I know if my Kenmore refrigerator thermistor is bad?

Do the resistance test, don't trust a visual inspection. A thermistor can look perfectly fine and still be giving your board completely wrong data. At 32°F (ice water), a standard Kenmore thermistor should read roughly 13,000 to 16,000 ohms on your multimeter. At room temp, 5,000 to 10,000 ohms. If the reading is way off those ranges or shows OL (open loop) or zero, it's bad and needs to come out.

Is it worth repairing a Kenmore fridge that's more than 10 years old?

Honestly, it depends on what's broken. If it's a thermistor or an evaporator fan, yeah, fix it. Those parts are cheap and a well-built fridge has 18-20 years in it if you take care of it. But if the compressor's gone or the control board is fried on an older model, that repair bill can hit $400-600 and at that point you're better off putting that money toward a new unit. My rule of thumb is repairs under $200 on a fridge that's still structurally sound are worth doing every time.

Models Known to Experience TEMP-CONTROL-FAULT Errors

This repair applies to most Kenmore refrigerators with this error code. Common model numbers include:

795.51832410, 795.72489410, 106.44563400, 106.56832600, 253.44302400, 596.69333010, 596.76522500, 253.61512010

Written by

Mike Sullivan

Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 20 years experience

Last verified for technical accuracy on March 17, 2026