I have a Samsung Refrigerator RS265TDRS and while the freezer section works fine, the fridge section does not. After a few weeks I can feel that it is not cool enough. I looked at a Youtube video and opened the panel inside and found that the whole thing including the fan was covered in ice and the fan would not turn because it was blocked. After a few hours of defrosting, I put it back and it worked well. Then after a few weeks, the cooling reduces again.

I noticed it yesterday and so have shut down the entire unit at 7am and let it defrost and start it up again at 7pm when I get back home. I think it should get it to work again at least temporarily.

Here is what it looks like on my unit. After defrosting, all the ice goes away, but I notice that the water does not drain off at the bottom. I have to wipe it off. Is there a pipe outlet at the bottom that has possibly frozen causing the blockage? Maybe 12 hours of defrosting will fix it?

(Photo from Consumer Reports)

Contact the folks at AppliancePartsPros to help you troubleshoot your issue. They're experts and great to work with. Just contact them via the link in the upper left hand portion of their website and they'll let you know what needs to be done to resolve the issue..

http://www.appliancepartspros.com/repair-help/

Sounds like the heating element/thermostat is bad. I have had to replace mine a couple of times in my old fridge. For me it's like a $15 part, and pretty easy to change out once the ice is out of the way.

I had the same problem and it's a design flaw. You probably need to order and install a longer probe to keep ice from building up in the drain hole. The factory probe is much too small.

check out this website http://nitricacid.blogspot.com/2014/01/fixing-samsung-rf267abrs-refrigerator.html

This guy used some scrap aluminum but he has a link to another thread where people are discussing the problem and show a part you can order and install. Basically just a longer aluminum probe. Easy fix, but highly frustrating problem to deal with.

I replaced the part and all seemed to be working fine, but can't speak to the long term nature of the fix because I sold the fridge and got something other than a Samsung. Never again.

Thank you everyone for your replies. I will check them out in detail when I get home.
I am shocked that Samsung does not have a recall on this and will not pay for the faulty part since this is a big problem in this and related models.

I am not getting another Samsung again.

I just had a Samsung refrigerator replaced after 3 years.

Similar to what it sounds like you problem is, it was just not cooling very well. Samsung sent someone out who said it was a leak in the supply line to the compressor.

Even though the fridge was three years old, they cut me a check for the full price we paid for the fridge, and we bought a new one.

FWIW, I feel like they did right by us, and other than this issue, I have been very happy with the fridge. We have the 4 door flex model.

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I just had a Samsung refrigerator replaced after 3 years.

Similar to what it sounds like you problem is, it was just not cooling very well. Samsung sent someone out who said it was a leak in the supply line to the compressor.

Even though the fridge was three years old, they cut me a check for the full price we paid for the fridge, and we bought a new one.

FWIW, I feel like they did right by us, and other than this issue, I have been very happy with the fridge. We have the 4 door flex model.

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Wow, really?
How did you pull this off? I bought mine on Memorial Day 2013, so it's been 3 years.
If I call someone from Samsung, I am afraid I'll just get charged for service and nothing more than that.

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Sounds like the heating element/thermostat is bad. I have had to replace mine a couple of times in my old fridge. For me it's like a $15 part, and pretty easy to change out once the ice is out of the way.

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How do I check if the heating element is bad? I am pretty handy and would like to replace it myself.

Edit: I see it here http://www.appliancepartspros.com/samsung-senso-da32-10109w-ap4136948.html
Just $15 after shipping so I think I can just replace it anyway.

They did say that I would be charged for the service if it was something that wasn't covered. Prior to calling them I had an appliance repair company come out ($50 or so) who said it was the compressor, and told me to try Samsung. The appliance repair company quoted me $800 to replace the compressor, which turned out to not even be the problem.

Its a gamble (in the amount of the service fee), but if it is for a part that is covered for five years, they will repair or refund your initial purchase price.

That series of Samsung had defrost heater issues. It's actually built into the evaporator but with care you can remove it from a new one and thread it into the old one and not have to dump and recharge.
There is no separate defrost timer it's part of the electronic module. I had to change a relay on the pcb also (did not buy new module)
Think there was a class action attempt that failed. I found tell service manual after extensive search online. The brain actually has good diagnostics but am.sure the appliance parts.pro guys have it and can walk you through the diagnostics.

I've got the same model and the same thing happened to me twice. First time the heating element failed as well as the fan motor burned up from the ice build-up. I had an appliance repair place fix all that but a few months later it froze up again. You can tell it is happening when you start to hear the fan blades hitting something but it stops when opening the door.

Appliance place sent out a different guy who mentioned the design flaw with the drain getting blocked/frozen and that causes moisture/humidity to build up, causing ice then the defrost cycle does not completely overcome so much ice and it just builds and builds. Anyway, he simply wrapped a piece of coat hanger around the heating element and down into the drain and I've had no problems since.

You can run diagnostic mode to check for failure codes in case something really had failed. Then just buy part online and replace yourself.

http://applianceassistant.com/ServiceManuals/RS265TD-Fast-Track-R2.pdf

Oh and never again for me on Samsung also. I've replaced three ice makers plus the issues describe above and a leaking water valve all for about $700 and a lot of frustration moving food between fridges. This fridge is 3 years old. Never. Again.

But they make a regular profile refrigerator that's sold almost at built in pricing with a screen on the door! Huge!!!


... If the 2 year old GalaxyTab I inherited is any measure, this probably won't age gracefully either.

We bought the floor model of this in 2012. I suppose
I better book mark this thread.

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I've got the same model and the same thing happened to me twice. First time the heating element failed as well as the fan motor burned up from the ice build-up. I had an appliance repair place fix all that but a few months later it froze up again. You can tell it is happening when you start to hear the fan blades hitting something but it stops when opening the door.

Appliance place sent out a different guy who mentioned the design flaw with the drain getting blocked/frozen and that causes moisture/humidity to build up, causing ice then the defrost cycle does not completely overcome so much ice and it just builds and builds. Anyway, he simply wrapped a piece of coat hanger around the heating element and down into the drain and I've had no problems since.

You can run diagnostic mode to check for failure codes in case something really had failed. Then just buy part online and replace yourself.

http://applianceassistant.com/ServiceManuals/RS265TD-Fast-Track-R2.pdf

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That is exactly what happens to my unit. It worked fine for 2+ years and then I started hearing clicking which turned out to be fan blades hitting the ice. When I opened the panel, there was ice all over. I defrosted it and it was fine for a month. This time, no sound, but the temperature was going up so I decided to defrost it before the clicking would begin.

I got home yesterday evening and there was some water on the floor and turned the unit on and it seems to be working fine. I know it will act up again in some weeks.

Thanks for the link, I am taking a printout of it so I can look at it at home. I suspect the temp sensor would need to be replaced.

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Oh and never again for me on Samsung also. I've replaced three ice makers plus the issues describe above and a leaking water valve all for about $700 and a lot of frustration moving food between fridges. This fridge is 3 years old. Never. Again.

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The ice maker is crap too. When I switch it to cube mode, it grinds and puts out crushed ice. It works only very rarely. There are times when it continues to make a grinding sound and I have to remove the ice maker and put it back in to get it to stop.

Awful model.

What is a good brand in case I decide to get rid of this?

They aren't exactly flashy but the Kennmore I bought 12 years is still running happily at my aunt's house. I'm not sure who manufactured for them in 2004. Likewise we bought an LG in 2010 that 6 years later has no problems, but from what I hear we may be the outlier.

The cubed ice getting crushed is due to a little lever with a spring getting frozen closed or open/whatever. Take out the cube holder and you will see a metal bar/lever with a spring. Rinse that with warm water then let dry thoroughly and it should start working again.

Honestly, never again. Good TVs, ****ty refrigerators.

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The cubed ice getting crushed is due to a little lever with a spring getting frozen closed or open/whatever. Take out the cube holder and you will see a metal bar/lever with a spring. Rinse that with warm water then let dry thoroughly and it should start working again.

Honestly, never again. Good TVs, ****ty refrigerators.

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Great, thanks for the suggestion. I will take a look and see if I can get this to work.