My fridge freezer's on the blink, I think.

[stephec]

It's a Samsung that's over ten years old, this morning it went very quiet as if it had stopped, but when the door opened the light was still on.

A quick Google suggested that the thermostat or condenser might be faulty and to try turning it down a bit. I dropped it from 4°C to 2 and it's now chilling this evening's beer nicely, the freezer I'm not sure about as I've kept the door shut, but everything seems to still be frozen.

The only thing is it's still silent and all I've done is jiggle it around in the alcove where it sits, by doing that have I done the equivalent of the old smack on the side of the 1970s TV to get it working again?

I'm also thinking maybe it's the fan that circulates the air that's knackered.

 

[fossyant]

Our frost free fridge freezer is either totally quiet, or you hear the compressor/pump/fan "do dah" kick in.

Worth keeping an eye (and ear) on it.

 

[classic33]

Are the door seals clean, inside and outside. Dirty seals can prevent the door sealing correctly, "fooling" the thermostat into working too hard.

Recently "fixed" one where the only problem was it needed the door seals cleaning.

 

[88robb]

It's possible you jiggled a loose wire back into place, giving it that "smack on the TV" fix.
The fan is a very likely suspect, especially since the light works but it's silent. If the fan has failed, it would stop cooling but the interior light would still come on.
Since it's over ten years old, start planning for a replacement. Repairs can often cost more than a new model. Keep an eye on the freezer section; if things start to thaw, you'll know it's on its last legs.

 

[stephec]

It seems to be working now, but Mrs stephec has decided she doesn't want the risk of it dying at Christmas so I've got to splash the cash.

 

[CepZan]

Sometimes shifting a fridge really does get a dodgy thermostat or sticky fan moving again. If it’s cooling the beer now, the compressor’s at least firing up, even if you can’t hear it. Modern fridges run way quieter than the old-school ones, so silence isn’t always bad. The freezer staying frozen is a good sign too.
But yeah, a dying circulation fan or thermostat is totally possible. If it starts warming up again, that’s your cue to get it checked—or retire the beast.