Kenmore Refrigerator Model 795 Troubleshooting

Your Kenmore 795 is blowing warm air. The ice maker stopped, or a strange noise is coming from the back. You're not alone.

Most owners hit a repair wall with this model at some point.

Kenmore Refrigerator Model 795 troubleshooting starts with the simplest parts, not the most expensive ones. The 795 series is built by LG and uses an Inverter Linear Compressor with R134a refrigerant. A typical service call costs $150 to $300 before parts.

Walk through the fixes below in order and you'll find the problem quickly.

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Quick Answer

The most common Kenmore 795 failure is the compressor start relay. The second is a frozen defrost drain. The third is a dead evaporator fan motor.

Always unplug the fridge before touching parts. Clean the condenser coils, then listen for the compressor. A relay replacement costs about $40.

When Your Kenmore 795 Isn't Cooling (or Making Ice)

The 795 fails in a few predictable ways. Each symptom points to a different part.

Freezer cold, fridge warm. This means the compressor and sealed system are fine. Cold air isn't reaching the fridge section. Open the freezer door and press the door switch.

You should hear the evaporator fan spinning. If you don't hear it, the fan is jammed with ice or the motor is dead. If the fan runs fine, check the damper between the freezer and fridge.

A stuck damper blocks cold air flow entirely.

Both sections warm. This points to the compressor circuit. Pull the fridge away from the wall and listen near the lower back panel. Silence means the start relay isn't sending power.

A loud hum that clicks off after a second means the relay is trying to start the compressor and failing. Replace it with an OEM part. Aggregate repair reports call this the number one failure on this model.

No ice but water works. The water valve and supply line are fine. The ice maker module is at fault. Check if the sensor arm is stuck in the up position.

Push it down to reset it. If the arm doesn't drop after a cycle, replace the module.

Water leaking on the floor. Look behind the fridge. The defrost drain tube often pops off its holder. Water then bypasses the drain pan.

Push it back into place. Cause number two is a cracked drain pan, and those run about $35 to $60.

Loud rattling or buzzing. Check the back panel screws first. Loosened panels vibrate against the compressor. If the noise continues, inspect the condenser fan blade for cracks.

A damaged blade wobbles and hits the shroud.

The First Thing to Check Before You Do Anything Else

Before you buy any parts, run through these five checks. They solve about 20 percent of 795 problems.

Check the thermostat settings. The fridge should sit at 37 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The freezer at zero to 5 degrees. A bumped control panel can look like a real failure.

Inspect the door gaskets. A torn or compressed gasket leaks cold air. Close the door on a dollar bill. If you can pull it out with zero resistance, the gasket needs replacing.

Replace the water filter. This matters when the ice maker or dispenser is slow. A filter past its 6 month lifespan restricts water flow. Replace it before touching the ice maker module.

Read the error code. The control panel shows codes when the self diagnostics find a fault. For example, E1 means a freezer thermistor is out of range. An 85P code points to ice maker communication failure.

Search the exact code with "Kenmore 795" and you'll land on the specific repair.

Check the circuit breaker. A 795 running on a GFCI protected outlet can trip during the defrost cycle. If the fridge is fully dead, look at the breaker panel first. That saves you an hour of unnecessary testing.

Diagnose Your Symptom: A Practical Decision Tree

Use your exact symptom to jump to the right diagnosis. Don't guess. Let the behavior of the fridge point you to the faulty part.

Fridge warm, freezer cold. Check the evaporator fan first. Open the freezer door and press the door switch. No fan noise means ice is blocking the blade or the motor is dead.

Fan running okay? Then check the damper between the freezer and fridge. If the damper is stuck shut, the fridge section starves for cold air.

Fridge and freezer both warm. Listen at the back of the unit for the compressor. No sound at all means the start relay or the overload protector is failing. A humming relay that clicks off is a failed start relay.

In our research, this path leads to a $40 part doing the job a technician would charge $250 for.

Ice maker not working, water dispenser works. The water inlet valve is fine. The problem is the ice maker module. Push the feeler arm back down to reset it.

If it skips the water fill cycle after the reset, the module needs replacement.

Water pooling under the crispers. This is almost always a frozen defrost drain. Melt the ice with a hair dryer and pour hot water down the drain. If the water backs up instantly, the drain tube is blocked further down.

Clear it with tubing and hot water.

Compressor runs constantly. Dirty condenser coils cause this. The coils sit behind the front grille at the bottom. Pull the grille off and inspect.

Pet hair and dust restrict airflow, forcing the compressor to run longer and hotter.

DIY Repairs That Solve Most 795 Problems

You can fix 90 percent of 795 failures with basic hand tools and a multimeter. Here's how to handle the big ones.

Replace the start relay

Unplug the fridge. Remove the lower back panel to access the compressor. The start relay is a plastic piece clipped to the compressor body.

Pull it off with firm pressure. Match the model number printed on the side. Never buy a universal relay.

An OEM part costs $30 to $90. Install and reassemble. That's the whole job.

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Clear a frozen defrost drain

Unplug the fridge. Empty the freezer and remove the inside back panel. You'll see the evaporator coils covered in frost.

Use a hair dryer on low heat to melt the ice at the drain hole. Pour a cup of hot water down the drain once it opens. If the water pools instead of draining, push flexible tubing through the tube to clear the blockage.

Never use a knife near the coils.

Replace the ice maker module

Turn off the water supply and unplug the fridge. The module mounts with one or two screws and a wiring harness clip. Remove the screws, unclip the harness, and slide the module out.

Install the new one in reverse. Turn the water back on and run a test cycle. Expect to pay $70 to $120 for the module.

It's a 20 minute job.

Test the evaporator fan motor

Remove the freezer panel to access the fan. If no ice is blocking it, test the motor with a multimeter set to ohms. Good motors read between 100 and 500 ohms across the terminals.

An open reading or a dead short means the motor is finished. OEM fan assemblies run $60 to $110.

Replace the water inlet valve

Do this only when both the ice maker and dispenser are slow or dead. The valve sits at the back of the fridge where the supply line connects. Turn off the water and unplug the fridge.

Remove two screws, pull the hoses and wires, and swap in the new valve. That's a $50 to $90 fix.

Common Mistakes That Turn Small Fixes into Big Repairs

Some mistakes cost you more than a professional repair. Avoid these at all costs.

Running the fridge with the back panel off. The panel directs airflow over the condenser coils. Without it, the compressor overheats and can fail. A simple relay fix turns into a $600 sealed system repair.

Stabbing at ice with a screwdriver. The evaporator coils sit right behind that ice. Puncture one and all the refrigerant leaks out. The fridge is dead.

Use heat and hot water only.

Skipping the unplug step. The start relay circuit holds a charge. Servicing it while plugged in delivers a nasty shock. Unplug the fridge for five minutes before touching any electrical part.

Replacing parts without testing. Throwing parts at the problem is the most expensive mistake in appliance repair. Test with a multimeter first, or you'll replace three working parts before finding the fourth one that's broken.

Installing universal relays. They work for a few weeks, then fail. The 795 compressor needs exact starting resistance. OEM replacements cost a little more and last for the rest of the fridge's life.

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Is Your 795 Worth Fixing? A Real-World Cost Check

You have to decide at some point. Repair or replace. The easy rule is the 50 percent rule.

If the repair cost is more than half the value of a comparable new fridge, stop repairing.

As of 2026, a new French-door refrigerator with similar capacity runs $1,200 to $1,800. A working used 795 sells for $400 to $700. That changes the math quickly.

A compressor failure on a 795 older than 10 years is a gut punch. The sealed system repair costs more than the fridge is worth. That's when you plan for a replacement.

One saving grace. LG extends the compressor warranty to 5 years on many models. Check your serial number against LG's official support page first.

You might get the compressor covered for free.

Preventive Habits That Keep Your Kenmore 795 Running

Maintenance is cheaper than repair. These habits take minutes and stop most 795 failures before they start.

Clean the condenser coils every 6 months. Pull the front grille, brush the coils, and vacuum them. Clean coils keep the compressor cool and the relay alive.

Replace the water filter twice a year. A clogged filter chokes the water valve and ice maker. Mark it on your calendar or set a reminder on your phone.

Pour warm water down the defrost drain quarterly. This flushes the drain before ice can plug it. One cup of hot water does the job.

Keep the fridge level. An unlevel fridge causes door sag and a weak seal. Check with a bubble level and adjust the front rollers until it sits flat.

Don't block the vents. Packed food blocks airflow that cools the fridge section. Keep the interior vents clear.

Listen for changes. New noises or a compressor that runs longer than usual mean something's aging. Catch it early and it's a $40 fix. Wait and it could be a $700 one.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I reset my Kenmore 795 after a power outage?

Unplug the fridge and wait 10 minutes. Plug it back in and wait 5 minutes for the compressor to start. This clears the control board memory and restores normal operation.

Why is my Kenmore 795 clicking but not cooling?

The start relay is failing. It sends power to the compressor, the compressor tries to start, and the relay trips off. Replace it with an OEM part.

It costs about $40 and takes 15 minutes.

How do I clear error codes on a Kenmore 795?

Press and hold the freezer temperature button and the refrigerator temperature button together for 3 seconds. The codes will clear. If the code returns, fix the underlying sensor problem instead of ignoring it.

What does the E1 error code mean on a Kenmore 795?

E1 means the freezer thermistor is reading out of range. The thermistor tells the control board what temperature the freezer is at. Replace the sensor and the code usually clears.

The part costs about $15 to $30.

Can I replace the ice maker without turning off the water?

You should always turn off the water supply. The supply line connects directly to the ice maker module. Disconnecting it while pressurized causes spills and can damage the wiring harness.

Turn the valve off first. It takes two seconds.