A Whirlpool WRQA59CNKZ whose freezer is not freezing needs quick action, because food thaws in hours, and the checks start with the simplest cause: the door, the setting and the airflow. This 19.4 cubic foot counter-depth four-door refrigerator has a freezer drawer at the bottom and a convertible middle drawer above it, and its capacity is smaller than standard-depth French-door models because of the shallower depth. A drawer that is not sealed, a freezer set too warm or a vent blocked by food lets the temperature rise.
The checks in more detail
First, the drawer. Make sure the freezer drawer is fully closed and that nothing, such as a bag or a box, keeps it ajar; pull it out and push it in firmly. Check the gasket for gaps or food stuck to it. Then the settings. Check the freezer temperature setting, which should be around zero degrees Fahrenheit, and look at whether the convertible middle drawer is set to a mode that is warmer than you expect, since it has its own temperature modes.
A refrigerator in a showroom or demo mode may not cool at all, so check the display for a mode message. Then airflow. A freezer needs air to move; do not pack food against the vents at the back, and leave space for the air. If frost has built up on the evaporator at the back, the airflow is blocked, which points at a defrost problem.
Next clean the condenser coil underneath or behind the unit, since a dirty coil cannot shed heat and the whole refrigerator warms gradually; vacuum it carefully. Listen for the compressor and the fan. If the freezer is warm while the refrigerator section is cold, or the compressor never runs, a fan, a defrost component or the sealed system may have failed, and food is at risk, so move it to another freezer. Quote WRQA59CNKZ and the serial number to Whirlpool.
Differential
Likely causes of “Whirlpool WRQA59CNKZ four-door refrigerator freezer is cold but not freezing food”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A drawer not fully closed
What separates it The freezer is warm and the drawer is slightly open
How to confirm Close it firmly and check the gasket
- 2
The temperature set too warm or a wrong mode
What separates it The display shows a warm setting
How to confirm Set about zero degrees Fahrenheit
- 3
Blocked airflow or frost on the evaporator
What separates it Frost at the back and a warm freezer
How to confirm Clear the vents and check defrost
- 4
A dirty condenser coil
What separates it The whole unit warms gradually
How to confirm Vacuum the coil
- 5
A failed fan, defrost part or sealed system
What separates it The compressor never runs or the freezer stays warm
How to confirm Technician check
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The freezer temperature shown
- Whether the drawer closes fully
- Whether frost is visible at the back
- Whether the compressor and fan run
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedClose the drawer
ReversibleAnd check the gasket.
Check the setting
ReversibleAbout zero degrees.
Check the mode
ReversibleDemo or convertible drawer.
Clear the vents
ReversibleDo not pack against them.
Clean the coil
ReversibleVacuum underneath.
Move the food
ReversibleIf the freezer stays warm.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Act quickly
- Food thaws within hours.
- The drawer and gasket
- A gap lets warm air in.
- Airflow
- Frost and packed vents stop cold air moving.
- The coil
- A dirty coil warms the whole unit.
- Failed parts
- A fan, a defrost part or the sealed system.
- Whirlpool help
- Quote WRQA59CNKZ and the serial number.
- Parts for this problem on the WRQA59CNKZ (RepairClinic, 2026-09-21)
- fan, part number W11455373, at $232.72; add to cart drawer slide rail genuine oem part #, part number W11135455, at $20.12; thermistor, rc, part number W11679636, at $23.83.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !Move food to another freezer if it is thawing
- !Do not refreeze thawed food
- !Call Whirlpool for a compressor that never runs
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Why is my freezer not freezing?+
The drawer, the setting, airflow or a failed part.
What temperature should it be?+
About zero degrees Fahrenheit.
Can frost cause it?+
Yes, it blocks airflow.
Does the coil matter?+
Yes, a dirty coil warms the unit.
What about my food?+
Move it to another freezer if it stays warm.