Direct answer
A cold freezer with a warm fresh-food section points to blocked vents, frost around the evaporator, a stalled fan or a damper problem rather than total refrigerant loss.
What this covers
- Refrigerators · airflow
- The exact symptom in the title before component-level repair
- Consumer-accessible controls, connections and maintenance areas
What it does not cover
- ×Smoke, burning odor, swelling, liquid on powered parts or damaged wiring
- ×Opening sealed panels, bypassing interlocks or live-electrical testing
- ×Account ownership, billing or warranty disputes
Observe before changing anything
ReversibleMeasure both compartments and listen for the evaporator fan with the freezer door switch engaged only as the manual permits.
Isolate the failing boundary
ReversibleMove food away from vents and photograph frost patterns without removing panels.
Apply the narrow correction
ReversibleRestore airflow and allow the documented stabilization period; use manual defrost only when the model instructs it.
Verify the result and stop at the boundary
ReversibleMove perishable food and request service for heavy recurring frost or a fan that never runs.
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Visible sources support the visible claims. Home Product Support records the publisher, the fact used and the review date; community reports can suggest an issue but do not become a published fact on their own.
Exact questions
Common follow-ups
What should I check first for “Refrigerator section is warm but freezer is cold”?+
Measure both compartments and listen for the evaporator fan with the freezer door switch engaged only as the manual permits.
How do I know whether the problem is external or inside the device?+
Move food away from vents and photograph frost patterns without removing panels.
When should I stop and request repair?+
Move perishable food and request service for heavy recurring frost or a fan that never runs.
Answer for the exact device and software version shown above.