Fridge Compressor Not Starting or Clicking? Relay, Overload and Compressor Faults

The compressor is the heart of your fridge, so when it falls silent or clicks repeatedly, it is natural to fear the worst. In practice, many 'compressor problems' turn out to be faults in the small electrical parts that start it — which are far cheaper to fix.

How a fridge compressor starts

When the thermostat or control board calls for cooling, power goes through a starting relay (often a PTC relay on modern fridges) and an overload protector to the compressor. Some compressors also have a run or start capacitor. If any of these fails — or the supply voltage is too low — the compressor can't start, and the overload trips with a click.

Common causes

1. Faulty starting relay

The most common reason for a clicking fridge. A failed relay can't give the compressor its starting push.

2. Overload protector failure

The overload protects the compressor from overheating. A weak overload trips too early; a failed one may cut power completely.

3. Weak capacitor

On fridges fitted with one, a weak capacitor makes starting difficult, especially at low voltage.

4. Low or fluctuating voltage

Low voltage during summer evenings can stop compressors from starting. Repeated failed starts heat the compressor and stress the relay. A stabiliser suited to your fridge protects against this.

5. Thermostat, sensor or PCB fault

If the compressor never receives the signal to start, it stays silent. This points to the thermostat, temperature sensor or control board rather than the compressor.

6. Overheating from poor ventilation or a dirty condenser

A fridge pushed against a wall, or with a dust-choked condenser or a stopped condenser fan, overheats and cuts out repeatedly.

7. Failed compressor

Open or shorted windings, or a mechanically seized compressor, require replacement. This is confirmed only after the parts above are tested.

What happens during compressor replacement

If the compressor has failed, the technician recovers or releases the remaining gas safely, replaces the compressor and drier filter, brazes the joints, vacuums the system and charges the correct gas — the same careful process described in our fridge gas charging guide. The fridge is then tested for cooling and running current.

Protecting your fridge compressor

• Use a stabiliser if your area has frequent low voltage or power cuts.
• After a power cut, wait a few minutes before the fridge restarts — many stabilisers have a time delay for this reason.
• Leave space behind the fridge and clean the condenser coil every few months.
• Don't switch the fridge off and on repeatedly.

Paras Refrigeration provides fridge repair at home in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri and Khordha. Also read why a fridge stops cooling.