What To Do When a Freezer Drawer Stuck?

You are upset that your freezer drawer won’t open because you have planned to cook your favorite meal today.

It doesn’t matter if you pulled and tugged at it or not, it will not budge. Don’t apply any more force as it might cause damage to your freezer drawer.

We have consulted with experts to figure out why your freezer drawer is stuck and how to fix it.

Ice build-up, broken drawer slides, and obstruction in the drawer or on the drawer slides are some of the reasons why the freezer drawer is not opening. 

There are several solutions that you can use to resolve the problem.

  • Remove the obstruction.
  • Unblock the defrost drain.
  • Defrost your freezer.
  • Lubricate the drawer slides.
  • Fix the rails.

Continue reading to find out why your freezer drawer sometimes gets stuck and how to fix it before calling a professional technician.

How Can I Open a Stuck Freezer Drawer?

When your freezer does not open easily, what do you do? Below are methods that you can use to solve the problem.

Remove the Obstruction

Food could be obstructing your freezer drawer if you don’t open it fully.

You can rock it from one side to the other by pulling the drawer open as far back as you can. The obstruction needs to be moved so that it opens fully.

Unblock the Defrost Drain

Ice build-up under the drawer can prevent the freezer from opening. A blocked drain is most likely to be the cause. Unplug your freezer and thaw it.

You may have to access the defrost drain to remove the ice, but defrosting alone can solve this problem.

The freezer manual can be used to remove the drawer and the panel at the back of the freezer to access the drain.

You can clear ice from the drain hole by using a piece of stiff wire or screwdriver.

If you want to make sure there’s no ice stuck in the drain hole, you can squeeze warm water into it by placing a needle into it. There should be no ice left in the drain.

Bottom-Freezer Drawer

Defrost the freezer

It can build up on the drawer rails if the drawer is accidentally left open for a while or if the drawer is opened regularly.

The drawer can’t be opened because of this. Allow at least 24 hours to thaw, that’s how long it will take to solve the problem.

You should be able to open the drawer after it has been defrosted. The drawer rails on which the freezer is located should be wiped off.

If you want to use a fan, place it outside of the freezer with the door open and concentrate on the main drawer that needs to be changed. The ice will be melted with the help of the air.

Lubricate the Drawer Slides

You should use lubrication if your drawer slides don’t open smoothly.

You need to choose an FDA-approved food-grade lubricant that is safe for use inside the freezer to prevent food contamination and damage to the drawers.

These are the lubricants that come with them.

  • Pure Paraffin Wax – This is not the same as candle wax, so it is safe to use on the drawer slides.
  • Pure Petroleum Jelly that is not medicated – It’s good for use on the drawer slides.
  • Pure Mineral Oil – It will not have the same effect as the above two, but is recommended on the drawer slides.

Plugging your freezer for your safety will be the next step after you decide on the lubricant to use.

If you want to get to the stuck drawer, you have to empty the drawer that is above it and slide it off its tracks.

You can’t open the drawer if you don’t clean the rails. If you want to release the drawer, pull it towards you with your hands.

It’s a good idea to rock it gently to prevent it from breaking. After several attempts, you should be able to unstick your drawer.

If you want to make sure the drawer is released, move it back and forth.

Fix the Rails

The drawer could be stuck if the drawer rails are broken or faulty. If you are up to the task, you can use your freezer manual to fix it, even if you have to call in a professional.

An example of how to replace drawer rails in a freezer can be found below.

Why Is My Freezer Drawer Not Closing?

There are several reasons your freezer drawer might not be closing. Determine what the problem is and then apply one or more of the solutions provided above.

How to Take Apart a Samsung Freezer Drawer?

If the drawer rails are broken or faulty, it is possible to replace them, and in this example, we will fix the lower right rail assembly of the fridge freezer.

The instructions are easy to understand

  • Unplug your freezer.
  • Open the freezer door and remove the baskets.
  • The two screws securing the lower support brackets on the right and left sides need to be un-threaded.
  • Tilt the door forward, and lift it upwards to remove it.
  • The pin securing the gear shaft needs to be removed using a flathead screwdriver.
  • Slide the gear shaft to the right to remove it.
  • Carefully remove the faulty freezer drawer rail assembly after you press the tab on the right.
  • Attach your new rail assembly to the rail support and push it back until it snaps into place.
  • Adjust the gear to confirm the gear shaft will align with both gears on the left and right
  • Place the end that has the hole into the right gear on the opposite side of the shaft and then place it into the left side gear.
  • Snap the pin in place to secure the shaft.
  • Re-install the freezer door by aligning the screw bracket tabs with the rail.
  • Attach the brackets to the drawer rails by threading the screws back on the right and left sides.
  • Plug in the power cord when the freezer door is closed and then put back the baskets.
Bottom-Freezer Drawer

How to Replace a Front Freezer Drawer?

It can become more difficult to open a freezer drawer if it is damaged or cracked. This may be due to various reasons.

A blocked drain hole could be a reason for the build-up of frost. This creates too much tension when opening the drawer, and sometimes it gets stuck.

You can replace the front of your freezer drawer by following these steps.

  • Unplug your freezer.
  • You need to remove the food from the drawer.
  • The pegs that lock the front in place are located at the bottom edge of your drawer.
  • If you want to separate it from the pegs, push the front away with a blunt blade or knife.
  • Slowly and carefully, work along the edge from one side to the other to ensure pegs are separated from the front.
  • Work on the sides to remove the front from the drawer body.
  • Click your drawer front onto the pegs that are on the drawer body to make sure it is firmly fixed in place.
  • Plug the cord back into the drawer and put it back in the freezer.

Conclusion

To fix a stuck freezer drawer, you need to know what is causing it in the first place, and then provide the most suitable solution.

If you follow the instructions in this post and the freezer manual, you can fix it on your own.

Similar Posts