Why a Refrigerator Doesn’t Run After Being Transported

A refrigerator is a pretty stationary appliance. It can go its whole life in a home not being moved more than a few scoots in any given direction since most people sell their homes with appliances left behind. However, if you did transport your refrigerator to a new location, if you did it the wrong way, you may find that it doesn’t turn on.

This issue comes if you move a refrigerator and do not keep it upright. An example is if you moved it in a pickup truck, but laid it on its back for easy transportation. Refrigerators are meant to stay upright. What can happen when you lay it down is that the lubricant from the compressor leaks into the cooling pipes. If you turn it upright and turn it on, the refrigerator may still run for a bit, but you run a high risk of actually damaging the compressor in your refrigerator and breaking the appliance. You could technically get the compressor replaced, but that is a complicated and expensive repair.

This is not to say that you cannot lay your refrigerator down. It makes transportation and repairs easier. However, if you have had your refrigerator laid down for any amount of time, you need to let it sit turned off for several hours after you turn it upright. This will allow the lubricant to drain back into the compressor. By allowing it to sit for a few hours, you can safely turn it back on without worrying about risking damage.

Unfortunately, if you have already transported your refrigerator and now it is not working, you have likely damaged the compressor. It will now need to be replaced. However, if your refrigerator is already quite old, it may be more cost-effective to simply buy a new model rather than pay for this expensive repair and replacement.