Frost buildup on freezer back wall in GE Fridge

"Pretty much comes down to 3 items:

1).Defrost heater

2). Defrost limit switch - Usually a bi-metal switch in series with the heater and shuts it down if it goes over a certain temperature.

3). Defrost timer - The ""brains"" of the refrigerator. Tells the temperature switch when it is allowed to tell the compressor to run. Takes the temperature switch's control away (every 8, 10, or 12 hours depending on the setup) and tells the defrost heater to work for 20 - 30 minutes (depending on setup). Then gives control back to the temperature switch after the defrost cycle.

Slim chance but, still possible, is an ice bullet in the freon line or a burnt wire.

I don't know how anyone could know which is the problem child without going to where the refrigerator is and testing it. I have over 25 years experience repairing refrigerators. If you are handy with a multimeter and mechanically inclined, it is a repair you could do yourself. The repair place isn't really steering you wrong, in my opinion."

I have same thing on a 2015 model where inside freezer beneath the drawers freezes up with ice & ice leaks all over floor. About every 10-14 days we have to empty freezer & chip ice out then replace drawers & food. Done this since 1 year warranty was up. Had repair man out who pushed warranty a little since it had been doing this and having extreme moisture condensation issues since brand new. Though it was just me, opening both doors too much or that it was a French door refrigerator. It was at the time the no fingerprints new finish.so entire kitchen over 10k in new appliances match. So getting a new one not an option. This is a ridiculous problem for GE not to address. The service guy did replace the freezer defroster motor/ fan and it fixed the condensation problem but not the bottom freezing up & water leaking all over the floor bi-weekly. No more GE for me ever! Husband says it bad engineering, & now an extra defrost freezer instead of a frost free. I call it a POS.

I pay dearly to keep the GE Profile refrigerator that I have in a service agreement because it requires service about every 6 months due to icing up the back panel. Also water accumulates under the produce drawer and freezes so solid that the drawer won't open. The service folks tell me these models were outsourced by GE to Samsung and Samsung will not provide GE with design to remedy the problem that is prevalent in all of these model. This is so wrong! I sure wish someone would initiate a class action suit. Right now we are deicing it to get us through the holidays .

I've had this problem where the unit behind the back wall freezes up causing water/ice to form in the bottom shelf or developing ice that interrupts the fan. We have called a repair person out 3 times. His comment each time is this is a common problem with GE refrigerators caused by poor design and essentially not repairable. We are finally convinced the only solution short of buying a new one other than GE or to defrost it every one or two months. Repair guy says Samsung is even worse.

"I Had my GE frosting up everywhere inside..Kept defrosting and cleaning it out, and the same thing kept happening.

Went away for two months, and when I got home, it was all frosted up inside, and there was a huge chunk of ice by the ice dispenser…that’s when I noticed the ice dispenser flap was open! I worked it back and forth till I got it to close on its own again, and it has fixed my problem for now…I’ll have to see how to replace the flap and spring mechanism that shuts it.."

Most modern fridges and freezers are frost-free but older models will need regular defrosting to prevent the build-up of ice. You should always defrost if the ice becomes 3mm or more thick.