Samsung Fridge RF265ABWP top compartment is not cooling, freezer OK

Hi, I’m Mike, your home appliance troubleshooting expert—what’s the exact model number from the label inside the fresh food (top) compartment?

When you open the fresh food door and hold the door switch closed, do you hear the fridge’s internal fan running or feel any airflow from the rear vents?

Do you see any frost/ice on the back wall of the fridge section or pooled water/ice under the crisper drawers?

Thanks—that helps. Based on your RF265ABWP symptoms (freezer cold, fresh-food warm, fridge fan running, light frost at the very top of the back wall), the sealed refrigeration system is likely fine and the problem is almost certainly an airflow issue in the fresh-food section.

Most likely causes (in order):

• Ice buildup in or around the fresh‑food air passages/damper: The frost you see at the top is not normal and points to the top air inlet/damper area icing over, which blocks cold air from reaching the compartment.
• Fresh‑food evaporator defrost problem: On this series (typically separate evaporators), a failed defrost sensor/thermistor, defrost heater, or defrost safety thermostat can let the fresh‑food evaporator ice up behind the rear panel, starving the compartment of airflow while the fan still audibly runs.
• Stuck or iced air damper: The damper (at the top rear/left on many Samsungs) can stick closed or get frozen, suddenly stopping airflow—this can present “overnight.”
• Warm‑air leak at the top door gasket or mullion: A poor seal at the top of the right or left door can cause condensation and localized frosting near the top vent, then airflow loss.
• Less likely: Control/thermistor misread keeping the damper closed; sealed‑system issues are unlikely because your freezer is holding temp.

What a technician will usually check/repair:

• Inspect frost pattern behind the fresh‑food rear panel, clear ice, and verify the defrost heater and defrost sensor read correctly.
• Test the air damper for movement/binding and look for ice intrusion.
• Check/upgrade the fresh‑food drain/defrost routing (Samsung has drain/clip and insulation updates to reduce re‑icing).
• Verify door gaskets and door alignment/seal, especially at the top corners.

Safety and food tips:

• Move highly perishable items to another fridge/cooler to keep below 40°F.
• If any service is done, unplug first—there are sharp sheet‑metal edges and live wiring behind panels.

Would you like me to walk you through safe, step‑by‑step checks you can do to narrow this down, or would you prefer a concise “what to tell the technician” list?

Here’s the clear plan for your RF265ABWP, based on your symptoms:

What you can do now (safe, no tools):

• Protect food: Move perishables to another fridge/cooler to stay below 40°F.
• Check door sealing and airflow:
  • Make sure nothing is blocking the top rear vents in the fresh-food section.
  • Inspect the top corners of the door gaskets; do a “paper test” (close a strip of paper in the seal—if it pulls out easily, the seal is weak there). Ensure the folding mullion flap between the French doors lines up and folds in cleanly.
  • Wipe gaskets clean and fully dry; a poor seal at the top can create the frost you saw and starve airflow.
• Do a soft defrost to clear ice in the fresh-food air path:
  • Unplug the refrigerator. Open the fresh-food doors; place towels at the front to catch drips. Remove ice from the ice bin so it doesn’t melt into a mess.
  • Let it sit 12–24 hours to fully melt ice around the fresh‑food evaporator/damper (the small air door at the top that meters cold air).
  • Safety: Unplug before any interior work; there are sharp sheet-metal edges and live wiring if panels are removed.

After you restart:

• Plug back in, set 37°F fridge / 0°F freezer. Use Power Cool for 2 hours.
• Within 4–6 hours you should feel strong, cold airflow from the top rear vent of the fridge, and temps should head toward the 30s°F. If it cools normally after the defrost, the root cause is likely an icing issue that will recur without a repair.

If cooling returns after defrost:

• Likely causes: iced/sticking air damper, fresh‑food defrost system fault (heater, defrost sensor/thermistor, or safety thermostat), or a door seal/door alignment leak at the top.
• What to tell a technician:
  • “Freezer OK, fresh-food warm. Fan runs. Light frost at top of fridge back wall before defrost. Manual defrost restores cooling temporarily.”
  • Please check: fresh‑food evaporator frost pattern, test fresh‑food defrost heater and thermistor, inspect/replace the air damper for sticking/ice intrusion, clear/insulate the fresh‑food drain and install the updated drain clip/insulation if applicable, verify top door gaskets and door alignment.

If it still won’t cool the fridge after defrost:

• Suspect a failed/closed damper or a deeper fresh‑food defrost issue with heavy ice behind the panel; have a technician pull the fresh‑food rear panel, clear ice, and test the defrost components and damper.
• Sealed‑system problems are unlikely given your good freezer temps, but if a tech finds a weak frost pattern only in the fresh-food section, they’ll escalate.

If you’d like, I can walk you through quick checks (no disassembly) right now, or guide you through removing the fresh‑food rear panel safely to confirm ice buildup before you schedule service.