Freezer Drawer Stuck – What To Do?

You have planned to cook your favorite meal today, but you're upset because your freezer drawer just won't open. It doesn't matter that you have pulled and tugged at it; it simply will not budge. Apply no more force as you might damage your freezer drawer. We have consulted with the experts to explain why your freezer drawer is stuck and how to solve the problem.

Several reasons why your freezer drawer is not opening include ice build-up, broken drawer slides, and obstruction in the drawer or on the drawer slides. However, you need not worry anymore as there are solutions to this problem. You can troubleshoot with one or more of the following solutions:

  • 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 troubleshoot before you decide to call a professional technician.

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A woman opening the freezer drawer, Freezer Drawer Stuck - What To Do?

How to open a stuck freezer drawer

What do you do when your freezer drawer is stuck? How do you troubleshoot when your freezer does not open easily? Below are methods you can use to solve the problem:

1. Remove the obstruction

If your freezer drawer will not open fully and gets stuck as you pull it out, food could be obstructing it. Gently pull the drawer open as far back as you can and rock it from side to side. This will nudge the obstruction and move it so that it opens fully.

2. Unblock the defrost drain

Ice buildup under the bottom freezer drawer can prevent it from opening. This is most likely caused by a blocked defrost drain. Unplug and defrost your freezer. Defrosting alone can solve this problem, though you may have to access the defrost drain to remove any remaining ice.

With your freezer still unplugged, use your freezer manual to remove the bottom drawer and the panel at the back to access the defrost drain. Using a piece of stiff wire or screwdriver, clear as much ice as you can from the drain hole.

To ensure there's no ice still stuck in the drain hole, you can also use a syringe by placing its end into the hole and squeezing warm water into it. This should remove any remaining ice from the drain.

To learn more about how to defrost your bottom freezer drawer, check our post on How To Defrost A Bottom Freezer Drawer.

3. Defrost the freezer

Frost can build up on the drawer rails after moisture trickles inside the drawer because of opening it regularly, or when it is accidentally left open for some time. This subsequently prevents the drawer from opening.

To solve this problem, unplug the freezer and allow at least 24 hours to defrost. After defrosting, your drawer should open easily. Open the freezer and wipe off moisture at the drawer rails on which it sits.

Alternatively, you could use a fan by placing it outside the freezer with its door open and concentrate on the main drawer that needs to be defrosted. The airflow will help melt the ice.

4. Lubricate the drawer slides

If your drawer slides do not slide open smoothly, use lubrication. But before you do this, you need to select only FDA-approved food-grade lubricants safe for use inside the freezer to prevent food contamination and damage to the drawers. These lubricants include:

  • Pure Paraffin Wax - This is not the same as candle wax and is safe to use on the drawer slides.
  • Pure Petroleum Jelly that is not medicated - This is good for use on the drawer slides.
  • Pure Mineral Oil - It is recommended on the drawer slides but will not have a lasting effect like the above two.

After you decide on the lubricant to use, the next step will be to unplug your freezer for your safety. To access the stuck drawer, empty the drawer that is above it and then slide it off its tracks to remove it.

Wipe as much of the rails of the stuck drawer you can access. Grip the drawer with your hands and pull it towards you to release it. Rock it gently to prevent it from breaking. After several attempts, you should be able to unstick your drawer.

Test by moving the drawer back and forth to make sure it is released. For more information on how to lubricate your freezer drawer, check out our post on How To Lubricate A Freezer Drawer.

5. Fix the rails

A small freezer drawer with green peas and other vegetables

The drawer could get stuck and not open because the drawer rails are broken or faulty. You can call in a professional to help you replace the rails, but if you are up to the task, you can use your freezer manual to fix it. Below is an example of how to replace the drawer rails in a Samsung freezer.

Why is my freezer drawer not closing?

There are various reasons your freezer drawer may not be closing. Diagnose what the problem could be and apply one or more of the solutions provided above from Number 1 to 5.

How do you take apart a Samsung freezer drawer?

It is possible to replace your drawer rails if they are broken or faulty, and in this example, we will fix a lower right Samsung rail assembly model number DA97-10595D in a Samsung bottom fridge freezer. The instructions are as follows:

  • Unplug your freezer.
  • Open the freezer door and remove the baskets.
  • Use a 10mm socket to un-thread the two screws securing the lower support bracket on the right and left side.
  • Tilt the door forward, and lift upwards to remove it.
  • Use a flathead screwdriver to detach the pin securing the gear shaft.
  • Slide the gear shaft to the right to remove it.
  • Press the tab on the right and carefully remove the faulty freezer drawer rail assembly.
  • Take your new rail assembly, align it on 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
  • Re-install the gear shaft by inserting the end that has the hole into the right gear, and then insert on the opposite side of the shaft 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.
  • Thread back the screws on the right and left side to secure the bracket to the drawer rails.
  • Put back the baskets, close the freezer door and then plug in the power cord.

How do you replace a front freezer drawer?

A woman opening the freezer drawer of her refrigerator

If the front of your freezer drawer is damaged or cracked, it can become more difficult to open. This could be due to various reasons. One reason could be that a blocked drain hole is preventing moisture from draining away, leading to frost build-up. This creates too much friction when opening the drawer and sometimes it will get stuck.

To solve this problem, you can replace the front of your freezer drawer by following the steps below:

  • Unplug your freezer.
  • Remove the food from the drawer you want to replace.
  • Carefully look for pegs at the bottom edge of your drawer body that lock the front in place.
  • With a blunt blade or knife, gently push away the front to separate it from the pegs. Do this by slowly and carefully, working along the edge from one side to the other, ensuring all pegs are separated from the front.
  • Afterward, work on the sides to release the front from the drawer body.
  • Take up your new drawer and locate the pegs on the drawer body and click your drawer front onto them, making sure it is firmly fixed in place.
  • Put the drawer back into the freezer and plug back the cord.

Final Words

To fix your stuck freezer drawer, you need to know what is causing it in the first place and then provide the most suitable solution. You can fix it yourself by carefully following the instructions in this post and your freezer manual.

Elaine Kabi
Elaine Kabi
Articles: 10

One comment

  1. This does not help. I can not get the freezer door open. I had a friend help asses the problem by tipping appliance backward. I can not get the bottom kick plate off. I can get two outside clips off, but there is something holding center in place. I am thinking that if I can get the kick plate off, I can open the drawer to get frozen items out. This is a Frost Free Frigidaire French Door Bottom Freezer, Gallery Line up. There are no visible screws.

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