leak

Water leaks in
the Top-mount Refrigerator

If your refrigerator leaks water in the fresh food section, there are two ways this can happen. The most common cause is a blocked defrost drain. Every 8 hours or so, the refrigerator goes into defrost, and ice is melted from the cooling coils. This water must drop into a very small hole just under the evaporator coil, and from there, is transported to a drain pan below the unit.

To correct a blocked drain, remove the inside panel in the freezer to expose the evaporator, then use very hot water to melt any ice you see down in the drain area below the coils. Sometimes a small probe, such as a coathanger which has been cut to 6", may be used to help clear the small hole. Always add a capful of bleach to the hole once it is clear to kill any residual algae.
The other possibility is water leaking from the fill tube to the icemaker. Sometimes these plastic tubes can become dislodged from their mounting grommet on the back wall, and allow water to cascade over the coils, causing the leak. Although this is rare, it does happen. Just re-attach the tube securely to the rear grommet, using silicone sealant if you like to glue it in place.

Below is a picture of a typical Whirlpool unit, showing how to clean the drain from the fresh food section.