[craigreavley]

I have water dripping into my food area. After disassembling the freezer area I see the drain tube that exits the back of the freezer is frozen solid. After thorough defrost with wifes hair dryer the drain line will open. Reassembled everything, and within a few days it is froze up again and more water dripping. I have done this 4 times. I do not think the heater defrost element is working. If I dont fix this my wife is going to choke/kill me. Is it time for a new fridge? What do I need to check or do. I have read about the defrost timer, the defrost thermostat, and the bad defrost heater element. Which is the first and most likely problem. I hate to start randomly replace 100 dollar items. Please help

[woodchuck]

Your drain tube must be stopped up with ice at the upper end because it drains too slow because it's stopped up at the lower end in the pan under the unit at the floor. It can get dust and mold in it. Once you get the ice out at the top a little air pressure will usually clear it out. Flush it out with hot water and clorox may help. Make sure it drains quick enough. The water comes from the freezer going through the defrost cycle so I don't think you have a defrost problem just a drain problem.

[denman]

If you want, you can check the defrost by forcing it into this cycle
If you have a defrost timer, the contacts cam can be rotated manually
Remove the panel covering the coils
Let the freezer cool back down. It must be cold otherwise the defrost thermostat will shut off the heater
Rotate the cam, it only goes one way, till the freezer fan goes off
Check inside the freezer to see if a defrost is happening
As Woodchuck advised check your drain

If not then one of the three components you listed is shot
Move it off the defrost cycle when you are done or you will not get any cooling
You can mark the timer shaft to the timer body with a felt pen.
Let it run for an hour or so if the shaft has not moved you timer motor is blown

If you cannot find the timer, get the Model Number and look on PartSelect.
With a little luck there will be a parts breakdown to help find it