Fridge repair request

Kenmore 106.41163310 (made by Whirlpool). Written up Oct 28, 2026.

Short version: about once a minute, the compressor tries to restart, can't, buzzes, and a safety switch clicks it off. Then it starts on a later try. The fridge still cools for now, but every failed start strains the compressor. The usual cause is a worn start relay (part WPW10197428, about $50, a 10-minute swap). Fixing it now is much cheaper than replacing a burned-out compressor later ($400 to $800 or more).

Already tried, and it still buzzes and clicks:

Cleaned the condenser coils and fan
Plugged straight into the wall, with no extension cord
Left space around it for airflow
Unplugged it for 10 minutes to reset

That rules out the easy causes. The next step is replacing the start relay.

The sound

HumStopBuzz + clickHum again

Hum: the compressor is running. Normal.
Stop: it reached temperature and shut off. Normal.
Buzz, then click: it tries to start again while the pressure inside is still high. It stalls, and the overload switch cuts power to protect it. This is the problem.
Hum again: once the pressure settles, it finally starts.
In this fridge it happens about once a minute.

Watch first

This video walks through what to check when a fridge isn't cooling right, by Dave Wirth:

Refrigerator Not Cooling: How to Fix, What to Check (YouTube)

Quick checks for the repair visit

Is it still cold? Put a thermometer in a glass of water on a middle shelf for a few hours. You want about 37°F in the fridge and 0°F in the freezer.
Clean the condenser coils. Unplug the fridge, then vacuum the coils and the fan behind the lower back panel (or under the front grille). Dusty coils keep the pressure high, which causes exactly this hard restart.
Plug straight into the wall. No extension cord or power strip. Low voltage makes a compressor stall.
Give it room. Leave a couple of inches of space at the back and sides for airflow.
Reset it: unplug for 10 minutes so the pressure evens out, then plug it back in.

The part: start relay WPW10197428

Gray plastic Whirlpool compressor start relay, part WPW10197428, on a one-inch grid — About 2 by 3 inches (each grid square is 1 inch). It plugs straight onto the pins on the side of the black compressor. Photo: AppliancePartsPros.

Also sold as W10197428, AP6016830, W10128791 and W10128795.
A parts search lists the Kenmore 10641163310 as a fit. To be sure, match the number on the sticker of your current relay before ordering.

Where to buy (prices checked Oct 28, 2026; they change):

Sears PartsDirect, WPW10197428: about $48, the cheapest found
AppliancePartsPros, WPW10197428: $56.34, in stock
Fix.com, WPW10197428: about $76

How the relay is swapped (about 10 minutes)

Unplug the fridge. Pull it out from the wall.
Take off the lower back panel, which is cardboard or thin metal held by a few screws.
Find the small gray box on the side of the black compressor. Take a photo of the wires before you touch anything.
Press the small tab and unclip the wire plug from the relay.
Pull the relay straight off its three pins. If it's tight, rock it gently or pry it with a flat screwdriver. Don't twist it. A broken pin ruins the compressor.
Shake the old relay. If it rattles, it's bad. Newer relays can fail without rattling, so a quiet one isn't proof it's fine.
Push the new relay on, reconnect the wires the way they were in your photo, and put the panel back.
Plug it back in and listen. You should hear a clean hum with no buzz and click.

Signs it's getting urgent

The fridge climbs above about 40°F. Move the food to a cooler, and unplug the fridge so it stops straining.
The hum stops completely and only the buzz and click are left.
The compressor is too hot to touch.
You smell burning. Unplug it right away.
A typical repair visit for a relay swap runs about $150 to $250 including the part.

If a new relay doesn't fix it

Then the compressor itself is wearing out. That repair is often $400 to $800 or more. On a fridge more than about 10 years old, a new fridge is usually the better deal.