I once had an Amana, as I recall, that had its condenser tubing in the walls of the refrigerator, conducting heat to the outside. It failed when moisture attacked the tubing and caused perforations and thus refrigerant loss.

You may be on to something as yes, the sidewalls are warm and it never registered to me the coils would on the side until you posted !

OCD clean freak here. I put micro crevice nozzles, etc - tubing that get's as deep as it can and will fit under the fridge/floor cavity. But alas , as you know, even as -clean- as once can be, the dust does make it's way, especially in something that may use a fan for intake...

Just pulled out my laundry washing machine out this weekend for a replacement. I probably pull it out over 2-3 years anyway just to clean the floor underneath. Anyhow...per the post above, same vacumn routing, but still -dust- get's in this area

A (lower) rear panel may need to be removed for access to the condensor.

If I recall correctly, compressor observed with lower rear panel but I didn't really go Detective hunting tracing from the compressor to where the lines where.

I do know this...which was even on casters, don't roll it out.....it will dent 2200+ Janka hardness flooring. I do happen to have my air dolly out (as I was moving my washer), so I do plan to take the opportune time to use it to move it forward to refresh a peek at the guts

The entire surface area of the condensor may not be reachable for cleaning. I blow mine with an air compressor.

The warmed areas on the exterior, typically around the doors, are to ward-off condensation that would occur on cool/cold surfaces in an ambient high-humidity condition. Some refrigerator designs have a loop of the condensor coil (sometimes called a yoder loop) routed around the area, others use low-power heating elements. Freezers, particulary chest models, often have the entire condensor coil embedded in the outer cabinet, it's rare for refrigerators.

Thx. This unit has seperate compressor for frdge/freezer. It's not a column unit - just has seperete ones. I'll have to spy whatever access I can get. If I recall there wasn't much to see even with the rear panel removed

I know. I looked up the model (missing the /xx trailing part) for diagrams. Two compressors, two evaporators. Only one condensor is shown so presumably it's split into two refrigerant sections.

Pulled it out today. There is a very small perforared section ont eh back cover. About 4" wide x8" high that has perforation. Very very very lite dust on it. Behind the cover, spotless...literally. I was expecting to at least the typical -bio dust- that is a bit sticky, etc but literally even with the vac already in place, I had nothing to vac. Only thing that was dirty was just whatever minerals, etc that was dried on the seperate fridge/freezer condensate pans.

Scrathing my head hear but the intake fan on this must be very minimal. I mean the cavity outside, in one corner had more dust/cobweb that the guts of this thing.