Drawer Springs Back Open a Finger's Width

What the bounce tells us

A drawer that stops and rebounds has struck something firm before the gasket met the frame. The rebound is short, so the drawer looks shut from across the kitchen, yet the seal is clear of the frame along its length. Frost in the basket and ice at the seal follow.

The causes, in order

Something catching. A box taller than the basket, a bag caught behind it, or ice on the slides or the back of the drawer. Running the drawer empty takes these out of the test.

Level. The installation guide wants the cabinet levelled to its floor, not matched to the counters, and says this affects how doors close. A cabinet leaning toward the room lets a drawer roll back out once released.

A folded gasket. A seal rolled over at a corner meets the frame on its edge, and pushes back instead of compressing.

A binding slide. A slide that tightens near the end of its travel stops the drawer short. The drawer panel is weighed at the same time, against Sub-Zero’s 15 lb limit per drawer panel.

What it rules out

Once the drawer closes cleanly and stays closed, a warm freezer and frost in the basket stop pointing at the door side of the unit. Only then are temperatures and cooling parts worth measuring.