re: What would cause a fridge to quit working then start working again?

I had a relay going bad in mine last year. The freezer would would stop cooling and everything melted or thawed and then it would start freezing again. It was a quick enough fix by a repairman.

Put a bowl of water in your freezer and let it freeze. Then put a quater on top of the ice. Check it every so often. If the quarter is froze in or under the ice then yours is cycling on and off like mine was.