Why does my Kenmore refrigerator compartment not cool to a safe temperature while the upper/freezer compartment freezes well. Even with the temperature controls set at the coolest levels, the bottom compartment only reaches 45 degrees.

Why does my Kenmore refrigerator compartment not cool to a safe temperature while the upper/freezer compartment freezes well. Even with the temperature controls set at the coolest levels, the bottom compartment only reaches 45 degrees.
Try these two things and see if it helps, by the way, you know 45 degrees is not a safe temp, should be about 35 to no more than about 39 degrees, 1) set your thermostat settings at normal, not the coldest and of course not the warmest 2) open the fridge door, take off the cover on the front of the fridge (should just pop off with a pull), carefully clean the coils of excess dust with an vacuum - if you can find a specially designed refrigerator coil brush that will let you reach hard to reach areas that would be great also. I really don't thiink these two things will solve your problem but it's easy and cheap and better than the cost of a new fridge. I suspect this is an older fridge?