Upright freezer shuts off and leaks when there is any kind of ice buildup. has done this twice in 7 months. is this normal or is it on its way out?

It sounds like you might be dealing with a defrost drain issue or a problem with the freezer's door seal. Try defrosting the freezer and clearing any ice buildup, then check the door seal for any gaps or damage. If the problem persists, you may need to consult the user manual or contact a professional appliance repair service for assistance.

A drain plug is a small hole inside your fridge to allow for moisture to escape. The reason its leaking water is because its not cooling the water to ice or its defrosting the ice to water. make sure the door closes shut and turn it up a bit as it has been very hot recently

symptoms you are describing are faulty door seals, try putting a thin piece of paper between door and frame to make sure doors are sealing,also when did you do a full manual defrost??(once a year even with auto defrost)

Sounds like you have a seal system leak.If you have got work done not long ago to the system it my be over charged or under charged.If no work ever done to it you may need a new freezer.

Make sure that the fridge is level. If the drain pitch is not sufficient, this will happen. The solution is cheap too!

evaporator coils is probably frosted from condinsation.shut door set at normal setting and give some time.

That is normal. The refrigerant runs through those shelves. They are the evaporator side of the unit.That is where the freezing effect comes from.
Check door seals for leaking air.
Keep door openings to a minimum.
Get in there and get out.
Those things will help prolong frost/ice buildup.

There is normally a small filiament of metal which is attached to the defrost element and conducts heat down the drainpipe preventing ice build up. You can pour some boiling water onto this area and even wriggle a piece of plastic tubing down the drain pipe to dislodge any blockage. For future prevention, you can attach a piece of copper wire around the defrost element (in the absence of the original filiament) and extend it down the drainpiple

The reason for ice buildup is an air leak. Recheck all around the gasket by taking a dollar bill and closing the door on it and pulling it out. If you don't have resistance, you found your leak. Heat that area with a blow dryer to relax the gasket and close the door to let the magnet and seal set. Also, rub some vasoline on the hinge side gasket to keep it from dragging.

It sound like you had a freon leak, you REALLY need to get this checked by a tech. if you are leaking freon it can be dangerous.