- Home
- 36350242000
- Instructions
36350242000 Kenmore Refrigerator - Instructions
Search repair tips from other customers using simple keywords like "replace", "fit", "remove", "inspect". DIY doesn't mean you have to do it alone!
Search filter:
Clear Filter
Your search term must have 3 or more characters.
Leaking water valve
8478 of 12456 people
found this instruction helpful.
-
James from Centerville, OH
- Easy
- Less than 15 mins
-
Nutdriver, Socket set, Wrench (Adjustable)
Removed black cardboard covering on back of refrig with nut driver (6 screws), turned off water supply to pump, removed cooper waterline to pump with adjustable wrench, removed 1 screw holding pump to refrigerator, removed plastic waterline from pump by turning hose counter clockwise. Inserter plastic water line in new pump by screwing li
... Read more
ne in clockwise, pushed orange plastic stop around waterline into pump, connected cooper water line to pump first wrapping threads on pump with teflon plumbers tape, reinstalled pump to refrig and cardboard back on refrig with 6 screws.
One side note:.
This is the second pump which has burst at the blue plastic seam in seven years.
One side note:.
This is the second pump which has burst at the blue plastic seam in seven years.
Read less
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
Defrost Heater blows out, refrigerator frosts up, then stops cooling
409 of 435 people
found this instruction helpful.
-
Stuart from Lynchburg, VA
- Easy
- 15 - 30 mins
-
Screw drivers
Disclaimer - if you aren't confident about doing this repair, call a repair specialist in. Also, take care not to damage the freezer coils as they have refrigerant in them that I'm told is harmful if it leaks. It may also be under pressure. The instructions that follow won't require you to touch the coils. There is no need to unplug the r
... Read more
efrigerator or disconnect the water supply to do this repair. The screw driver you will need is a phillips (the one withe the + head).
1st, take out your frozen food (which, if you need to do this repair may not be frozen) and put it in a cooler or the refrigerator.
2nd, remove the ice cube bucket and dump the ice cubes in the cooler to help keep the frozen food cool. Turn the ice cube maker off.
3rd, remove the freezer shelves.
4th, locate the panel covering the freezer coils. It's a panel at the back of the freezer. It hides the freezer coils and protects them from damage. It's held in place by two screws located at the top left and right corners of the panel.
5th, unscrew the screws holding the panel to the refrigerator.
6th, detach the clip at the top of the panel.
7th, remove the panel. You should see the coils now. The coils will be covered in frost if the defroster heater has failed. If the coils are not covered in frost, there may be another reason for the refrigerator failing to cool.
8th, even if the coils are covered in frost, you should also inspect the defroster heater at the bottom, underneath the coils. The business end of it is a long tube running horizontally between two wires. If it's black like a badly burned out light bulb, then it's failed. If the bulb appears fine, you may have a different reason for your refrigerator and freezer frosting up. We'll assume that the defroster heater has blown out, and proceed.
9th, place a towel at the bottom of the panel space, to soak up any water that melts and runs down. There is a drain under the coils. It collects water that melts during the defrost cycle, but I'd rather mop up the water instead of relying on the drain.
10th, use hot air blowing from the hair dryer to defrost the coils. Just play the air from the hair dryer over the coils, starting at the top, and working down. The frost will quickly melt and the water will be soaked up by the towels. If you want things to go faster, you can throw hot water on the coils to melt them faster, but that produces more water to mop up, and makes a big mess. It's also dangerous to have water lying around if you then decide to use the hair dryer to continue defrosting the coils.
11th. MOST IMPORTANT. Don't use your screwdriver or any other sharp object to pick away at the frost on the coils. If you damage the coils the refrigerant could leak out. I'm told that it's dangerous stuff. Furthermore, I expect that you'd have to buy a new refrigerator if you damaged the coils.
12th, once you've defrosted the coils, locate the defroster heater and bracket assembly again. It's held in place by two screws, and has two insulated wires running into it on either side. Unscrew the screws, disconnect the wires and remove the assembly. Throw it away - there are no useful parts in it.
13th, install the new defroster heater and bracket assembly by connecting the wires to it, mounting it back into its place, and rescrewing the screws.
14th, put the panel back in place, replace the clip, and screw the panel back in place.
15th, turn the ice cube maker back on and replace the ice cube bucket and shelves. Put your food back into the freezer.
16th, use the freezer and refrigerator as normal. If the defroster heater fails again (I'm on my third one in less than six years), you'll notice frost building up on the panel at the back of the freezer before your freezer and refrigerator stops cooling. The frost build up is your signal to defrost the freezer and buy another defroster heater and bracket assembly. I don't know why this part is so weak, and don't know any fix except to keep replacing it.
1st, take out your frozen food (which, if you need to do this repair may not be frozen) and put it in a cooler or the refrigerator.
2nd, remove the ice cube bucket and dump the ice cubes in the cooler to help keep the frozen food cool. Turn the ice cube maker off.
3rd, remove the freezer shelves.
4th, locate the panel covering the freezer coils. It's a panel at the back of the freezer. It hides the freezer coils and protects them from damage. It's held in place by two screws located at the top left and right corners of the panel.
5th, unscrew the screws holding the panel to the refrigerator.
6th, detach the clip at the top of the panel.
7th, remove the panel. You should see the coils now. The coils will be covered in frost if the defroster heater has failed. If the coils are not covered in frost, there may be another reason for the refrigerator failing to cool.
8th, even if the coils are covered in frost, you should also inspect the defroster heater at the bottom, underneath the coils. The business end of it is a long tube running horizontally between two wires. If it's black like a badly burned out light bulb, then it's failed. If the bulb appears fine, you may have a different reason for your refrigerator and freezer frosting up. We'll assume that the defroster heater has blown out, and proceed.
9th, place a towel at the bottom of the panel space, to soak up any water that melts and runs down. There is a drain under the coils. It collects water that melts during the defrost cycle, but I'd rather mop up the water instead of relying on the drain.
10th, use hot air blowing from the hair dryer to defrost the coils. Just play the air from the hair dryer over the coils, starting at the top, and working down. The frost will quickly melt and the water will be soaked up by the towels. If you want things to go faster, you can throw hot water on the coils to melt them faster, but that produces more water to mop up, and makes a big mess. It's also dangerous to have water lying around if you then decide to use the hair dryer to continue defrosting the coils.
11th. MOST IMPORTANT. Don't use your screwdriver or any other sharp object to pick away at the frost on the coils. If you damage the coils the refrigerant could leak out. I'm told that it's dangerous stuff. Furthermore, I expect that you'd have to buy a new refrigerator if you damaged the coils.
12th, once you've defrosted the coils, locate the defroster heater and bracket assembly again. It's held in place by two screws, and has two insulated wires running into it on either side. Unscrew the screws, disconnect the wires and remove the assembly. Throw it away - there are no useful parts in it.
13th, install the new defroster heater and bracket assembly by connecting the wires to it, mounting it back into its place, and rescrewing the screws.
14th, put the panel back in place, replace the clip, and screw the panel back in place.
15th, turn the ice cube maker back on and replace the ice cube bucket and shelves. Put your food back into the freezer.
16th, use the freezer and refrigerator as normal. If the defroster heater fails again (I'm on my third one in less than six years), you'll notice frost building up on the panel at the back of the freezer before your freezer and refrigerator stops cooling. The frost build up is your signal to defrost the freezer and buy another defroster heater and bracket assembly. I don't know why this part is so weak, and don't know any fix except to keep replacing it.
Read less
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
Refrigerator temp was warm
126 of 146 people
found this instruction helpful.
-
Adrian from Louisville, KY
- Really Easy
- 1- 2 hours
-
Nutdriver
Per the trouble shooting guide on the home page of the website. I suspected the defrost timer was bad because ice had heavily accumulated on the back wall of the freezer compartment and the temperature inside the refrigerator was warm. First, I removed all the freezer racks. Then removed the (4) screws on the back wall in the freezer c
... Read more
ompartment. I then removed the ben from the ice maker to allow more room. Once I saw all the ice, I unplugged the refrigerator, and used a hair dryer to defrost ( it took about an hour to get it all). Once the ice was all gone, I then moved into the refrigerator compartment and removed the top shelve. This allowed me more room and access to the defrost timer which was behind the back panel. I used the trouble shooting guide to test the old timer prior to removing the new one from the package, (just in case I needed to send it back). Through this test I determined that the timer was bad, it wasn't the heating element or the t-stat. It was very easy to access, I removed the two knobs and lifted up the panel. I located the defrost timer and removed the screws as directed. I replaced the timer just as I had removed it, plugging in the electrical terminals per the removal process. I then reversed the order and put the panel and top shelve back on. Once all complete, I then moved back into the freezer compartment and replace the back panel and then the ice ben. I plugged it in and haven't had a problem since. This site has saved me a tremendous amount of money, a service contractor quoted us $300, to determine the problem. I ordered the part and it was sitting on our door stoop the next morning.
Read less
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
Internal water lines brittle, cracked, leaking
119 of 139 people
found this instruction helpful.
-
Marty from West Bloomfield, MI
- Easy
- 30 - 60 mins
-
Nutdriver, Wrench (Adjustable)
First of all, the larger white plastic tubes in this thing are 5/16" OD, which no plumbing store seems to stock. At the lower left rear end there are 2 tubes, one for water and one for ice, that are doomed to fail being in proximity of a heat source - they essentially get cooked to the point of becoming brittle and cracking. The smaller
... Read more
tube and union can be easily found, but do yourself a favor if the larger one cracks and order the plastic tube and water tube union here, and just cut off the brittle part and amend the old tube using the union.
Read less
Other Parts Used:
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
Drawer slide broke due to overloading with beer.
103 of 123 people
found this instruction helpful.
-
Ashley from Brandon, MS
- Really Easy
- Less than 15 mins
-
Screw drivers
First I took a beer out and opened it then took a sip. Then I went into my garage and searched for my Black and Decker power drill with a phililps head on it. Failure to locate a phillips head bit i took another sip of beer and took out one of those old fashion screw drivers. I went back into the kitchen and much to my dismay the fridg
... Read more
e didnt fix itself. After another sip of beer I took the old slide out and took it to the outside garbage. On my way around the house my neighbor started to mock my home fix-it skills and his back yard became the new home for the broken slide. I put the new slide in, reinstalled the drawer, and filled it with beer.
Read less
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
Sticking Light Switch
121 of 177 people
found this instruction helpful.
-
Jonathan from Lilburn, GA
- Really Easy
- Less than 15 mins
-
Pliers, Screw drivers
I applied some tips learned by reading other reviews. So before I started I grabbed my trusty vise grip pliers and a small screw driver. I locked onto the switch actuator, the part that the refrigerator door pushes in, with the vise grips and pulled on it just hard enough to get the screw driver inserted in the right side to push in the c
... Read more
atch clip so the switch could be pulled out further each time the catch clip was depressed to the next detent. Then I used the screw driver on the left site to encourage the switch past the detents on the left and very quickly the switch was out of the mount. The wires from the refrigerator pulled out with the old switch. I unplugged the old switch from the wires and plugged in the new switch and shoved the new switch back into the mount, wiggled it a couple of times to make sure it was secure and the job was done. Once I applied the vise gripes at first, the whole job took less than a minute.
Read less
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
Water dispenser did not work (ice-maker did work)
90 of 105 people
found this instruction helpful.
-
Alan from Houston, TX
- Easy
- 30 - 60 mins
-
Nutdriver, Pliers, Screw drivers
This is a side-by-side frige with water and ice dispenser in the left freezer door. I first checked for possible water line freezing in the freezer door or in the water chiller area (behind the vegetable drawers) as described in e-articles I had read, but this did not appear to be the problem. I found two solenoid valve pairs; one that
... Read more
routes dispenser or ice-maker water to the filter and the other that routes the water to the end device. I ran a couple of tests on the solenoid valves and found that the first inlet valve that sends water to the filter did not work, but the second valve that relays the water to the dispenser was still working. By temorarily connecting the wiring for the dispenser solenoid to the functioning ice-maker solenoid, I confirmed that the wiring and switch were working properly and that the problem must be the solenoid itself (it also still hummed when the dispenser button was pressed). The entire quad solenoid valve assembly can be pulled out after removing the one hex-screw on the back of the frige (the assembly is all held together with a bracket). I disconnected the wiring connector to the solenoid valves. I disconnected the plastic water tubing by pushing it toward the fitting and then depressing the tubing inlet ring to release the tubing. I removed the two screws holding the solenoid valve and replaced it.
Read less
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
ice stalactites were drooling out of the icemaker and gumming up the cubes in the receiving tray.
91 of 132 people
found this instruction helpful.
-
Gerald from Benicia, CA
- Easy
- 15 - 30 mins
-
Nutdriver, Screw drivers
I first shut off water flow to the fridge. Examination of the package (which was not exact in appearance to the original) demonstrated that the electrical connectors were well-insulated so I arrogantly and successfully proceded without disconnecting the power. My fridge is old enough that the model doesn't appear exactly on anyone's list
... Read more
so I wasn't alarmed that it took an extra 10 minutes or so to noodle out how to adapt the slightly different inlet cowling and electrical cord with extension, but the device is pretty simple.
Soon I loosened the two mounting screws with a nut driver, used a screwdriver to pry away the plastic snap-in housing over the electrical socket on the fridge inner wall and pulled away the electrical plug. The original water fill tube remained in its cavity, ready for re-use.
The new unit's mounting points matched the original screw locations perfectly, as did the fill cowling - which on the replacement icemaker has two possible attachment points. The new unit's electrical connector required an extension pigtail to adapt to my socket, but it was included in the package. The extra cable posed a minor cosmetic issue because it hangs in the collection basket a bit, but that will soon be remedied with a tie wrap.
After the water was restored and an anxious wait of a few hours, we had well-formed ice cubes that weren't all stuck together and the stalactites haven't reappeared.
Soon I loosened the two mounting screws with a nut driver, used a screwdriver to pry away the plastic snap-in housing over the electrical socket on the fridge inner wall and pulled away the electrical plug. The original water fill tube remained in its cavity, ready for re-use.
The new unit's mounting points matched the original screw locations perfectly, as did the fill cowling - which on the replacement icemaker has two possible attachment points. The new unit's electrical connector required an extension pigtail to adapt to my socket, but it was included in the package. The extra cable posed a minor cosmetic issue because it hangs in the collection basket a bit, but that will soon be remedied with a tie wrap.
After the water was restored and an anxious wait of a few hours, we had well-formed ice cubes that weren't all stuck together and the stalactites haven't reappeared.
Read less
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
The back of my freezer section was covered with ice.
73 of 79 people
found this instruction helpful.
-
Brian from Cary, NC
- Really Easy
- 15 - 30 mins
-
Nutdriver, Screw drivers
1. Important: First you will need to prepare for water from melted ice. Plug the drain hole in the bottom rear of the freezer. Have plenty of rags near by. A pan or small bucket is helpful.
2. Unplug refrigerator
3. Remove (4) screws (2) w/screwdriver and (2) w/nut driver. You can remove the light cover to get it out ... Read more of the way but you don't have to.
4. Remove the evaporator cover (The rear wall)
5. Melt and remove any ice build up. Remember those rags?
6. Remove (2) screws from the heater bracket
7. Remove the failed heater. My old heater was a single element. The new heater was a dual element. This made no difference.
8. Disconnect (2) wires.
9. Re-route and reconnect (2) wires. The wires were re-routed because the new heater has both wires on the same side. Not a problem.
10. Install new heater on the bracket (2) screws
11. Replace cover (4) screws
12. Power up the refrigerator
2. Unplug refrigerator
3. Remove (4) screws (2) w/screwdriver and (2) w/nut driver. You can remove the light cover to get it out ... Read more of the way but you don't have to.
4. Remove the evaporator cover (The rear wall)
5. Melt and remove any ice build up. Remember those rags?
6. Remove (2) screws from the heater bracket
7. Remove the failed heater. My old heater was a single element. The new heater was a dual element. This made no difference.
8. Disconnect (2) wires.
9. Re-route and reconnect (2) wires. The wires were re-routed because the new heater has both wires on the same side. Not a problem.
10. Install new heater on the bracket (2) screws
11. Replace cover (4) screws
12. Power up the refrigerator
Read less
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
Ice maker stopped working
84 of 117 people
found this instruction helpful.
-
Dan from West Bloomfield, MI
- Really Easy
- Less than 15 mins
-
Nutdriver
I unplugged the electrical connection. Then I removed the 2 screws holding the icemaker in place. I lifted out the old icemaker unit and put the new one in place. Then put the 2 screws back in and plugged in the new unit.
The icemaker started making ice very soon after turning the unit on.
The icemaker started making ice very soon after turning the unit on.
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
broken ice maker part
78 of 107 people
found this instruction helpful.
-
Laura Beth from Mandeville, LA
- Really Easy
- Less than 15 mins
-
Screw drivers
used a screwdriver to remove screw and unplugged part. Plugged in new one and secured with a screw.
Simple
Simple
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
My wife said, "the refrigerator door won't close".
54 of 58 people
found this instruction helpful.
-
Gregory from Zephyrhills, FL
- Really Easy
- 15 - 30 mins
-
Socket set
Our refrigerator is a double door unit with ice and water in the left door. The right door was the one with the problem. It was 5:15 AM when the problem occured. I could see that the door was out of alighnment and had dropped down - preventing it from closing. I lifted the door and closed it. I wrote down the model number and found a
... Read more
detailed drawing of the appliance on the web site "partselect.com". When the hing earrived I compared it to the broken one. I removed all the food stored on the door, put several pieces of wood under the door to shim it to the same height as the adjacent door. I then removed two bolts from the refrigerator with a 1/4" socket set. I put the shim from the old hing aside for later. I removed two bolts from the door with the same socket -Note a metal tab had to be bent silghtly so the wrench could go on the head of the bolt- I removed the plastic cam and made note of its orientation and that of the shim above it on the door. I put the shim and new cam in place on the door and installed the 2 bolts. I inserted the pin of the new hing into the hole in the cam (I had just mounted) on the door. I put the shim (the one put aside earlyer) behind the hing and replaced the two bolts. I held the shim and hing up against the door as I tightened the two bolts. When I was satisfied that the bolts were tight I removed the wooden blocks that were holding the door up so the door was supported by the new bottom hing assembly. The door now opperates perfectly and the refrigerator was not taken out of service for the repair. Total time including cleanup was a little over 15 minutes.
Read less
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
bad light socket
45 of 56 people
found this instruction helpful.
-
nancy from silsbee, TX
- Really Easy
- Less than 15 mins
unplugged refrigerator. removed light bulb from old socket. unsnapped old light socket and pulled it out just enough to diconnect the electrical plug that plugs into the socket . discarded the old socket and plugged in new socket. snapped in new socket into refrigerator. i watched how to do this simple procedure on you tube and decided to
... Read more
do it myself. easy easy easy
Read less
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
Water dispenser leaked - tubing broke
48 of 65 people
found this instruction helpful.
-
Thomas from Poway, CA
- Really Easy
- 15 - 30 mins
-
Screw drivers
Ordered parts from another vendor - got wrong parts (1/4 in parts instead of 5/16 in parts). With your parts, I just cut out the bad portion of the tubing, and replaced it using the 2 union connectors. Thanks.
Other Parts Used:
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
solenoid opened ice trap door at random
40 of 46 people
found this instruction helpful.
-
Betty from Ten Mile, TN
- Easy
- 15 - 30 mins
-
Screw drivers
Unplug the refrigerator
Front cover of ice dispenser snaps off. Remove the 4 screws from the ice chute. Unplug the control module that opens the ice chute. Leave hanging while removing the 4 screws that hold the solenoid in place.(one is a ground wire...note location before taking apart). Unplug the two wires to the solenoid.
... Read more >To install the new solenoid put the plunger in place and at the same time hook on the trip arm of the clapper door of the ice chute. Plug in the two wires to the new solenoid
Replace the 4 screws.
Plug in the Control modules and screw back in place
Plug in the refrigerator. Do a trial test.
Replace the cover
Front cover of ice dispenser snaps off. Remove the 4 screws from the ice chute. Unplug the control module that opens the ice chute. Leave hanging while removing the 4 screws that hold the solenoid in place.(one is a ground wire...note location before taking apart). Unplug the two wires to the solenoid.
... Read more >To install the new solenoid put the plunger in place and at the same time hook on the trip arm of the clapper door of the ice chute. Plug in the two wires to the new solenoid
Replace the 4 screws.
Plug in the Control modules and screw back in place
Plug in the refrigerator. Do a trial test.
Replace the cover
Read less
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!