CST20KABGAD Hotpoint Refrigerator - Instructions

Great Service! Received the part the NEXT DAY!

We originally called a service technician. He came the next day and said the mother board was no good. He order a new one and replaced it a week later. Total part & labor cost: $185.00 (Remember we're without a working refrigerator the whole time the part is on order)
Two days later the freezer is doing the same thing. We call the tech again and he seems confused and says it could be the heating element, he'll order one at no charge and replace it for us free. He never comes back with the part and does not answer our 2 dozen phone calls. I checked the element myself and saw that the tube had been scorched, like a burnt out light bulb. Searched for parts on internet and found this great site. "Partselect.com"
REPAIR:
Refrigerator had been unplugged for a few days to defrost ice build up in freezer. First, I removed the shelves from freezer compartment, removed the back panel and removed screws holding heater element in place, I unplugged the two electrical leads and plugged in new part. AS EASY AS THAT !!!!! I reinstalled the screws to hold the element, installed the back panel and replaced the freezer shelves. I plugged the refrigerator back in and within hours the freezer started making ice again. It's been about 3 weeks and we have not had a problem since.
Fantastic Service and instructions and Inexpensive !!!! I will use this site again, if needed, and will recommemd to anyone who needs parts.

I emptied everything from door compartments.I removed the top cover of the door pivot with a phillips screwdriver. I removed the two screws that that hold the pivot bracket with a 8 mm socket. Lift the door off the bottom pivot bracket. Remove the old bottom pivot bracket with an 8mm socket and replace it with the new cam bushings.You must replace both bushings on the bottom of the door and on the bracket that mounts to the base of the body of the refrigerator. Reinstall the door and screws .The doors should be level with each other if they are installed properly.If not check the freezer door .The bushings may be worn on that door also.

After removing the 4 screws from the inside back panel of the freezer and setting a small heater with fan, on a small metal step ladder for about twenty minutes to defrost the freezer coils, it was a snap to remove the two small screws holding the burned out heater harness defrost assembly, and unplugging the wire harnesses to replace the burnt unit with a new one. Actual hands on time was about 5 minutes. Difficulty level, well... my wife did it and she is not mechanically inclined.

I bought the GE Refrigerator about 4 years ago for about $1500. The defrost Heater failed about one year ago. Then I called local repair guy, he replaced the Defrost Heater and charged me about $250. Now it happened again. I think we should try it to fix it by myself. I found the parts from partselect.com, it costs me $50 with 2-3 days shipping. After it replaced, it works fine again.

Note: Symtom: cannot make cool air, Frozen area with frost on the wall. Regeriator "leaking water" on floor since iced food started to melt...

Solution: open the cover of the wall inside of frozen zone, use hot water to defrost it gradually. removed the failed Defrost Heater and replaced it with new one.

Note: after you defrost the area inside of the wall, your refrigerator will work normally without the Defrost heater without any issue about week while you are waiting for the parts coming.

I ordered two switches, replaced both with a knife in 10 minutes. Interior light works, thanks.

replaced lights in refrigirator and freezer

Removed all items from Freezer. Removed back panel of Freezer (3 screws). Defrosted cooling fins with a heat gun. (about 45 minutes). Removed old Defrost Heater (2 screws). Removed two power lines from Heater. Attached power lines and installed new Heater. (Old Thermostat was O.K.). Replaced back panel. Runs like a champ. Without the defrost time, it took less then 30 minutes. I had this same project done by a service a few years ago and it cost about $300. I order the parts at about 3pm with express shipping. The parts arrived about 10am the next day.

Propped the door up with wood so we could change it without removing the whole door.
Removed &Replaced the cam and bracket quite easily. It did require 2 people, one to help hold the door while the other did the work.

Icemaker waterline leaking inside by the grommet where the water line comes in the refrigerator . First removed the water line from grommet . Then removed grommet by hand from the fridge. Last, reversed prodedure.

I found instructions on the web about how to do this repair, so I ordered the part with confidence. But the instructions simply said "pull out the old switchlight". That was actually somewhat difficult as the clip on the side intended to hold the part in was stubborn. I eventually used a utility to slice off the clip. From that point, it was just a matter of plugging in the new switchlight , which was very simple.

First, I removed all items on the door shelves and the shelves themselves to reduce the weight of the door. The door came off by itself because the bottom hinge had broken. Then I placed the door horizontal on the kitchen floor to have easier access to the bottom of the door. I had a piece of blanket under the door to prevent any scratch. I then removed two screws holding the door closing cam and shim and replaced them with the new parts. Next, I removed the base grill to have easy access to the old hinge assembly on the refrigerator itself. All I had to do was grab it firmly at either end and pull it forward. I replaced the hinge assembly with the new one. I removed the cover on the top hinge assembly and removed the two screws that secured that hinge (I was not able to put the door back without removing the top hinge assembly). All down hill from this point. Time to reinstall the door, aligning the bottom of the door cam over the hinge assembly and setting the door down on it making sure the door sets on the hinge assembly cams. To the top of the refrigerator. reinstalled the top door hinge assembly and cover (I had to make sure the door was standing straight vertically before I tightened the nuts), I also put a small amount of white grease into both the top and bottom hinges.

I had to defrost the freezer again before I could even start the replacement We unplub the old wiring harness took out two screws removed the old heater put in the new one replaced the srews and reconnected the harness we were done.

Determined that the defrost heater was bad (didn't test the thermostat or sensor) and attempted to replace it first.

Got the part in one day (super fast shipping).

1) Removed back panel on the inside of the freezer compartment using a nut driver.
2) Removed the ground wire clip from the metal panel
3) Used a screw driver to remove the two philips head screws that hold the heater assembly in place.
4) carefully pulled off the wires attached to the assembly.
5) attached the wires to the new heater
6)attached the new heater and screwed the new heater in place
7) attached the inside panel
8) fridge is now working great.

Removed everything from the refrigerator door. Removed the screw holding the cover over the top hinge. Removed the two (8mm) bolts holding the top hinge to the refrigator. Removed the door. Removed the plastic grill/cover and the two (8mm) bolts from the lower hinge assembly. Installed the new hinge assembly. Replaced the closing cam (included in the hinge assembly kit) on the bottom of the door. Put the door back on the lower hinge. Installed the upper hinge. Adjusted the door and tightened the bolts on the upper hinge, and replaced the hinge cover. Done!

Removed cover exposing defrost heater. Defrosted the cooling system. Removed screws holding defroster, replaced old with new, by way of two quick connect eletrical clips. replaced cover. Pretty easy once I figured our that it was the defroster and not the timer.