CST20KABGAD Hotpoint Refrigerator - Instructions

First I pulled the door up to the top hinge and propped it up with phone books. Secondly I used a nutdriver with an 8mm attachment and removed the bottom hinge. Thirdly, I removed one screw from the bottom of the door with a socket and 8mm attachment and removed the broken cam riser. Being careful as to take note of how the cam was positioned. I then attached the new cam riser to the bottom of the door, attached the bottom hinge to the refrigerator, making sure the pieces (cam riser and plastic on bottom hinge) matched up and after everything was tight, removed the phone books. Remember to first remove the vent on the bottom of the refrigerator and it is much easier to maneuver the door if you empty the contents on the inside. Very easy, I am not very mechanically inclined and this is the first job that I finished in the amount of time as stated. Also, do not chance just the riser as both pieces will be worn. Hinge assembly comes with all you will need.

Well, first I googled the problem and the model and found my way pretty quick to you guys. I sent a note to Tom P., who confirmed that I was looking at the right things. Then I offloaded everything from the freezer and fridge to the RV fridge and chest freezer, unplugged it and used my hair dryer to melt the ice on back plate so I could remove it.

I removed the two small screws at the top of the back, below the icemaker and light bulb, and slid the back cover up and out. Since my coils were pretty heavily iced, it took about half an hour to melt enough that I could get the defrost heater out and check it for continuity, which it failed.

The replacement design is slightly different (2 heater coils vs 1 and connectors on one end), but functionally the same. When putting the new one in, you need to re-run the blue wire down the same side as the pink wire because the connectors are on one end. Mine was long enough to work, but they include a splice kit in case yours isn't.

It took me longer to get the cover back on than to replace the heater assembly! Everything is back to normal, had ice cubes within a couple of hours...
Thanks for your help!

First I removed the drawers. Then I removed the 2 screws from each side. Then replaced the 2 pieces in the same manner using the same screws. It took about 15-20 min. Very easy. Drawers work perfectly now. Glad I found this site.

When the part first arrived I thought that I had ordered the wrong one. It was a dual element heater while the one in the freezer was a single. After reading the instructions it gave specific info on how to replace a single element with the dual. It was VERY easy to replace. i had manually defrosted the coils a couple of days before but they were already covered in frost. I know that I should have manually defrosted them again but I installed the new element anyway and it started working instantly (must have caught it on the 'on' cycle or when I repowered the fridge it started the 'on' cycle). The coils were defrosted within a few minutes. Amazing. Very easy to follow instructions.

I had this problem before and I knew it was related to the heater located in the freezer section. With the help of the drawings in the parts selct webpage I was able to identify the part I needed within 5 minutes. I ordered the part abd in 3 days I had it delivered.
I followed the instructions that came with the part step by step and I got my refrigerator up mand running in about 45 minutes.

First I removed the two screws that hold the element in place. I then pulled the element out about 3 inches and disconnected the two wires..

Removed shelves and light bulb cover. Then removed the two screws that hold the back wall of freezer compartment in place and removed cover. Thawed ice jam with hair dryer. Removed the two screws holding heating element in place and pulled element out far enough to disconnect the two wires. Reconnected wires to new element and put everything back together.
Installation instructions which came with new part were accurate and very easy to understand.
It took about 30 minutes total.

I had done this repair almost exactly 2 years ago. I also read in this forum about a guy who said he had to do it every 2 years... bad part design.

However, GE has replaced the original single element with a dual element, and that is what PartSelect sent me. I had to splice one wire, but the instructions were clear and it went like a breeze. Oh, and the part arrived less than 3 days after I ordered it with standard shipping. Way to go, guys! Thanks!

took 2 philips screws out,took off rail,and then nreverse.these steps,

Really simple, I used a can of soup and a small piece of wood set under the door, and tapped it tight with the hammer to hold it in place while I removed the hinge. Two bolts at the bottom and two under the door itself. Installed the new hinge set, bolted tight and removed the shim.
The whole thing took less than 5 minutes

I followed the easy instructions included with the replacement part I ordered. I removed the back of the freezer, unpluged the broken heater and replace with the new heater. The heater just plugged in, very very simple. I put the back panel bach on with the two screws and it perfectly. Not back for a girl!

This is a repair INSIDE the freezer. Turned off unit.. Unplugged. Removed shelving on freezer side. Removed freezer draw rails (4 screws total.) Removed 2 screws that hold rear panel in place at rear of freezer side (this is inside the freezer). Carefully removed metal panel by pulling from the left (side that does not have shelving clips. As noted on this website and other users, the freezer coils were incased in ice. Thawed with a hair dryer (put towels in bottom of freezer-ice was pretty heavy in mine). When thawed, remove heater element by removing 2 screws that hold it to the aluminum bracket. Then remove wires on each end. Simply install the new emelment by attaching wires back on heater and screw new unit in place. (My original heating element was a single element-you could very easily see where the heating coil inside the glass tube had shorted out. My replacement heater was a 2 element unit. This did not pose any problem at all-installs in the same manner-good directions are provided.). Replace all parts in reverse order. It's that simple. Saved probably $150. This site is wonderful! Fast shipping and the users install tips/notes are fantastic!! Will shop here again if I have to (have a Maytag washer that isn't draining and going into spin-bet the fix is on here somewhere!

First I removed glass shelf on top of rail. I then removed the two screws holding rail to refrigerator side. Next I installed new rail using same two screws. Finally I replaced glass shelf on top of rail.

The repair itself is super easy. The heater harness comes with instructions that is easy to follow. The only issue I encountered is that my refrigerator had 1 heating element and you will get one with 2 heating elements. Because of this, the new connectors are on 1 side. Since my old heater had 1 connector on each end, 1 wire is too short if you route both wires the same way as before. The kit comes with an extra wire and directs you to splice the short wire and attach the extra wire with the included connector. I figured a refrigerator with a spliced wire is not a good combination so I rerouted the short wire to the other side along with the other wire. This allowed me to connect both wires without using the extra wire.

First I removed the two screws that hold the element in place. I then pulled the element out about 3 inches and disconnected the two wires.Threw away the old defroster. Put the new one in. I had to reroute the blue wire over to the right hand side and plugged it in.Put the back on. put the shelves in and I was done! We had this done just about 3 years ago and it cost us about $175. The cost of this repair was only $38.05 with shipping and all! What a great deal! Thanks so much PartSelect!