F44Q21RJD1 Frigidaire Refrigerator - Instructions

My freezer would freeze up and not allow cold air to refrigerator side. First I took off bottom face plate, located the timer on left side bottom, removed the two screws and unpluged the timer. Replaced the timer with new one. Second I removed all food from freezer. Took of back of freezer wall with nut driver. Located the thermostat which was very easy to remove. Just one clip holding thermostat. Unplugged the two wires from the old thermostat and plugged in new wires. Thanks to Partselect.com, the parts were an exact match. Very easy to do. Saved my tons of money. Freezer and refer works like new.

First - I asked a person familiar in ref/freezer repair for assistance. This was the hardest issue - trying to find someone to offer "free" advise. He stated that when this problem occurs it is usually one of two things: 1) The defrost timer (underneath Refrigerator - Attached w/2 screws and plug-n connector) not functioning or 2) The defrost sensor (clipped-on to the coolant line (2-press-on wires) above the main coolant coil in in rear of freezer section behind panel secured w/5 1/4" hex-head screws) not properly sensing need for defrosting. The Tech. also stated that the defrost/heat coil, which surrounds the large coolant coil in the back of the freezer hardly ever goes bad unless it is the glass/clear type coil which often crack. (Mine was the black filament type element like found in an electric oven). I check the element with an ohm meter - 27 ohms of resistance which indicated it was okay). I replaced both defrost timer & defrost sensor at the same time and that fixed the problem. Parts ordered were an exact match to originals (dispite model number changes/upgrades) and everything went very well. NOTE: It is good to have the part numbers off of each original item and know what they are called before placing your order. All fixed for less than $50.00. A service call alone would be more than this. Took about 2 hours to do, due to having to defost the iced-up freezer coil w/a hair blower. Don't use sharp objects to chip away ice, let the blower do the work - Patience and a couple of towels to absorb water is important here. Hope this helps the other do-it-yourselfers.

After unsuccessfully trying to change the blown light bulb I discovered that the plastic light socket had gotten so hot that it melted and permanently fused with the blown bulb. After my new socket arrived in the mail I just popped the temp control assembly out with a screw driver and removed the old socket and placed the new one in. Whole operation to 5 minutes.

My freezer was frozen but my refrigerated side was not cooling, the temp was actually around 60-degrees. After inspecting i noticed no air was flowing through the vent from freezer side to fridge side. I removed everything from freezer and took the back wall panel off inside freezer section and immedietely noticed alot of ice on coils etc. After researching i found the defrost timer was not working and thus allowing frost and ice to build up on coils and block air flow. My defrost timer was located on the front bottom left behind kick panel, using a phillips screwdriver i removed 2 screws and then disconnected wire harness to the defrost timer. Then i inserted new defrost timer and connected wire harness and then put the 2 screws back in. My fridge is now working great and the ice build-up is gone and i am getting good air flow .. temps on fridge side are now between 32-34degrees. This was an easy project and saved me alot of money doing myself

THERMOSTAT--First I removed the fours crews that hold the back of freezer (inside freezer) in place. I then pulled the thermostat out about 3 inches and disconnected the two wires. Plugged in the new one and put back in place. Replaced freezer back and installed the four screws that holds it in.(iIf your freezer has a ice maker just loosen the 2 screws that hold it and lift the ice maker up off the screws
DEFROST TIMER--- removed one screw inside fridge by light bulb that holds in the timer and setting knob, then took out the two screws that held in the timer unplugged the old timer and replaced with the new one put back in the two screws that holds the timer in then replaced the one screw that holds the unit in place

I pulled off the old door gasket which came off really easy. I was hoping the new one would go on as easy as just popping it in place but it didnt work. I had to remove the inside door panel. The gasket wouldnt lay entirely flat in the inside groove so I used a bead of RTV around the entire circumference which helped to hold it in place while reattaching the panel back onto the door. The screws fit on the under side of the magnetic portion of the gasket. In order to access the screw holes the gasket has to be lifted which sometimes causes the gasket to pull from the lip on the back side of the panel making the RTV get everywhere. After every screw was in place and lightly tightened the panel had to be adjusted to allow for the proper closing of the door. This was the worst part, fortunatly the screws left a slight indentation of where they were before I removed them so it gave me a nice reference.
The hinge part of the new gasket requires a lubricant so it wont bind up when the door is closed. I didnt know about this until my order arrived and a part number was recommended for the type of lube. I just used Vasolene and it works fine.
The pin bearing was really easy. Just unload the contents from the door, mine was the freezer door. I popped off the cap covering the screws and removed the screws while holding the door so it wouldnt drop on the floor. Once off I used a flat head screwdriver to pry out the old one and a light tap of a hammer to replace it with the new. I put it all together the way it came off.
Now my fridge runs much less and the freezer door doesnt sag.

verifed temp cntrol by putting element in ice bath removed box and replaced both time and control

i removed the 4 screws holding cover. removed two screws holding timer. unplugged timer. plugged in new one. reassembled.

At top of refrigerator compartment, took out screws to cover (where temp control is) and to the right took out 2 screws to remove defrost timer and installed in reverse order. In freezer compartment, unscrewed back of freezer wall and took off completely. Removed old freezer thermostat, the body of freezer thermostat snapped onto coil and wire plugged in. Let run for 24 hrs, then made adjustments to temps, so far temps are back in normal range.

First, unplug the refrigerator since you're working with live wires.

Remove the 4 Philips sheet metal screws holding the plastic housing that holds the temperature control to the top of the refrigerator compartment. Pull the housing down then out since there is a tube on the housing where the water flows out the back of the refrigerator during the defrost cycle.

Remove the 2 Philips screws holding the defrost timer on the plastic housing. Pull the connectors off the old timer and attach them in exactly the same positions on the new defrost timer.

Attach the new defrost timer to the plastic housing with the 2 screws.

Reinstall the plastic housing, making sure the water tube is inserted into the back of the refrigerator wall.

Plug the refrigerator back in and you're done.

remove all freezer items and remove back panel covering the coils - about 8-10 nuts using a nut driver. The coils in my refridgerator were covered with a heavy frost - thermostat was also frozen over. Manually turn the defrost timer so the fan turns off to observe if the heating element is working (defrost timer is on the bottom front of the refrigerator on the left side). My heating element did work so I decided to replace the thermostat and defrost timer. Unplug the refrigerator. Disconnect 2 wires connecting the thermostat and unhook. Replacing with new thermostat - red and white wires that have male/female connectors and hook onto coil as before. Note that two parts with similar names were offered by PartsSelect and you really couldn't tell which was the right one - I got both but returning the unused one was very easy but cost a couple of bucks in shipping. Next, take out two screws and the bracket that holds the defrost timer in place and unplug it. Plug in the new one and screw it back in. Reinstall the back panel - throw out all that stuff in the freezer that you've had in there for 10 years and turn it back on - very simple and it worked perfectly. Very good experience with returning parts - excellent customer service.

1) The meat drawer and rails were damaged when my 7-year old son closed the refrigerator door while the meat pan was still extended.
2) I ordered the parts on-line using your easy to follow part search.
3) The items arrived 3 days later.
4) I used a phillips screw driver to remove the old rails & I attached the new rails (approximately 10 minutes).
5) I slid the front cover off of the damaged meat pan and slid it on to the new meat pan (approximately 3 minutes).
6) I slid the new meat pan onto the new rails.
7) I demonstrated to my son the importance of closing the meat pan prior to shutting the refrigerator door.

Used exploded parts view to locate part. Removed old part and replaced with new defrost timer. Piece of cake.

There are 3 parts that actually control cooling cycle: Temperature Thermostat, Defrost Timer and sensor/relay on the back side of the appliance. If fridge cycles up after you turn small knob on defrost time (you'll hear click, problem lies between first two components.
Replacing them is really easy. Make sure you handle thermostat wire carefully. Check for connectors holding firm.
Use schematic diagrams you may find at this site.

Good luck.

Bought a new
capacitor.