EasyApplianceParts is now PartSelect! We've merged our sites to provide a better shopping experience for you.   Full Details

Find Parts

Parts Departments

Top Model Types

Top Brands

Repair Help

Expert Repair Videos

Keep typing for more specific results...

GFD45ESSM1WW General Electric Dryer - Instructions

All Instructions for the GFD45ESSM1WW
1 - 15 of 122

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.
Drum belt broke
209 of 309 people found this instruction helpful.
  • Adrian from Middletown, MD
  • A Bit Difficult
  • 30 - 60 mins
  • Screw drivers
Removed the front Dryer panel. Left drum in place and lifted it up slightly to get access to motor drive. Slipped belt in place and put panel back on.
This was a first attempt ever at fixing an appliance and it was no big deal.
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
Dryer would not start
92 of 140 people found this instruction helpful.
  • Joshua from Dallas, TX
  • A Bit Difficult
  • 1- 2 hours
  • Pliers, Screw drivers, Socket set
The end repair was very simple and took minimal effort. The time and difficulty was all in the testing. I disassembled the dryer and removed the drum and then hard wired each thermo-fuse to determine where the fault was. After test all of those I was stumped. When I opened the door the light would not come on so I assumed it was a pow er fault closer to the source. However after all of my testing I couldn't find anything wrong. I then removed the light bulb and realized it was burned out which led me to the door switch being the fault. I removed the switch and soldered the three wire together and the dryer started right up! All I had to do was order a new $15 part, unsolder the wires and plug them in. Would have been so much simpler if that light bulb hadn't of been burned out causing me to over think my diagnosis. This was my first major appliance repair and I did it with only the help of the parts diagram provided on the website.
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
Broken Dryer Belt
81 of 121 people found this instruction helpful.
  • Richard from Ashton, MD
  • Easy
  • 1- 2 hours
  • Nutdriver, Screw drivers
I had to take most of the dryer apart because there is no rear access to the motor. It turned out to be easy to dissasembel the dryer. The only problem that I had was that I could not figure out how to route the belt around the motor and the idol pullies. I could not find anywhere that gave instructions on how to properly tension the belt . I finally figured out that the idoler pulley needs to be locked in place on the right side of the engie mount. Then the belt needs to be routed over idoler pulley and under the motor pulley. Finally release the idoler pully from the locked postion to put tension on the belt. It really turned out to be pretty easy.
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
dryer cylinder wouldn't turn
57 of 83 people found this instruction helpful.
  • Christopher from Miami, FL
  • Easy
  • 15 - 30 mins
  • Screw drivers, Wrench (Adjustable)
Pryed off the top with a flat head screwdriver and removed the 2 screws holding the front panel to the sides. Then lifted the front panel off of the bottom brackets. Belt fit perfectly and followed the provided instructions to loop it around the motor and pulley. PartSelect got the part to me within a couple of days and the repair was a snap.
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
Broken belt
58 of 90 people found this instruction helpful.
  • James from Charleston, MS
  • Really Easy
  • 15 - 30 mins
  • Screw drivers
Removed the top of dryer two screws behind door at top then removed top two screws top corner lift dryer tub put belt around the tub then looped belt around the pullies.
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
The Dryer would not start
60 of 107 people found this instruction helpful.
  • David from Curtice, OH
  • Really Easy
  • Less than 15 mins
  • Pliers
Doing some simple troubleshooting with the volt-ohm meter I determined that the door switch was failed.

The replacement door switch restored the motor circuit keeping my dryer in action.
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
Deflector was covered in burnt something.
39 of 57 people found this instruction helpful.
  • Richard from San Antonio, FL
  • Difficult
  • 1- 2 hours
  • Wrench set
Deflector has 3 bolts attaching it. They require a star wrench. Had to purchase same to do the repair. Removed the bolts(they are sheet metal type screws(bolts). Installed the deflector and started dryer. Loud rubbing sound noted. Shut off and checked the drum and noted it was not running concentrically. Removed deflector and the found th e 3 screws actually retained the drum to drive. Had to make alignment pins to allow proper alignment of the drive, drum, and deflector. Once the pins were used during installation of the deflector everything worked correctly. Turned on dryer and it operated normally.
Had I had the proper tools the repair would probably have taken 30 minutes or less.
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
Heat deflector was covered in melted plastic
35 of 51 people found this instruction helpful.
  • Charles from Alexandria, VA
  • A Bit Difficult
  • 30 - 60 mins
  • Socket set
Someone I'm related to by marriage accidentally dried a plastic-coated tablecloth on high heat, and our heat deflector was hosed. I was very happy to find this part here for such a reasonable price; Sears wanted about $65 for it. Installation required a Torx bit, and removing the old one was easy, but the dryer's design made it difficult to reinstall the heat deflector while keeping the dryer running concentrically. I ended up cutting the heads off three screws, threading those into the plate behind the drum, sliding the new heat deflector on over those, and then one by one replacing them with the original Torx head screws. Once I figured it out it didn't take long but it took me a while to figure it out. That's probably more a reflection on me than the dryer!
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
Needed to change the door opening position
24 of 36 people found this instruction helpful.
  • Robyn from Laguna Niguel, CA
  • Really Easy
  • Less than 15 mins
  • Screw drivers
I removed the door and "flipped" it to open right to left. Rather than remove the existing door latch I added the purchased latch on the right side to enable opening the door right to left or left to right.
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
door latch was broken
20 of 26 people found this instruction helpful.
  • Kate from MULLINS, SC
  • Really Easy
  • Less than 15 mins
  • Pliers
Pulled out the remnants of the old latch out with the pliers and then popped the new one in...less than 2 minutes. Oh, and the part was delivered in less than 2 days. Great job, Partselect !
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
Door wouldn't stay shut
18 of 25 people found this instruction helpful.
  • Catherine from Windber, PA
  • Really Easy
  • Less than 15 mins
  • Pliers
When I went home at Christmas, I saw that my Mom had been using a small bench to keep her dryer door shut. I wrote the make / model of the dryer down and found your website. I ordered the part, and my sister snapped it into place. My mom was so happy to have her dryer door stay shut again!
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
Dryer not heating. When moving it away from wall it was sparking badly where the cord hooks up.
22 of 39 people found this instruction helpful.
  • Vincent from Washington, PA
  • Easy
  • 1- 2 hours
  • Nutdriver, Pliers, Screw drivers
Removed case parts to expose internal wiring. Vacuumed up various types of mouse debris and plugged hole they were using. Ordered terminal block to replace the one that melted while sparks were flying. Replaced power cord with one I had in my basement from some other appliance that died a while ago. "Hey honey, ya know those old parts I s aved..." :) Now it is heating to capacity and no spark-show! Oh yeah, the part I ordered from Partselect.com was delivered to my door the next day!!!!! Wow!
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
The belt borke after 10 years of use.
16 of 22 people found this instruction helpful.
  • Brad from Laguna Niguel, CA
  • Really Easy
  • 15 - 30 mins
  • Screw drivers
1st - removed the two screws inside the front door panel. They are somewhat hidden up underneath so you may have to look for them. 2nd - I removed the top of the dryer cabinet by lifting it out of the clips holding it in place. 3rd - removed the two screws (one on each side) in the o=uppper corner of where the side panels connect the fron t panel. These are about 3/4" phillips head screws. Then the front panel could be moved to one side of the dry. 4th - remove the drum by lifting it up and out the open top area. 5th - add the new belt to the dryer tub (rib side towards the drum) and replace dryer tub to its original position. 6th - reaching in underneath the tub you need to pull the ideler pulley toward the center of the cabinet while laying the belt on the "outer side" of the ideler pulley and at the same time fitting the belt over the small pulley located on the motor. Once that is done, you reassemble in reverse order and should be good to go.
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
dried something with a plastic coating-
18 of 29 people found this instruction helpful.
  • MARY from AUGUSTA, GA
  • Really Easy
  • Less than 15 mins
Used an allen wrench to remove the heat deflector and used allen wrench to replace it with the new one. HINT!! Do not lean on the inside of the dryer!!!!!!
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
Dryer was making noise
12 of 14 people found this instruction helpful.
  • Maurice from MINERAL SPGS, AR
  • Really Easy
  • 15 - 30 mins
  • Screw drivers
Took the top and front end of the dryer off. Took the old slider spacers off and installed the new ones. I replaced all four of them even though only two was bad. While I had the dryer open I decided to use my shop vac to clean up the lint that had accumulated there. Replaced the front and the lid plugged it up, hit the start no noise j ust like new.
Was this helpful?
Thank you for voting!
All Instructions for the GFD45ESSM1WW
1 - 15 of 122