HTS18ICSULCC Hotpoint Refrigerator - Instructions

Based on the relatively young age of refrigerator, I suspected the defroster electrical circuit. The evaporator core in the freezer was frozen solid, which confirms that the defrost heater circuit is not working. Thawed out (with a hot air gun) and disassembled the freezer section to access the evaporator core and defrost heater. If yo ... Read more u have an ice maker, you will have to remove it to disassemble the freezer section. Confirmed with a voltmeter and ammeter that the defrost heater was not getting voltage. When the defrost heater is working, it will glow with an orange color. Also confirmed with a voltmeter that the defrost timer, located in the refrigerator section was working correctly. You can use a common blade screwdriver to rotate the timer through the cold and defrost cycles. Finally, I determined with a voltmeter and ammeter that the defrost thermostat, located on the evaporator core was not switching the defrost heater voltage. Ordered a new thermostat ($12) from this website and installed it. Refrigerator is as good as new. Be careful, there are many electrical hazards during the troubleshooting phase. Safety first.

First, using a nut driver, I removed icemaker and back panel inside freezer. I unhooked the wire connectors at each end of the heater defrost element and replaced with new element. I reinstalled the back panel and the icemaker.
Second, using the same nut driver I removed the casing located inside fridge on the top. I pulled the casin ... Read more g down & unhooked the wiring harness. I removed the control temp switch which was held in by two clips. I replaced with new switch, plugged harness back in, reinstalled casing and BINGO....it is as good as new....beats buying a new refrigerator anyday!!!!
THANK YOU Bernard S.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sincerely,
Mom of three boys

I opened the back panel of the fridge and exposed the compressor. Unplugged existing run capacitor and installed new one with the addition of the sleeve that is stated must be installed around the run capacitor.
Everything I read and on this web site says that based on these symptoms, that the problem is the run capacitor. I search ... Read more ed and search for a part called a start relay which plugs in to the compressor. This run capacitor plugs in to this other part which I take as the start relay.

Installing this run capacitor did not solve the problem. The fridge compressor keeps cycling on and off. Freezer doesn't keep as cold as it should.

First I turned the refrigerator and water line off. Then moved to the freezer section, followed the directions, removed the two screws. Directions state to not remove them but I had to in this case. Unplugged the ice maker and removed it from the freezer. I installed the two mounting screws then tried to plug the electrical connection bac ... Read more k in but had to use the adaptor cord furnished in the kit. The cord was a little long but I tucked it in and mounted the ice maker. Turned it on then turned the refrigerator and water back on and in a few hours had ice! Very easy to do!

as described, I used a thin screwdriver to wedge in and pull down existing, broken switch. I was able to pull it down about a 1/4 inch, but wasn't quit able to disegage it until I gripped it with pliers. I then pulled it out, unplugged the old switch, plugged in the new switch, and carefully tucked the wires back into the fridge and snapp ... Read more ed the new switch into place.

10 minutes total.

First turn off the power, remove the ice tray, remove the two screws holding the ice maker to the side of the freezer, use the screw driver to gently open the electrical clip for the power cord inside the freezer, remove the complete unit from freezer, bend the old stripper from the holding pin- it is flexible- it will bend, replace the n ... Read more ew stripper on the holding pin and bend into the slot to hold it firmly, no water will come out from the fill cup into the freezer, plug in the power cord, mount back to side of freezer, you are done.

I ordered the part and it got here very quickly. Being a novice home repair person, it took me awhile to get the courage to start. It was practically uneventful, but it did take some time to figure it out exactly. I did have to bend the piece some, which is always a little nerve wracking. However, the part is working beautifully and I fee ... Read more l good about myself.

removed 3 screws unplug and remove old unit. install two screws install new ice maker, tighten screws plug in and turn on. had ice in 20 min.

Bing , Bang, Boom.

This is a relatively simple repair, but requires a bit of running around your house and sitting in a likely cramped space on the floor behind your refrigerator. These steps assume you have verified the valve is leaking and not the lines. 1. Locate where the water line to the fridge connects to the house plumbing. Close the next valve i ... Read more n the house plumbing upstream of this connection. Open some fixture (likely the cold on the kitchen sink) to relieve water pressure in this section of plumbing. Water should flow briefly, then dribble and stop on its own. 2. Unplug your fridge. There are moving parts (a fan) close to the valve that may injure you while you are working. 3. Pull your fridge away from the wall enough so you can scoot behind and sit behind. 4. Gather your tools and parts and squeeze behind the fridge. 5. Remove the felt paper dust cover. Carefully collect the screws. 6. Take a picture of the electrical connection to the valve or make a mental note. 7. Carefully unclip lines from the fridge and remove screws holding valve to fridge body. Slicing a line will create a new problem to fix. Carefully collect the screws. 8. Remove electrical connection. Grasp the connector and pull firmly. Do not yank the wires. 9. Over the bucket, disconnect old valve from lines. Some residual water will flow out. If the stream is steady, double check that Step 1 is completed correctly. Set old valve aside. 10. Examine new valve to determine water input and outlet. There may be an arrow indicating flow direction. 11. Seat the input line in the valve input firmly and connect. Mine was a nut I tightened with a small crescent wrench. 12. Seat the outlet line in the valve outlet firmly and connect. Mine was a push in quick connect. 14. Rest the valve over the bucket. Get up and turn the water back on. Verify your connections are not leaking. 15. Review your picture and reconnect the electrical connection. 16. Install the new valve onto the fridge body. Mine was a different geometry that required some gentle bending of the mounting bracket. Reclip lines to fridge. 17. While you're down there, vacuum underneath your fridge. 18. Reinstall felt paper dust cover. 19. Plug fridge back in. Clean up. 20. Monitor your ice maker, verify good operation. When satisfied, push fridge back. Recycle(?) old valve. 21. Success!

I took the advice off of your website about the only thing that will fix
the problem is change the run capacitor. I felt assured that I would
have a working refrigerator freezer after making this change. I was
pretty disheartened when it didn`t solve anything. I was not going to
take the new part back out after the sma ... Read more ll challenge of putting it in.
The next day I found out how to test the old capacitor and it was still
good. I will just have to eat the $49. I did learn not to take advice from
a website even if it seems like a sure thing

I noticed that if I unplugged the refrigerator and plugged it back in a while later it would start working but eventually would stop. I deduced the problem was likely the defrost thermostat. I ordered the thermostat but it was in a difficult place behind the evaporator coil which I could not remove. While I was trying to work it into posi ... Read more tion my hand pressed against the defrost coil and shattered the glass sheath. I ordered the coil and finally managed to get it and the thermostat installed. The refrigerator seems to work fine now.

Removed two screws holding the cover. Unclipped and unplugged the defroster timer. Plugged in the new one . Replaced the cover. Finished.

I had to call for a appointment for repair with GE Appliance because I thought then it . .was something electrical. The technician came out & checked everything out, turned out it was not electrical, The technician went out to his truck got a light bulb from his truck, put it in & it worked. It cost me $121.00 for trip charge from GE appl ... Read more iance for a light bulb that worked, your light bulbs were defective twice. Very disappointed with your products, cost me alot of money for a good light bulb thru GE appliance

Change out water valve.. to find out my temp setting was to high. My kids changed the setting.. so my ice maker didnt work. The water valve will not open until it senses the right temp. Hope this help someone. But my part was here the next day