FRT21IL5DB8 Frigidaire Refrigerator - Instructions

I removed the housing at the top of the refrigerator compartment that contained the reefer light and temperature adjustment knob. This required a small nut-driver. Inside, I found the old defrost control, unplugged it, unscrewed it with a Phillips screwdriver, and replaced it with the replacement part. Then I replaced the housing to its original position.

The repair was fast and easy .I removed the ice tray , disconnected the wiring connector and lossend two screws. I removed ice maker assy.and repeated in reverse order to install. I also installed a new water filter. I had ice in about 20 minutes.

Remove ice pan below ice maker. Got mirrow verifed the type of screws. Obtained nut driver and felt it at right angle remove screws only have way. The ice maker lifts up and off. Took needle nose pliers to grip and remove electrical connection plug. The instruction and picture sent was no help the picture were the size of a thumb nail no detail could be determine. I installed the adapter plug and all the extra length wiring was the most difficult to type wrap with both hands extended out in front. I finally wrestled it in on to the two screws unscrewed from the wall about 1/2". Keep the ice maker water lever up and ensure it aligns to the water trough inlet. Works Great.
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After pulling the fridge away from the wall and opening the paper backing on the bottom, I could see the motor. It's affixed to 3 metal ribs by 3 small screw/nuts. There is also a 12" wiring harness that led to a simple disconnect. Removing the disconnect and the 3 nuts was easy. However, there was no room to remove the motor with the fan attached. Between frame parts, the drip pan below, the ribs, and small, delicate copper tubing that can't get bent, it wouldn't fit thru any openings. So we rotated the motor inside the framework until the blade faced out, then reached in with a pair of needle nose pliers to remove the washer. Removing the washer is easy, it's just difficult to reach. With the washer off the fan was out of the way and very carefully (it was tight) the motor came out. Reverse was the same issue. Motor tight going in, not a lot of room to maneuver fan onto motor, and needed needle nose to tighten washer again. Make sure you tighten the washer before you install the motor on the prongs. Otherwise you need to remove it from the ribs, twist it to face you, then reinstall it on the prongs. Also, I felt I was stripping the nuts into the new motor. Turns out the holes in the motor aren't tapped. i realized the nuts are self tapping once I looked at them. I'm a big time DIYer and this wasn't bad at all. If your motor/fan assembly comes out whole, it's even easier.

I watched the video on how to change the defrost thermostat. I removed the back cover inside the freezer then I pulled off the old defrost thermostat and then using a pair of wire cutters I cut it off and then bared a little of both of the wires and then slid the heat sherink and wire connectors on the existing wires and then slid the other ends of the wires into the wire connectors then crimped the ends of the connectors and then tried using heat on the heat shrinks but still used rubber electric tape over it. I clipped the new thermostat were the old one was and then reattached the freezer wall cover and plugged the refrigerator back in. 24 hours later I checked the temperature in the refrigerator and freezer and both are running a lot colder.

so basically if you can make toast , you can do this repair....loosen 2 hex head screws ,lift up on the ice maker and separate from wall of freezer , unplug the wire harness ,it is now OUT , swap the water level indicator to new part [30 second job ] Install the new part in reverse order as mentioned above... enjoy your ice

The bulb has a plastic clear cover. That cover can just be carefully removed using a screwdriver. It's held in by a metal bracket. After you remove the cover. You'll just need to replace the bulb and then re-install the cover and bracket.

Ice maker is held by 2 screws just above the unit, on the wall of the refrigerator. You can't see the screws, so borrow your wife's makeup mirror. Shine a light into the refrigerator, and using the mirror, locate the two screws, holding the unit in place, on the wall of the refrigerator. Using a nut driver, or socket wrench, with a 1/4 in socket, loosen up the two screws, but don't remove them. Bump the unit upwards, and away from the screws. (BEFORE doing anything!! Shut off the water supply, unplug the refrigerator) When you get the unit freed up, just unplug the old unit, and install the new one. You don't even have to worry about the water lines, and you'll see why, when you get the old unit off. Just reverse the procedure, installing the new unit. Very Simple, 10 to 15 minutes tops.

Set new shelf in place and push down. Very easy!

Just snapped into place

Very easily did the repair -- popped the new door shelf right in the place of the old one! No tools needed, no hardware, easy! The part actually measured 24 3/4 but the replacement part said "26 inches" on website & this was THE replacement part. Put this off for so long--ordered part and recd within 2 days, great!

Shut off water supply under the sink. Removed old valve and installed new valve. Turned water back on and within a couple hours the first batch of ice made.

Replacement was a snap! Literally! OK there were two snaps. One on each side.

Removed four screws for cover on refrigerator temperature controls, unpluged old timer and pluged in new timer. Replaced cover and screws.

Old shelf was removed and the new shelf clicked right into place, an exact match, perfect fit.