GSS22IBTW General Electric Refrigerator - Instructions

Noticed the problem in November 2009. Replaced Hi Limit Sesor for Defrost thinking it was the freezor temperature sensor. Did not fix the problem. Replaced Motherboard. Did not fix the problem. Called Sears Repair. They mis-diagnosed the problem and told me it was the sealed system. I doubted them and sent them home. Replaced the correct freezer temperature sensor that connects to the motherboard. FIXED.
Removed a panel, cut two wires, soldered and insulated two wries, reinstalled panel.

The problem with this model is usually a burned out heater assembly, when the freezer is still freezing, but the fresh food section is warm. To check, first disconnect power from refrigerator. Remove food and then shelves from freezer section. Remove the screws that hold the back freezer panel in place. Remove back panel and the coils will be exposed. If they are covered in ice the heater is most likely the problem. At the bottom of the coils below the heater assembly is a drain hole plug this hole with a rag. Place a large towel in bottom of freezer pan beneath the coils to catch the water. I do not recommend any method to melt the ice from the coils but a hair dryer, do not chip at the ice or you will most likely damage the coils. After you have defrosted the coils and removed all water from the unit, remove the two screws that hold the heater element in place, this element is directly below the coils. Look at the element, if it is burnt black, this is a tell tale sign it is bad. If that is the case it will need to be replaced. Remove the electrical wires located on te end of unit, the new unit will have instructions with it, reconnect the electrical wires per instructions, remount heater with the same mounting screws that held it in place. Be sure to remove rag from drain hole, replace back freezer panel with screws, replace shelves, and plug refrigerator back in. If your problem was a cold freezer section but a warm fresh food section this should fix your problem. In conclusion, this problem and the fix for it is indicative to these model's ge refrigerator's

Not only were the parts delivered in 2 days....but a phillips head screw driver and matching up the new rails with the old ones turned out to be a super easy and fast repair!! A monkey could do this repair!! But now I noticed the left hand top drawer rail is cracked! It stinks that the quality of the original parts are so poor...but at least I'm saving some money doing it myself!!!

First I hired a repairman and he said that it was in the unit and would not be worth the expense to fix.

I started to research on the net and this was one possible source. ( evaporator fan). I had to take it apart to verify it. Then put it back together to use until the part came.

The next time went much faster as I did not have to take near as many screws out to access the fan motor. Very Happy to have it working fine again as a new relacement would cost $1200. Thanks much. Ron

No self defrost. Measured heater coil with ohm meter which was OK (not open). Ordered 2 temp sensors (there are 2 in freezer, 2 in fresh food sections). The original and the new all meaured ~150 ohms. Replaced one by one. This did not fix problem. Ordered defrost thermostat. Original measured ~150 ohms - new one was ~100 ohms. Unpluged refridgerator. Removed coil panel (4 nut screws) in freezer and light cover (1 small phillips screw). Locate defrost thermostat clipped to top of coils (orange / pink wires). Cut wires and unclipped thermostat. Stripped insulation off of wires and reconnect using wire nuts. Clipped thermostat back to coils. Ran refridgerator without panel on coils to see if coils frosted up again and listend for fans/compressor to stop ( took hours). Opened freezer and viewed glow of defrost heater. Problem resolved.

I removed the shelf, unscrewed the slide rails and replaced them with new ones. I replaced the shelf, put the food back in and I was done. Thanks, john bowers

1. Unplugged the refrigerator 2. Vacuum inside of dust 3. Unscrewed motor and fan 4. Replaced motor then fan 5. Plugged refrigerator bingo! :)

Repair took about 5 seconds. No directions necessary. Super easy.

After mopping up the floor - the whole freezer that was iced up melted - that's how I found out about the problem...

Disconnected the power, emptied the freezer, removed the shelves. Under the ice maker was the light cover - I removed that first, then the two screws holding the back panel in place - The light panel was covering the top screw.

With the screws removed, I pulled out the back panel - which needs to be jiggled around a bit to get it past the shelf brackets.

With the cover off, I could see the mostly de-iced coil at the back of the unit. The defrost heater was visible at the bottom of the coil frame. To remove the bracket/heater, I removed the two cross head screws (one on each side) holding the bracket to the coil frame. I then twisted the side tabs of the bracket assembly and pulled the entire bracket/heater/wiring from the coil frame.

With better access tot he bracket/heater I was able to disconnect the wires. I grabbed the new bracket/heater, reattached the wires and pushed the bracket/heater back onto the coil frame and closed the side tabs firmly attaching the bracket to the frame. I then screwed the tabs back onto the frame.

Replaced the back panel, screwed it in place. Put back the light cover and then the shelves. Turned the appliance back on and left it for a few hours - before checking to see if there was any drop in temperature. There was, so after 24 hours or so I reloaded all the food...

NOTE: I was certain that the heater had failed! When I pulled the OLD one out it was obviously burned out - the glass tube was blackened and pieces of the element could be seen in the bottom of the tube.

1. Unplugged the fridge. 2. unplugged the fan connection and removed the wire holding clip. 3. removed the 2 screws holding the motor bracket in place and removed the bracket. 4. Pulled gently back on the motor so that the fan pressed against the front bracket until the fan slid off the motor shaft. 5. Pulled the rubber motor mounts off of the old motor and placed on the new motor. 6. Slide the new motor in place pressed the fan all the way onto the shaft. 7. Placed the rear motor bracket in place and started the screws by hand making sure the ground wire was attached to the furthest away screw. 8. tightened the screws down. 9. Pushed in the wire holding clip into the clip hole. 10. Plugged back in the fan. 11. Plugged back in the fridge. 12. Turned down the temp on the fridge to kick on the compressor and checked to assure the fan was operating and then set the temp back to normal. 13. Vacuumed the condenser coils to get them all clean and ready for more years of service!

First, I removed all the shelves and the light guard. Second, I removed the nuts that held the fan guard and the freezer back in place (2 just under the fan guard and removed the freezer back. Third, lifted fan guard out of way (being very careful not to crack it..... cold plastic). Fourth, unpugged fan from pug then removed nuts that held fan bracket in place...removed fan. fifth, then removed fan blade and remove fan motor from bracket, removed two wires that went to freezer light (pay attention to where they go) and installed them into the new wireing harness. Sixth, installed fan blade on new motor, bolted new assembly in fan bracket, plugged in and reistalled fan into the freezer, replaced fan guard and freezer back (reverse order of above) and then replaced freezer racks. works beautiful.

First I removed the vegetable drawer and glass shelf. I matched up the 'new' drawer slide rail next to the broken slide.
I then used a phillips head screwdriver to remove the 2 screws that held the slide in place.
After removing the broken slide rail, I installed the new rail, replaced the vegetable drawer and glass shelf. New item worked like a charm.
The drawer slide arrived really quick after my order was placed. Approx. 2 days after ordering the part, it was on my front door step.

I had taken the noise long enough and wanted to get this repaired. I didn't want to pay a repair man hundreds of dollars to do it so i decided to do it myself. I went on to YouTube and found a few videos that showed me how easy it was to do (very helpful).

I wasn't so sure all that noise would come from the Evaporator Fan motor so i ordered it and took the chance. For the small cost, it was worth the try.

All went well accessing the unit and removing the old part. Very fast indeed. However, the snag came when i went to plug in the new part electrical to the existing electrical adapters. The old part had 4 lead connections. The new part had 6. and the wires on the new part were different colors than the existing. I had to use some logic and courage to cut the wires on the new part and rewire the old adapter to this piece. Luckily, i wired everything correctly.

Calling Part Select got me a phone number for the parts manufacturer to help with the splicing but i opted to do it on my own.

The result is i have a noiseless refrigerator again. What should have taken 10 to 15 minutes took half an hour because of the wiring but overall, very easy.

took one screw that held the whole fan housing on, its a tight fit to try and pull it out cause of the copper lines in the back so I just turned it enough to where I could get to the 2 screws on the fan bracket, took the old fan and the rubber grommets out and replaced them! Put everything back together and works like new! Nice and quite! Plus I saved about $200-300 if a tech. would have came and fixed it!

A. Gustafson
Colorado

After figuring out how to remove the old broken clip, replacement was easy. Had to use a small putty knife to open the release on the bottom underside of the clip(between the clip & the refrig) . By looking at the replacement piece it was easy to figure out.