GBS18HBPC General Electric Refrigerator - Instructions

My GE GDS18SBPBLSS is now 21 years old (they do not make them like they used to) so I took extra time to not break any of the brittle old plastics. For this replacement you will only need a Phillips head screwdriver.

Parts list:
2 x PS284959 Fan Motor Grommet
1 x PS2359960 Evaporator Fan Motor Assembly

• The first thing you want to do is to unplug the unit refrigerator to prevent any shorts or the fan from starting while you are handling it.
• The evaporator motor is in the refrigerator section, so leave the freezer door shut to preserve the temperature.
• Open the refrigerator door as much as possible and take out the two vegetable/fruit drawers. If your door is right next to a wall and you cannot open it more than 90 degrees, take the drawer furthest from the door hinge first. Then take out the remaining drawer and gently shimmy the center plastic rail guide to allow you to take it out diagonally.
• The front lip of the floor of the refrigerator is clipped in, so pull the plastic trim forward to remove it. If it does not move, lift the center of the plastic trim piece in front of the screw a bit to convince it loose, but it prying it upwards is not advisable because the ends are under the side walls.
• Once the trim piece is removed, remove the Phillips head screw.
• Pull the plastic floor of the refrigerator towards the front and then up to remove it.
• A large foam block secured down with tape needs to be removed next. Once the tape is loosened, lift the foam out carefully with vapor barrier attached under it. Watch for the two foam pieces at the back wall on each side. If they fall off and drop, find them in the freezer later.
• The fan assembly and bracket will be in view, and my suggestion is to take a photo. This way, you know how it should look when it comes time to reassemble everything.
• To the left rear is a small foam block that is taped down. Removing that will reveal the connector clip for the fan motor’s power line that you squeeze the sides to disconnect. Pull the motor wire out of the foam guide.
• Lift the motor bracket assembly out – it is not attached to anything and sits on the foam block.
• Carefully pull the fan blade off by pulling it straight along the motor shaft.
• Undo the rear motor bracket by unscrewing the two Phillips head screws – the right rear motor bracket screw holds the wire guide in. When undone, take the guide off the wire.
• Once the rear bracket is removed, discard the two motor grommets and the motor.
• Put in the new motor with the new motor grommets into the bracket and screw in the left rear screw.
• Clip on the wire guide on to the new motor wiring and then finish mounting the motor with the right rear screw with the wire guide in place.
• Clean off the fan blade thoroughly before pressing into the shaft. Once on, spin the fan to see if it rotates smoothly and easily. Note: Avoid pressing the fan blade too far down as you do not want it to contact the grommet.
• Place the assembly back into the foam block – use the photo from before as a guide if needed.
• Route the motor cable through the foam groove and clip it into the power connector.
• Plug the refrigerator back in to see if the fan spins and to see that there are no issues. If there are no problems, unplug the unit again and continue the reassembly.
• Place the small foam block back into the rear left to cover the connector area.
• While making sure the vapor barrier is positioned correctly above the coils, put the foam block back into place.
• Clean the plastic floor of the refrigerator and then slide it into place, making sure the back and side are flush. Use the screw hole to align the floor properly and then screw the Phillips head screw back in.
• Clean the front trim piece and then slide it back into place.
• Put the drawers back in.
• Plug the refrigerator back in and leave the door closed for a while so the unit cools the internal temperature back down.

After watching video I took off end shelf caps. It took close to 10 mins to replace them.

Removed screws underneath gasket, one side of door at a time, and replaced gasket.

I slipped the coupling over the bar and then into a door slot. It was very easy.

Water was leaking from under the GE dishwasher, but once we pulled it out, had apparently been going on for a little while. Turning the water off to the dishwasher made it stop, so it was happening even when the unit was not running, potentially indicating somewhere early in the path of the water to and into the machine.

Indeed, inspecting the water inlet vale showed a slow leak. Getting the replacement part was fine, and it fit the electrical, water inlet (existing 90-degree water inlet elbow), and water outlet connections just fine - but the original machine screws that held on the original water inlet valve did not work. It took a little research to figure out the new type of screw required, which was apparently a 10/16 Type AB, which seemed to be a less common type of sheet metal screw (with a point), as opposed to the original flat-ended machine screws. So, after ordering those separately (which were a bit expensive), it went together fine.

A note on the water inlet valve part just indicating the the threading on those parts has changed over time, so potentially ordering the screws to attach it might be worthwhile, would be good information to add about the water inlet valve.

Unplug the refrigerator removed the condenser/ compressor cover back bottom on fridge, remove the relay from the compressor took off the two wires, replace with new relay

This shelf has been broken for about a year now and my husband tried several little quick fixes that would work for a while and then the shelf would fall again. A quick search online led me to your website, the part arrive within two days, and the shelf was fixed in less than ten minutes. It's working great. We'll definitely keep you in mind for the future.

Removed the shelf retainer and snapped the new one in. and reinstalled the shelf on the door.
This was a very simple problem!
What really impressed me was that I ordered the part from you before noon on one day and received it by 11 AM the next day!!!

First, I removed the broken end cap from refrigerator door. Then I snapped the new end cap into place. Repair took less than 5 minutes and required NO TOOLS! Easy!! Got my part in one day, Thanks.

I pulled off the broken piece, ordered the new piece, and snapped it on. VERY SIMPLE.

Slide it over the fill hose and just line it up and put it in the slot.

I matched the part I needed throught your web site. Then I called and spoke to a customer support person, and gave my personal information to her. I do not like giving my credit card numbers over the internet. Your site allows me to do that.

I order the parts and went from there. Actually a very nice friend of mine did the labor. It took longer to defrost it in order to get things running again. I was without my refrigerator for 4 months had I known the parts would be so reasonable instead of what a repair man wanted to charge I would have done it sooner. thanks

-- Hardest part was removing the section to get into the Defrost Thermostat. Used a hand scraper to push plastic piece back wards (39 in parts diagram) once pushed back about 1/4" it then pops up and can come out (towards the front). Noticed that the evaporator was full of ice and the fan was working). Replaced Thermostat after defrosting evaporator... works like a charm.

Removed old defrost heater, cut wire then put heat shrink tubeing on wire,spliced wires slid tubing over splice applyed heat. JOB NONE