106U16ES1 Kenmore Refrigerator - Instructions

We wasted time looking for the electrical schematic on our refrigerator (the first step in the instructions). By skipping that and reading further in the instructions, the type of cooling that the refrigerator has can easily be determined by the colors of the wires that go to the defrost timer. You need to know this to set up the timer properly for your specific refrigerator. Had I just started there, the entire repair would have taken less than 10 minutes. Very simple repair and it works like a charm, no more water coming into the refrigerator and the ice cream is rock hard. Glad we didn't have to spend lots on a new appliance. Thanks Part Select.com! BH

Exactly how the part select video described it. Threw a little curve ball figuring out which timer setting to set it to. But the instructions provided with defrost timer walked me right through it. No problem. After installing part nothing happened for about ten minutes, which had me second guessing each and every step. Then, like magic, cold air began blowing. What a relief. Thanks so much, love this site. Refrigerator works like new!

The defrost timer that I ordered form you did the trick. My fridge was
running all the time and the fridge temp was 55 but the freezer was 10
below. The instructions did not say how to test the old one to compare with
the new on. However in the Readers Digest Home Repair book it did and the
test proved that it was defective. Your article said that with the system I
had, 65% on the time it was the timer. I ordered it and thank you it works
just fine. I do have another problem, maybe you can help. The fridge runs
for 6 minuets and stays off for 10 minuets. The temp in the freezer is 0
and the fridge is 35-40 on the warmest settings, but all is well.
Thank you

With the help of the website I was able to verify that the part I removed (in the area of the clicking sound) was probably the part required for replacement. I ordered it, installed it... IT WORKS (I knew it the moment I plugged in the power cord and heard the compressor kick on). Saved me from buying a new fridge or calling a repairman. I'm a 58 year old woman with no appliance experience. I watched the videos and installed the part without any trouble. Thank you PartSelect for your easy to use website instructions and helpful hints.

After receiving the part, I watched the installation video on the PartSelect website. The step by step demonstration was excellent. I felt confident I could do it myself after watching the video just once, and utilizing the written instructions that came with the part. The installation went smoothly, and my refrigerator is functioning correctly again. Best of all, I did not have to go through the hassle and expense of hiring a repair person!

I was a Sears repair man for fourty eight years , so I don"t think I should say how easy this was.

Unloading the freezer and removing the back panel were the most time consuming aspect of this repair. Many models only have 4 screws, but this one has 9, and being a side by side it was a tight fit to reach them. Once defrosted we tested the thermostat, found it "dead", and ordered a new one. The part came within 3 business days. Installing it took minutes, since we had not permanently screwed in the back panel again. We didn't want to reload everything until we knew things worked properly, so we didn't put everything back right away. We thought we had further problems as the freezer got really cold but the frig still didn't get down to temp. Turns out we just needed to reinstall the fan shield which we'd taken off along with other parts to access and check the vents. The fan shield must be in place to direct the cold air into the vent to the refrigerator. Duh! It was an oversight that once caught made total sense! Now all works fine on this 20 year old Maytag side by side!

Was very simple once I found out where the defrost timer was located. I had a friend walking me through trying to find the location on the phone. Not all models have them in the same place. Once the part was located all I had to do was remove the cover, unplug the old one and plug the new one in just the way the old one came off. The black wire was easy to locate on the old and just matched it up. Put the cover back on and plugged it in. It was no time till I started feeling it cool. Checked both top and bottom with thermomater and it was where it should be within 12 hours. I am happy and using it again. Was almost ready to throw it out. Did not know it was so cheap to fix one. Nothing anyone can't handle. If this woman can do it anyone can.

My fridge is a little different from the video model. The Controls in the fridge are located on an "arm" which swings down when the two screws are removed from the sides. It was not necessary to remove a front plate or knobs. However, I found when I got in to it that the old timer was not held by screws, but by plstic posts which had these "speed nuts" on them. This is a little metal plate which fits over the plastic post and bends to lock it in place. When you try to remove it, it acts like a barb, holding the little sucker on. I ended up bending the ends of those little suckers up tight against the post and twisting and pulling with needle-nose pliers. I broke one post like others before me commented, but one stayed intact. The only break at the top, so there ie still post left to hold the new timer. Once it was off, I was able to replace easily. The directions for choosing the right prong were a little confusing, but follow your gut and go with the wire colors. My schematic found in the bottom of the fridge did not look like any of the drawings, but I could match the wire colors. I also asked "Just Ask" for help, to make sure. My gut instinct was right. My fridge is now working again beautifully. If a housewife with no appliance repair knowledge can do it, so can you. I fixed my dryer with PartSelect too!I will never call another repair man until I have checked this site to see if I can do it myself. Bet I have saved $600 so far at least!

I did the repair just as your video showed me. It worked out great.

First of all the part was not located in the section of the refrigerator that was shown in the video. I wasted a lot of time taking that section apart only to find that the part wasn't there. After some investigation I finally located the defective part. It was behind a piece of sheet metal that had to be bent out of the way to unscrew the part. If I hadn't bent it out of the way, it would have been a major disassembly to remove the sheet metal. Once removed, the installation of the new part was fairly simple. The only confusing thing about the installation was determinig which of the prongs on the part that the internal wire to the new part was to be attached. There were 3 options given and the instructions were not very clear as to which one I should use. Apparently I guessed correctly because the refrigerator seems to be functioning perfectly since the repair.

I just simply eliminated the ice buildup with hot water and a knife. But I still have the Defrost Timer Kit for future use.

One day the ice cream in the freezer seemed mushy, but the ice was still frozen. There was not water in the ice bin. However, the problem resolved itself. This suggested that the defrost timer had become stuck for an extended time, but then continued to run. The fact that the freezer went back to frozen, implies that all the components of the cooling loop (compressor, condenser & fan, evaporator & fan) were fine. It was possible that the problem was caused by a bad defrost (?evaporator?) thermostat but everything I saw on line suggested that the defrost timer is the culprit about 40 - 50% of the time. Anyway, I followed the instructions in the on-line video at this site for replacing the defrost timer and it was easy. It would have only taken 15 minutes, but I spent a while reading the defrost timer instructions and hunting down a schematic for my refrigerator, to determine which pin the loose wire should go on.