ET1FHTXMT00 Whirlpool Refrigerator - Instructions

After unplugging the refrigerator, I used a hairdryer to melt the ice sufficiently to be able to remove the freezer rear panel with a nutdriver. I also removed the ice-maker for easier access to the components behind the panel, using a nutdriver. Once the panel was removed I melted more ice at the bottom of the evaporator housing. After partially melting the ice in the drain tube, I poured hot water down the drain tube until it cleared, signaled by the sound of the water dripping into the drain pan. I next removed the clip-on Bimetal thermostat from the copper line going into the evaporator and snipped the two wires to remove it. I installed the replacement thermostat with crimp-style connectors and pull-tested them. I also replaced the timer board that is located below the freezer, below the top shelf, using a nutdriver. I replaced the circuit board as a precaution that the thermostat may not have caused the problem. I didn't change the heater inside the freezer as it checked out to have the same resistance as a new one. I tested the removed thermostat using a glass of ice water but it remained in the open condition, using an ohmmeter. (I later checked that thermostat after the freezer was running and it did close, and returned it to the open position by heating it under the hot water faucet. I suspect that it didn't work properly, or the timer control board was faulty). After re-installing the back panel and ice-maker and plugging the refrigerator into the power receptacle, it worked very well, and has done so since the repair.

i had used your web site before and i read several problems that your readers had. i went to the back of the unit, removed the bottom cover and right there the i found the run capacitor and i chaged it. since i had only ordered this part to save money i went back and ordered the Start Device which when i took it off it was completely burned. the replacement part came labeled with 2 different compressor #, so i picked the one that i had and unpluged each wire. the part may differ from the one that it's in the unit but it worked when i pluged everything back on. it also helps to take a picture of everything before removing the wires in case you have to leave it and come back later. i hope to use this refrigerator another 10 years. thank you all for your help.

Just installed them with my hands - very easy. I also found the website easy to navigate and find the parts I needed. Delivery was great also - good job!

1) I removed all of the food.
2) I removed & cleaned all of the shelves & bins.
3) I cleaned the interior of the refrigerator.
4) I used a nut driver to remove the two (2) screws that holds the uper control panel in place.
5) I disconnected the three (3) multi-wire plugs & put the control panel on the kitchen table.
6) I went to your WEB site, put in my model number & used your exploded view of the refrigerator to find the thermostat & part number.
7) I bypassed the defective thermostat & put the control panel back in the refrigerator.
8) When the part arrived I took the contol panel out of the refrigerator .
9) I removed the defective thermostat & installed the new one in the control panel on the kitchen table.
10) I reconnected the control panel wiring & attached it to the top of the interior panel in the refrigerator.
11) The cycled the new thermostat from cool to colder & back to cool, the refrigerator is now again working just like it did when it was new.

Unscrewed clamp holding water tube to refrigerator ice maker. Pulled water tube from ice maker and water valve inlet. Cut the new tubing to the exact same length and inserted one end to the water valve inlet and the other end to the ice maker then screwed clamp holding water tube back to the refrigerator ice maker.

Looking at the ice maker it is pretty cut & dried as to how to remove the unit. I took out the ice tray and just started removing all the mounting screws. The same for the mold ice tray & heating element. I was just sad that you did not have just the heating element separate from the mold ice tray.

The on-line video and the hard-copy instructions with the replacement part made it very easy. Just loosened the 2 upper screws and took out the bottom one. Eased the ice maker out a bit and disconnected the plug at the back (power was off). Checked the replacement part had exactly the same wiring harness - it did. Fitted the bail arm from the old one. So simply did the same process in reverse. So 15-20 minutes after I started, the job was compelete. It takes a while for ice to start coming, but it did, and after 24 hours I threw out the ice and started again to make sure the ice came from fresh water.

The ice mold has a coating on it. Over time the coating deteriorates. If your ice maker leaks water into the ice reservoir inspect the mold to see if the coating is compromised. If so, replace with new.

Remove the ice maker assembly. 3 small hex screws. Unplug power cord. Disassemble ice maker assembly. Remove ice mold/heater. Replace with new. Reassemble.

It was so easy!

Thanks for the rush to my home on the part.

I just unscrewed the plate that locks in the light switch (screwdriver) and unplugged the old faulty part and plugged in the new switch, screwed the cover back on and I was done!

Easy!

And I am not Mr. Fix-it!

r&r fan blade and motor. with the parts you supplied it was easy. the parts were perrrrfect. thank you very much. job well done. bruce

Had to disassemble ice maker to install part. . .

I slid out the old one and threw it away and slid in the new one. 10 second repair. The kind I like.

I removed screws, removed handles, replaced screws and both handles.

The lining of the ice mold (Whirlpool) started flecking off (black flecks in the ice cubes), so I decided to replace the mold.
Loosen the two 1/4 inch upper nuts and remove the lower nut to remove the ice maker from the freezer. The hardest part was getting it unplugged. I used a small blade screwdriver to release the catch on the connector and pull it out.
Remove the ice maker front cover. If you have a skinny enough phillips screw driver, there are two deep set screws through two holes on the lower portion of the control module (otherwise, remove the three screws on the controller, unlatch the shut-off arm from the control module, and separate the controller to access the mold screws). Unhook the shut-off wire from the end of the tray. Unscrew the two screws holding the mold and remove the mold.
Remove the plastic hardware from the old mold and install on the new mold.
Attach the new mold on to the control module.
WARNING WARNING WARNING!!! The mold I bought already had the alumilastic on it for the contact point to the thermostat. When I installed it and tightened the screws, the alumilastic was dried out, didn't squash down, and dented the bi-metal thermostat on the controller, ruining it. I had to buy a new thermostat. Be sure to check that the alumilastic is pliable. If not, take it off and buy some fresh to put on there.
Re-install the ice maker. It took a while to get the first batch of ice because the ice maker was at room temperature and I had the freezer door open for several minutes. So the freezer had to get cold and the ice maker had to chill down. Once everything got cold, it started making ice again.

The wiring harness was a straightfoward plug in replacement after depressing the securing tabs, and did provide power to the icemaker. However, the icemaker would continually cycle, with the mold heater on at all times. I suspect this is what caused the thermal fuse to blow in the first place. Rather than spend more time replacing individual components, I eneded up replacing the full ice maker assy. The new ice maker works properly.