Defrost Heater with Harness and Thermostat

If you are reading this, you probably have already come to the conclusion that the problem is in the defrost system. I also had ice forming on the back wall of the freezer. I did a lot of internet research to diagnose the problem. I found it necessary to remove the ice maker and its side support brackets to get to the freezer shelf rai ... Read more ls. After removing the shelf rails the back panel can be removed exposing the coils. Mine were a block of ice so I knew I had found the problem. The heater was black and looked bad but I decided to replace both the heater and thermostat while I had it disassembled. The cost difference is small and the "Heater with the Harness and Thermostat" has a plug-in that eliminates the need to splice wires. As the coils thaw, catch the water with towels rather than letting it run out the drain hole. The pan will only hold so much water. I received my part in 2 days. The only difficulty I had in installing the new part was that I had to remove a wire tie that was connected to a side panel to get to the plug-in. This wire tie holds the bundle of wires up off of the coils. The new harness comes with a new wire tie on it but getting the nipple on the wire tie positioned through the hole in the side panel is a challenge. I threaded a very small flexible wire through the hole, wrapped it around the nipple on the wire tie and pulled it through the hole. This is not a difficult repair except for the confined space. It is mostly a matter of removing parts and unplugging wires to get to the repair. Take notes as you disassemble, tape screws to the part removed, and label both ends of electrical plug-ins as you unplug them. Also watch your time and think about the money you're saving yourself!