Refrigerator Defrost Heater Kit

I bought both the Defrost Heater Kit and Defrost Thermostat because the parts weren't that expensive and I had the same problem 8 years ago and needed both and had to do the fix twice because I only bought one part at that time.
Remove the top shelf of the frig section and place a pan toward the back center on the shelf that is stil ... Read more l there. take a couple bottles of hot tap water to have ready.
Mine had the Ice Maker so I used a 1/4 or 5/16 Nut driver on an extension and just loosened the two screws on the side. Unplug Fridge first! Gently push the ice maker up and pull away from the side and the disconnect the Plug with tabs.
If the back panel is frosted up pour the hot water along the area that the center drain and panel is. Remove the two screws and gently work the panel loose. If frost is not releasing panel use more hot water. You can also use low heat on heat gun moving back and forth. There is a plastic fan blade you do not want to warp with the heat. When you get it free and tip the top of the panel toward you you will have to remove another tabbed connector upper left.
Set the panel with fan assembly and aside so it dries.

The coils will need some more hot water, I used about four 16 oz bottles and poured them across the top of the iced up mess to get the main part of it melted so everything became visible. All of the frost has to be gone to access parts being removed. Once that most of the frost was gone I used the heat gun to get the rest so it would fall loose. Do not melt the plastic panel of the back of the compartment, use caution and something to shield from heat gun. When frost starts falling loose you can use a popsicle stick to break it up gently and push it to the left back corner and pull it out and slide into a pan that you can hold under front edge. Wipe up excess water.
The Defrost Heater has two sharp aluminum zip ties with a slot that you have to very carefully loosen and pull the ends out so as to reuse. You can leave them in place and just re-secure them to the new heater. Note that the heater is marked with red on one end. Unplug both ends and gently pull it free. The new part has a red marking and should plug to the same side as the old which on this Model on mine is plugged to right side plug. Place the new heater back where the old one was and secure it gently and don't get cut.

Next you can use a Multimeter and check across both ends of the old one for Resistance. if it is open throw it away, mine had about 41 ohms so I kept it as a spare

It is time to remove the Defrost thermostat. Clip the wires close to the part and carefully remove the snap on clip from the pipe and note the position so that you can put the new one in the same place. Strip about 1/4" from each wire going into the barrel connector. Slide shrink tubing over each wire before assembly. The Dark blue wire are butted together at right side. The light blue wire is butted with the loose wire from the white plug. Crip firmly all butt splices then Heat shrink carefully. Now position the clip with the new part back on the pipe in the same position. Tuck and Zip tie if the wires dangle down to keep them up out of the coils. Do any necessary cleanup. Gently take the back panel and insert bottom first plug white plug in firmly. The Ice Maker Fill tube if you have one will need to be lifted and guided thru the hole as you push the panel in place. Insert the two panel screws. Ice Maker can then be put back on its screw heads and the Plug for it inserted. Tighten screws .
Time to turn on the fridge again and listen for fan noise because the panel may have bent while you disassembled it from frost that was clinging to it, don't ask how I know LOL!

If all goes well the refrigerator should cool down gradually over the next 8 - 12 hours, some say 24 but mine didn't take that long. I hope this helps somebody!

Better than buying another Refrigerator!