GCG23YBSAFWW General Electric Refrigerator - Instructions

Disconnected the refrigerator for a few hours. On back of frezer compartment unscrew 4 screw to get access to Old defrost thermostat (D. T.). I cut the two wires with pliyers atached to D. T. Peel them about one inch both the old and new D. T. With plyier. Color coded put them together. I used those electrical cap wires to attach them toguether an electrical tape around it to prevent any moisture. Now working like new. Expend approximately $25. And 20 minutes of my time. (I was being charged for the repair. $250.) Now is working like new. Thanks

Taken longer to remove food out of refrigerator than replacing the part. Easy

Repair is as simple as removing and replacing two screws that hold the bracket and spacer to the refrigerator wall. The only catch is that the screw is not a phillips head but a star. Luckily I had a multi-tip screwdriver set.

This was generally an easy fix. The work was in such a confined area of our side by side and my husbands shoulders are broad so that was a little more challenging but overall a quick, easy and cheap repair doing it ourselves without having to call a appliance repairman.

You guys ought to win some sort of website Emmy. I found your site as I was searching for a new motherboard, thinking this was the cause of the temperature control problem. I took the time to go through the little diagnostic process you offer and I discovered that the much less expensive defrost thermostat was more often the root cause of the problem ($8 vs $160 for the new motherboard). The part arrived within 3 days and the installation video was enormously helpful. Removal of the rear panel was more difficult than suggested on the video. I'd suggest removing the freezer light fixture before trying to remove the panel as it is nearly impossible to bend the metal panel around the light bulb bases. Anyway, the whole job cost me about $16 for parts and delivery and the fridge is running fine. The combination of the diagnostic tool and the installation video were fantastic...far beyond expectations.

Uncovering the motor is the most difficult part. Installation is stupid-easy. Put all of the coverings back on in reverse order to the way they were removed. I don't think the ice maker has to come out but we weren't using it so it came out first.

I have not yet done the repair. After watching this repair video two problems came to mind. First I only ordered one grommet not knowing that there were two (or more I don't yet know). The second problem is that this video must be for a fridge from like the 1940, but it looks NOTHING like mine from 2008. The manual shows a bazillion parts and frankly I'm just a wee bit afraid to get started, and I am generally very handy, buuuttttttttt I don't know about this one

Must have spent 10+ hours solid looking up info on the internet. Our ice maker had broken years ago, the door flap had broken years ago and I thought this was the end of a fridge after just 6 years 8 months.

GE offered a "broken appliance" warranty for $379 for one year, with no guarantee that when a technician came to look at it, the repairs would be covered by the warranty!!! No thank you, you just want me to buy a new fridge. Okay, challenge on, I'll fix it myself.

I took everything from the back of the freezer out. Spent an hour defrosting (note: use hair dryer next time). Ruled out a motherboard problem (even though it appears I have the old style motherboard), removed dust build up from fan intake. I could not get the heater to come on, so I cut off the thermostat defroster and connected the wires together. The only way to get the heater on was to set the freezer control to 0 / zero.

So, ordered part from partselect.com and it arrived the next day!!!. Installed and unit appears to be defrosting okay after a week.

So now I'm back to order the ice maker part. The door flap will wait for another time.

Note: I've put in the time for novices and recognizing how the freezer is constructed.

Time includes taking everything out of the freezer section, unscrewing everything, diagnosing problem, fixing the problem, putting everything back. I would say allow 3-4 hours and pat yourself on the back if you do it quicker.

Note#2, if you have a large build up there is a hole in the floor of the freezer section. If the water does not evaporate it will run out of the hole and into your wooden floors! Place towels both inside and outside the unit just in case!

The video was very helpful as the fridge used was close in configuration to ours. Only difficulty was installing the light tray assembly which on ours is two piece, a U shaped plastic tray into which the light assembly/electrical harness is attached. Re assembly was tricky as the plastic tray was flimsy and the light assembly kept coming out. Needed two pairs of hands but not enough room. The problem was solved by using blue tape to keep the complete assembly together, then gently removing it after the 4 mounting screws were in place. After that all went smoothly. Turns out the old damper assembly was broken. Since then the fridge has been working normally with set temp. of 37 holding steady and freezer at 0, per GE recommendations. Good fix!!

After unplugging the refrigerator-freezer and emptying out the contents I snipped off the refrigerator thermistor, stripped off the wire insulation and used a butt splice. That did not solve the problem. So, a day later I unplugged the refrigerator again, transferred the freezer contents to a newly purchased small freezer unit, took off the back panel inside the freezer portion, and saw a large amount of ice build-up on the silver coils inside. This ice was quickly melted off using a hair dryer and packing towels below this accumulated ice. Then I snipped off the two freezer thermister sensors and the defrost sensor. I soldered the wires together for a hard splice, wrapped the individual wires with rubber electrical tape, and then wrapped that with plastic electrical tape. After re-assembly, the refrigerator-freezer has been working flawlessly for over a week at optimal temperatures.

Replaced Temperature Sensor and now it is getting cold.

Found this site on the web. Told them my problem. They told me the most common part failure. I purched the part. Installed it per instructions. Waaa la now have a working refrigerator thank so much. U got the wife happy

Went online and read all the problem an found it could be my Air Inlet Kit...did not know it had one ..was online and ordered it...came in couple days..
to replace the damper I just remove the light at the top of the frige and the cover around it .I also removed the filter and filter cover..then the damper assembly only has 2 screws .I removed top three glass trays for more room...was a little easier than I was expecting..just about 30 minutes to hour ...(1) unplug Ref and last (plug it back in). Thanks ...

Remove ice maker and all of it's accessories in order to remove the panel covering the fan. Don't drop the screws!
Unscrew the lower fan bracket. You will see the lower red rubber grommet. Hold fan motor with one hand and push the fan off the shaft and into the compartment above. Then remove the round retainer thing below it by holding it and pulling down on the motor assembly. Install new grommet on upper part. and put it all together.
REMEMBER where the fan is on the shaft. It has about one inch of shaft placement. I put mine so that most of it was above the hole that the fan goes into and about 20 percent showing below the sheet metal.
Also check to see if your fan is damaged. Mine was not.
This refrigerator has been awesome! I have had many issues but have been able to fix all of them for the last 15 years!

out with the old
in with the new