GDS20SCSS General Electric Refrigerator - Instructions

While the switch did last for 9 years, the design is poor due to the failure mode. The failure should be to fail off or not able to turn on the lights which would be inconvenient but would not warm the refrigerator contents. Arcing at the contacts eventually caused the switch to "weld" closed. It is not obvious that this is occurring so it took some time to recognize why the temp inside the ref was high while the freezer was OK. Replacing the switch was easy once it was recognized as the problem. All that was required to replace the switch was to remove the screws holding a fiber cover and then pulling off the aluminum cap which covered the switches. Unplug the switch an squeeze the keeper on the switch to release it and pull down. Pop the replacement switch in place and plug the wires harness back in. All in all it took much less time to replace than it has to write this up. T Pope

The existing light switch was very hard to remove. I ended up having to grab it with a pair of pliers and pull it out. Once it was out, it was very easy to put in the replacement and it seems to be working fine.

I ordered the part and it got here very quickly. Being a novice home repair person, it took me awhile to get the courage to start. It was practically uneventful, but it did take some time to figure it out exactly. I did have to bend the piece some, which is always a little nerve wracking. However, the part is working beautifully and I feel good about myself.

as described, I used a thin screwdriver to wedge in and pull down existing, broken switch. I was able to pull it down about a 1/4 inch, but wasn't quit able to disegage it until I gripped it with pliers. I then pulled it out, unplugged the old switch, plugged in the new switch, and carefully tucked the wires back into the fridge and snapped the new switch into place.

10 minutes total.

I replaced the three sensors, 2 in the freezer 1 in the refrigerator. This was rated as the most common problem. Did not fix the problem. I then checked the ohms on the new sensors then the old sensors they were all within .5 of each other. So I got smart and went down the list of causes on their list. I emailed partselect and asked what the parts should read. They replied with that information and it turned out to be the voltage converter on the compressor. I ordered the part on friday payed for overnight delivery and it arrived tuesday. This as you can imagine makes me angry. But the part was easy to install and my refrigerator started working right away. I would advise anyone with this problem to start at the top of the problem list use a multi meter check everything on the list and only replace part or parts that don't come up to standards. This will save time and money and hopefully fix the problem the first time as you are not switching out parts and hoping that it solves the problem.

This is a relatively simple repair, but requires a bit of running around your house and sitting in a likely cramped space on the floor behind your refrigerator. These steps assume you have verified the valve is leaking and not the lines. 1. Locate where the water line to the fridge connects to the house plumbing. Close the next valve in the house plumbing upstream of this connection. Open some fixture (likely the cold on the kitchen sink) to relieve water pressure in this section of plumbing. Water should flow briefly, then dribble and stop on its own. 2. Unplug your fridge. There are moving parts (a fan) close to the valve that may injure you while you are working. 3. Pull your fridge away from the wall enough so you can scoot behind and sit behind. 4. Gather your tools and parts and squeeze behind the fridge. 5. Remove the felt paper dust cover. Carefully collect the screws. 6. Take a picture of the electrical connection to the valve or make a mental note. 7. Carefully unclip lines from the fridge and remove screws holding valve to fridge body. Slicing a line will create a new problem to fix. Carefully collect the screws. 8. Remove electrical connection. Grasp the connector and pull firmly. Do not yank the wires. 9. Over the bucket, disconnect old valve from lines. Some residual water will flow out. If the stream is steady, double check that Step 1 is completed correctly. Set old valve aside. 10. Examine new valve to determine water input and outlet. There may be an arrow indicating flow direction. 11. Seat the input line in the valve input firmly and connect. Mine was a nut I tightened with a small crescent wrench. 12. Seat the outlet line in the valve outlet firmly and connect. Mine was a push in quick connect. 14. Rest the valve over the bucket. Get up and turn the water back on. Verify your connections are not leaking. 15. Review your picture and reconnect the electrical connection. 16. Install the new valve onto the fridge body. Mine was a different geometry that required some gentle bending of the mounting bracket. Reclip lines to fridge. 17. While you're down there, vacuum underneath your fridge. 18. Reinstall felt paper dust cover. 19. Plug fridge back in. Clean up. 20. Monitor your ice maker, verify good operation. When satisfied, push fridge back. Recycle(?) old valve. 21. Success!

Slip and slide into place

the part is a shell, it doesnt include the slider, gaskets, etc. these have to be ripped off the old cover -- usually by breaking the old casing. since the other parts were factory installed, they are damaged during removal and dont fit snugly, hence the need for glue. this issue should be clearly told to the consumer BEFORE ordering.

I opened the back panel of the fridge and exposed the compressor. Unplugged existing run capacitor and installed new one with the addition of the sleeve that is stated must be installed around the run capacitor.
Everything I read and on this web site says that based on these symptoms, that the problem is the run capacitor. I searched and search for a part called a start relay which plugs in to the compressor. This run capacitor plugs in to this other part which I take as the start relay.

Installing this run capacitor did not solve the problem. The fridge compressor keeps cycling on and off. Freezer doesn't keep as cold as it should.

Change out water valve.. to find out my temp setting was to high. My kids changed the setting.. so my ice maker didnt work. The water valve will not open until it senses the right temp. Hope this help someone. But my part was here the next day

I took the advice off of your website about the only thing that will fix
the problem is change the run capacitor. I felt assured that I would
have a working refrigerator freezer after making this change. I was
pretty disheartened when it didn`t solve anything. I was not going to
take the new part back out after the small challenge of putting it in.
The next day I found out how to test the old capacitor and it was still
good. I will just have to eat the $49. I did learn not to take advice from
a website even if it seems like a sure thing

turned off water supply, took screws out of bracket, then unhooked water lines. Installed water lines onto new valve, plugged it in then screwed bracket back onto fridge, turned on water and was back operating

Instructions say run capacitor is by motor, but on this frige its in the refrigerator compartment. The capacitors looks different, one square and the other long

I used pliers to pull lightly on the head of the switch, while I inserted a small flat head screw driver into the base of switch and gently worked around the edges to free it from the panel.

Repair was very simple. Removed refridgerator bottom back panel, about 6 or 7 screws. disconnected bad valve, installed new valve , connected water supply line and then reinstalled panel. Took about 15 minutes from start to finish.