JEM31B General Electric Microwave - Instructions

Remove microwave outer cover. Turn on side & locate the upper & lower door switches. Better to replace in pairs even if one is ok. Remove the wire harness to each switch. Then replace switch and re connect the wire harness. Re attach outer cover
and test to see if that solved the problem. If so then well done!!

We purchased our Microhood oven about 4 years ago along with the extended warranty package offered thru home depot. Within one year, the problems began. Each year the secondary switch would go bad rendering the microwave useless. If you have 3 small children like we do, you tend to use it a lot. We sure take the microwave for granted.

Each time G.E. would fix the problem at no charge. Ths time - the warranty had expired and GE wanted to charge us $80.00 for service call plus parts and labor. We estimated the cost to run at least $150.00 or more.

To top it all off, GE was going to have a service tech avail for over 2 weeks. This is poor customer service and completely unaccceptable.

Because this was a recurring problem, I figured it was the same part that had being going bad since we purchased the appliance. I decided to order the part "secondary switch" myself and attempt to fix the microwave on my own.

I ordered the part last Tuesday, the part arrived last Friday. Within 10 minutes I had the microwave apart, replaced the part and had the microwave back in working order.

PartSelect saved me over $100.00.

We are very satified with PartsSelect, I would recommend them to anyone

First I disconnected the power and opened the door. Then I removed the top screws holding the top vent louvers, then removed the screw at the top of the touch pad. The touch pad removes by sliding up slightly then tilting top out. I unscrewed two screws holding the door latch assembly. Press the tab to remove and replace switch. Reconnect wires, reseat latch mount by placing top bracket tab in place first, allign and secure with screws. Reseat touch pad by placing bottom tabs in first, tilt forward and press up to seat top tabs, secure with top screw. Secure vent louver screws, plug in and watch your microwave work again.

The microwave had been working fine until one day when the timer counted down but the heating motor (or whatever you call it) would not come on. So the timer would count down but nothing inside would get hot. I did not know what it was for sure but decided to take it apart and look. Once I had the control panal off, I found three small wired switches inside. One of these switches appeared to have shorted out. So I searched online and found Partselect.com. I found a matching switch , ordered it (arrived in couple days), put it in, and VOILA it works! Thanks Partselect.com.

I've been fixing and taking things apart since I was a kid. I hoped that it was a bad switch in the door. Got out my test meter and check the 3 different switches. All 3 tested good, but one was a bit hit and miss. It would work if the microwave was on its side and wouldn't when it was set flat. I found the switch online and installed it. Took care of the problem.It was a whole lot cheaper than buying a new microwave. Thanks! Bill Brown, Fridley, MN

Fortunately, my brother-in-law suggested it might be the "cut out" switch. After unplugging the microwave, I opened it up and identified one of two cut outs and removed the wires from each side of the cut out. To test if that was the problem, I connected the two wires together, bypassing the cut out. When I plugged the unit back into the wall socket, the lights came back on, and i ran the microwave for a few seconds. It verified that this was the problem. I ordered the part and when it arrived, I removed it with a philips screw driver and replaced it with the new one. I replaced the screw, buttoned the unit back up, plugged it in, and saved a few hundred bucks on a replacement microwave, and as important, saved our landfills and planet a tiny but.

I unplugged it, removed the outer shell with torque bits and a screwdriver, drained the main capacitor, and began debugging the circuit with my fluke multimeter, found the bad primary interlock, googled the part number, ordered the part, received it in 2 days, replaced the interlock in about 2 minutes, and put the cover back on. Fixed. Saved me about $200 over buying a new unit and was grateful for partselect's great service.

-Keith Packard

The switches are not the problem! The problem is in the tolerences of the latch housing. I have ordered two new housings (Upper & Lower) and will see if the tolerences are closer. If not I will try epoxying a shim to the plate that operates the microswitches. The other option is to file the mounting slots of the housing to allow adjustment, which would be iffy,keeping them from moving with use. The exploded drawings really need to be clarified. The scale is way too small. It was extremely difficult to pick out the individual parts of the mechanisiam.

Took the cabinet off the microwave and checked for a fuse. Found that it was good, then checked for the voltage path to the controls and found the cavity thermal cut out was not conducting. Using a voltage meter to check things. Unplug the microwave for several of the tests. You must know how to work with electricity to do this. Installed the new part and the microwave now works. As a hint to what had happened my wife had heated a large casserole then right after that went to heat a smaller dish. At that time the microwave was hot and did not restart.

Removed screws holding outer shell. Pushed in door handle to identify faulty switch. Ordered part. Pryed switch out with screw driver and unplugged. reinstalled new switch. Presto. BUT... I did NOT use both hands while working on the microwave. I did not release the energy from the capacitor or whatever holds the killer amperage even when unplugged. It would be advisable to do this first. I did not because it seemed complicated, so I was EXTREMELY CAREFUL about not touching anything else inside the unit. I used one hand only so if I did touch something I would not get juiced through the chest. It was a piece of cake repair, but I would not go deeper without doing the discharge routine.

All electrical worked (fan, lights, control panel) door switch was broke. Pulled the oven out. Took out two big screws from the cabinet above. (be careful not to drop oven)Set the oven on kitchen counter. Took off five screws that held the vent cover. Removed vent cover. Took out one screw that held the control panel. Lifted, turned and slid the panel into the space below so I could get to the upper door switch. Replace door switch and re-assemble.

Had trouble isolating the problem, so I had a repairman identify the problem, then I ordered the part and replaced it myself.

Removed screws holding the grill in place. Removed air filter, removed screw holding plate under the filter in place. Reached in under fan cowling to find the thermostat cut-out. Disconnected the two wires. Put the new thermostat in place. Replaced screws plates and filter in reverse order.

Per the troubleshooting diagram inside the microwave oven, I discovered the one of the TCO was open (using Ohmmeter). Found my microwave oven model on PartSelect and used the diagram to select the TCO needed and placed order. Part came in three days, installed new TCO, reconnected wires and the microwave oven was back working in 10 minutes.

Took cover off, noted the two side by side switches easily visible and we hought one of these was responsible. Then son noted a third switch at the top of the plastic assembly which inserts at an odd angle. When it was inspected signs of a previous short showed up with burnt contact points. Reinserted at same odd angle as there were guide holes, closed things up and oven worked 100%. Great prompt service and great website!! We will use you again

Primary door switch was shorted and blew the fuse when the oven was plugged in. Replaced primary door interlock switch.