PEM31SM3SS General Electric Microwave - Instructions

Open door. Remove tray. Remove old roller assembly. Insert new roller assembly. Replace tray. Close door. It took more time and effort to unpack it than it did to replace it.

Removed the outer cover to access the door switches. Turns out there were three switches, but I determined that only two were bad. When the small colored tab on the switch is pushed in it should make a clicking sound. The two bad switches had no resistance and did not make any noise when pressed. Removing the switch is relatively easy, you simply pull it away from a couple small tabs holding them in place. After reconnecting the wire leads, insert back into the holding tabs and install the cover.

This is sometimes described in other repair notes as "microwave 'runs' when door is open."
With power disconnected: Remove the microwave's metal grill surround. Three lower screws accessible with lower oven door open. Two screws accessible at top of microwave door opening with door open.
Remove microwave control panel: Remove two femaleTorx head screws (#27?) that secure the panel, accessible at right side of door opening. The right side of the control panel is secured by plastic tabs fitting into slots in the oven frame. Take good care to note how these tabs disengage from the slots (lift and shift). Tab breakage very possible! Once disengaged, the panel hinges outward and downward and is self-supported. It may be necessary to guide some of the wiring out of the way to fully lower.
There are three door switches, one "monitor" and two "secondary" switches. All switches are housed in a plastic frame, which must be lifted out of position for access, each switch is retained by flexible plastic, breakable-looking hooked fingers. Also note that the electrical connectors have tiny release tabs that must be depressed in order to pull them off of the switches. In my case the topmost switch, one of the "secondary" switches, was clearly bad since there was no "snap" or click when pressing the switch's button. Maybe you can determine which switch is bad before proceeding but I had ordered all three to avoid going through this exercise again any time soon.
Replace switch or switches, place switch carrier back into position and otherwise reverse the disassembly steps.

Pulled it from the wall remove the front vent covers removed the control panel remove the door switches by a special screw driver bit which looks a star remove the electrical terminals pressed the plastic clip pulled the switch replaced it with new one then followed initial steps backward

llation

Relatively simple for skilled person.

Removed the control panel, one screw at the top. Removed 2 screws on the door switch holder and removed the door switch. VERY EASY.

I took the cabinet off and saw where the switch had been burnt. So I remove it and order another one from your company. And I put new clips on it with heat shrinks. We might get another 30 years out it, Although I'm 80 years old.

remove cover, unplug secondary door switch (top switch)
remove switch from holder, install new switch, plug in wires, replace cover, very easy. door switches are a common problem
with microwave ovens.

I could not do the repair. The clip that I ordered did not go in the bottom hinge, but rather in the top hinge, which was not broken. I could not figure out how to repair it. There was no other part in the diagram that looked as though it would solve the problem, so I needed to buy a new microwave. A more detailed drawing would have been helpful--one that showed how the hinges were attached and how they worked.

Removed three screws from the top front cover and slide it out and following I removed the touch panel and the housing that holds the switches and replaced the bad one.

remove cover-unplug wires from secondary switch-remove switch-snap in new switch-plug in wires-replace cover-works great. very easy to do.

I had a bad cut off sensor on oven cavity I ran the Microwave with nothing in it and it smoked I ran it for another 6 months then 1 day I was heating water and it stop- working. I put a new tube in might be Okay but I was not going to risk it taking another cut off sensor on overload. You have to change sensor and put on a new tube. Clearly it would be cheaper to buy a new unit but it was only 2 years old and I am an old tech and was curious. The sensor cost only 16 bucks new tube about 55 a replace brand new oven 81 bucks there you have it I was stubborn and going to get that sucker back into operation I had another oven go out the same way

20 month old GE m/w had made "electrical" smells from beginning. Finally unit failed to turn on. Disassembly was easy except that I needed to buy anti-tamper screw driver bits from Sears to remove two screws. Found the blade connector to the sensor was a loose fit, resulting in severe heating at the connection. Plastic connector was melted and sensor was damaged to the extent this seems a possible fire hazard. Replacing the sensor is trivial, and requires removing one Phillips head screw. Reterminating the defective connector requires basic electrical skills; wire stripping and crimping. Be sure to clip a few millimeters of wire to get undamaged copper. Be sure to replace both connectors if connections feel at all loose. M/w reassembly is trivial.

I googled "Microwave stopped working", and after reviewing numerous websites with suggestions, I found the response noted below at "Help Owl" which was the most straighfoward and clear explanation to trouble shoot the problem. I first tested the Thermal Cut Out (TCO) per the instructions below and that was the problem. I didn't have to test the electrical fuse. Turns out that you cannot typically use the microwave continuously for more the 12 or 13 minutes or it may overheat and the TCO will shut it down. Extremely easy to test for and fix, and the part is only $15! See Trouble Shooting steps as follows: Make sure that the unit is vented properly and that if you are using it for prolonged periods while cooking, that you turn-on the vent fan.
If there is no display / power within the unit...first check your power source where you plug the unit into the wall.

If that is good, Remove the Cabinette/Cover "Note: it has 3-Torx Anti-Tamper Screws".

Then as you face the microwave from the rear, at the left rear corner is a small circuit board with a fuse. "Check the Fuse"

If the fuse is good, Check the following:

1 - The most common component failure is the "Cabinette TCO" (Thermal Cut-Off Thermostat).

As you face the microwave from the rear...It is located under the cover, on top, on the left front corner area.

It is a Circular, Black & Silver Disc Shaped component about the size of a dime in diameter and is about 1/2" in height.

It has Two (2) Wires attached to it's spade connectors and it acts as a safety fuse.

"IF YOU PUT AN INSULATED JUMPER WIRE ACROSS THE 2 TERMINALS THE POWER SHOULD RETURN AND THE DISPLAY WILL LIGHT"

Anything other than these two items should be checked by an Authorized Service Technician as these microwaves have components thay carry "HIGH VOLTAGE SHOCK HAZZARDS"