How to replace an evaporator fan motor in a side-by-side refrigerator
Follow the steps in this refrigerator repair guide to replace an evaporator fan motor in a side-by-side refrigerator. The evaporator fan blows air through the evaporator before circulating cooled air to the freezer and refrigerator compartment. If the evaporator fan motor isn't working, the air in the refrigerator and freezer warms up. Replace the evaporator fan motor with the manufacturer-approved replacement part for your model.
This basic repair procedure works for Kenmore, Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Amana, GE, Frigidaire, Electrolux, Bosch, LG and Samsung side-by-side refrigerators.
Instructions
- 01.
Disconnect the electrical power
Unplug the refrigerator from the wall outlet. If the outlet is hard to get to, shut off the circuit breaker for the refrigerator at the circuit panel.
Tip: Remove the food from the refrigerator compartment and freezer. If you find frost and ice buildup, unplug the refrigerator well enough in advance for the ice to melt. - 02.
Remove baskets and shelves
Remove all baskets and shelves from the freezer.
Remove the screws from the shelf supports on the right wall of the freezer compartment and remove the supports.
PHOTO: Remove the freezer basket.
PHOTO: Remove the freezer shelf supports.
- 03.
Remove the back panel
Using a 1/4-inch nut driver, remove the screws from the evaporator panel. Pull the right side of the panel forward to remove it.
PHOTO: Remove the evaporator panel screws.
PHOTO: Remove the evaporator panel.
- 04.
Remove the fan motor
Remove the mounting clip that secures the fan assembly. Detach the fan blade and disconnect the wire harness. Pull the fan out of the housing.
PHOTO: Remove the mounting clip.
PHOTO: Remove the fan blade.
PHOTO: Disconnect the wire harness.
- 05.
Install the new fan assembly
Push the wire connector for the new fan into the wire harness. Insert the new fan motor into the housing. Push the fan blade completely onto the fan motor shaft. Replace the mounting clip.
- 06.
Reinstall the back panel
Position the evaporator panel so the screw holes line up. Insert the mounting screws and tighten them securely.
- 07.
Reinstall the shelf supports
Position the shelf rails on the right inside wall of the freezer and reinstall the mounting screws. Overtightening the screws can crack the freezer liner or the mounting rails, so turn the screws until they stop and then snug them up with a final twist.
- 08.
Restore the electrical power
Reinstall the baskets and shelves. Plug the cord in the wall outlet or reset the house circuit breaker to restore electrical power.
Most common symptoms to help you fix your refrigerators
Choose a symptom to see related refrigerator repairs.
Main causes: blocked vents, defrost system problems, evaporator fan failure, dirty condenser coils, bad sensors, condens…
Main causes: damaged door seal, faulty defrost sensor or bi-metal thermostat, broken defrost heater, bad defrost timer o…
Main causes: jammed ice cubes, broken ice maker assembly, dirty water filter, kinked water line, bad water valve, freeze…
Main causes: control board or cold control failure, broken compressor start relay, compressor motor failure, defrost tim…
Main causes: leaky door gasket, defrost system failure, evaporator fan not running, dirty condenser coils, condenser fan…
Main causes: blocked air vents, compressor problems, condenser or evaporator fan not working, control system failure, se…
Main causes: water valve leaking, frozen or broken defrost drain tube, overflowing drain pan, cracked water system tubin…
Things to do: clean condenser coils, replace the water filter, clean the interior, adjust doors to prevent air leaks, cl…
Most common repair guides to help fix your refrigerators
These step-by-step repair guides will help you safely fix what’s broken on your refrigerator.
How to replace a refrigerator water valve
Replace the water valve that feeds water to the ice maker and water dispenser if it no longer controls the flow of water…
How to clean refrigerator condenser coils
Help your refrigerator run more efficiently by cleaning the condenser coils. It's easy and takes just a few minutes.…
How to replace a refrigerator temperature control board
If the temperature in your refrigerator doesn't match the temperature you set, the problem could be the temperature cont…
Effective articles & videos to help repair your refrigerators
Use the advice and tips in these articles and videos to get the most out of your refrigerator.
No matter what style Maytag refrigerator you have, we can walk you through replacing the water filter.…
Learn about all the convenient features on our Sears PartsDirect website that make your parts purchases easier.…
If your refrigerator's ice maker isn't producing as much ice as it should, or water is flowing poorly from the dispenser…