If you find that there is excessive frost in your freezer, or the freezer will not defrost, you may need to replace the defrost thermostat. The defrost thermostat kit comes with the clip, leads, and heat shrink. To access the defrost thermostat for this repair, you will need to remove your freezer shelves, as well as the back panel of your freezer. To complete this repair, you will need a 1/4-inch nut driver, a set of wire strippers and crimpers, and a heat gun or blow dryer. Before you begin this repair, be sure to disconnect the power source from the appliance.
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Part Videos
Replacing your Frigidaire Refrigerator Defrost Thermostat Kit
Troubleshooting
This part fixes the following symptoms:
Fridge too cold | Fridge too warm | Freezer section too warm | Freezer not defrosting
Keep searches simple. Use keywords, e.g. "leaking", "pump", "broken" or "fit".
Sorry, we couldn't find any existing reviews that matched. Try using some different or simpler keywords.
★★★★★
★★★★★
Jundara V - July 31, 2024
Verified Purchase
Works GREAT
This thermostat kit saved me a lot of money ?? I would definitely order from here again.
★★★★★
★★★★★
Demetrius B - May 27, 2023
Verified Purchase
Arrived quickly. Installed as described.
Don’t wait, buy the part and watch the video. Save yourself thousands with this small cost.
★★★★★
★★★★★
Greg C - February 26, 2022
Verified Purchase
Easy repair
Very helpful to have the videos to assist with the repair!
★★★★★
★★★★★
Paul S - September 1, 2021
Verified Purchase
Defrost thermostat kit
Good part, worked fine, thanks!
★★★★★
★★★★★
Francesco L - August 6, 2021
Verified Purchase
Fixed!
My refrigerator was freezing stuff on the top shelf, info on the site led me to believe it was this defrost thermostat and it was correct! Replaced it, now temperature control in the refrigerator side is perfect.
★★★★★
★★★★★
Felix C - February 13, 2021
Verified Purchase
PartSelect.com is Awesome!
The part worked great and the video helped me install it!
★★★★★
★★★★★
Summer M - January 14, 2021
Verified Purchase
Easy repair, fixed my issue!
This part was super easy to install & thanks to the reviews (especially when you search the issue, it shows percentage of parts that fix the issue) I got the right part!
★★★★★
★★★★★
Emmanuel T - October 18, 2020
Verified Purchase
DIY made easy
Diagnosis from the website was on point. The video was easy to follow. Saved me a lot of money. PartSelect.com is highly recommended for DIY’ers.
★★★★★
★★★★★
LATOYA M - September 11, 2020
Verified Purchase
It worked!
The part came quickly and fit perfectly. I installed it myself by following the video listed online with the part. My freezer is now defrosting on its own which in turn has my fridge working properly.
★★★★★
★★★★★
Joe H - June 10, 2020
Verified Purchase
EXACT REPLACEMENT PART
THE PART ARRIVED LATER THAN 1.8 DAYS,MORE LIKE 4 DAYS. THATS THE ONLY COMPLAINT
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Customer Repair Stories
Average Repair Rating: 3.3 / 5.0, 22 reviews.
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Freezer not holding temp
The repair could not be completed. I ordered a thermostat defrost kit but received a collar arbor for a saw. They do not answer the phone at customer service and the order took close to two weeks to get in the first place. Beware of shopping at this site!
David from MILTON, DE
Difficulty Level:
Difficult
Total Repair Time:
More than 2 hours
2 of 2 peoplefound this instruction helpful.
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Frost buildup in freezer
I followed the video tutorial published here. The step I altered was setting the shrink wrap; I did not have a heat gun to safely shrink it, so I folded it tightly onto itself and wrapped it in electrical tape. No more frost buildup.
William from MIAMI, FL
Difficulty Level:
Really Easy
Total Repair Time:
15 - 30 mins
Tools:
Nutdriver, Pliers
1 personfound this instruction helpful.
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Refrigerator was icing up
I changed the defrost thermostat and the heater.
Verdell from NEW ORLEANS, LA
Difficulty Level:
Easy
Total Repair Time:
30 - 60 mins
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Freezer was frosting over , wouldn't defrost , No ice cubes !!! popsicles melting .
Repair man wanted a 130.00 service charge plus parts , With the help of YouTube we did the repairs inhouse , couldn't believe it was that easy. Refrigerator is working like a new one ,our maintenance crew has ice cubes were all happy !
Defrost terminator (Thermostat) Was Stuck Open, Not Allowing Defrost, Heat Gun or Hair Dryer
PURCHASE: Buy the terminator from the site because they sell the terminator (thermostat) separately. Other places have it with the wiring harness for more money. Changing it with the harness attached is a very, very involved project. It includes removing the entire inner liner of the freezer. The one t
... Read morehe site sells requires only a simple crimp splice and shrink tube.
TEST- If you have another freezer, ice or a friend's freezer available, it is highly recommended that the new part be tested: You will need an Ohm meter or a continuity tester. You can make one very easily per instructions found on line. TEST RESULTS- a) At room temperature. An Ohm meter should show "Open". b) After being in a freezer or submerged in ice water for at least an hour, the Ohm meter should show "Closed".
I have installed hundreds of defrost thermostats. Very occasionally one is defective. This project is a bit involved, so it is wise to pre-test.
HOW TO INSTALL THE DEFROST TERMINATOR (THERMOSTAT): A) Prep Remove Food & Be sure the freezer is warm. Parts need to be pried upon & cold plastic breaks easily. Tip: Put the screws in separate cups with labels. This will make re-installing the many components easier. Gather tools from the attached list.
B) Unplug Unit (Turning it off is not sufficient protection against shock.)
C) Remove Light Bulb (If it gets broken while working, glass may get in the eyes.)
D) Remove Drawers (This is a bottom freezer unit with 2 drawers) 1) ) Upper Drawer: a) Locate the 2 rectangular boxes covering the gears. They are on each side, toward the rear of the drawer. b) With a nylon spudger, push in the 2 clips on each box and lift the boxes 1/4". They will stop at 1/4". c) At the front of each track, remove 2 hex head screws with a 5/15" nut driver or a 1/4" flat bladed screwdriver. d) Lift the front of the drawer a small amount while pulling drawer. Lifting allows the 2 stops on the drawer to clear the track tabs. e) When near the end of the drawer, lift the gear wheels slightly to clear the track. f) Put the drawer out of the way.
2) Lower Drawer With Front Door *Leaving the door attached makes it easier to align the drawer when reinstalling it later. It must be straight or the gasket will gap. a) Put a thick towel on the floor, in front of the unit, so the door can be laid upon in without scratching the handle or the floor. b) Pull the drawer out and look at each track about 2/3 of the way to the back of the freezer. You will see two long, white tabs. c) Push a tab in while pulling the track slightly forward. Firm pulling is required. Repeat on the other side. d) Drag the towel and door out of the way
D) Remove the air grill at the top, rear of the freezer. 1) There is a clip in the center to push with a spudger. It is easy to see in a photo of a replacement fan bracket. 2) On the right side, in the top row of square holes, is another clip to press with a spudger while pulling that side of the grill out. 3) On the left, there is an air chute blocking the clip. It can not be removed. With the right side pulled free, gently wiggle & pull the left side until the clip clears & the grill is free to leave.
E) Remove the Ice Maker (Water does not have to be turned off) 1) Loosen, but do not remove, 2 screws above the ice mold. 2) Remove the one lower screw & put it aside. 3) Lift the ice maker & store it out of the way. 4) Do Not turn any wheels by hand, nor bend the bail wire.
F) Remove the Thermistor Cover (Upper Right Back Wall) 1) Gently squeeze the sides while pulling. Stop as soon as it's free. 2) Note how the thermistor & wires are installed in the cover & thread the thermistor free. 3) Set the cover aside.
G) Remove The back Wall 1) Remove all visible hex head screws. 2) The back wall can now be removed. 3) Set it aside where it will not scratch any surfaces, as the edges are a little sharp
H) De-Ice the evaporator with a heat gun or hair dryer. Don't hold the heat source in one spot for long or wire insulation or plastic components will be damaged.
I) Note the permanent ice ball in the upper-right corner. The defrost thermostat is under this ball. Melt it with heat.
J) Install The New Thermostat Hint- Take the thermostat to a hardware store to buy the correct size shrink tube and crimp sleeves (butt connectors)
Read less
paul from BERKLEY, MI
Difficulty Level:
A Bit Difficult
Total Repair Time:
1- 2 hours
Tools:
Nutdriver
2 of 2 peoplefound this instruction helpful.
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cold freezer warm refridgetor
removed lower panel in freezer, sniped off old defrost thermostat.
Spliced in new part. reconnected power and it's up and running.
shirly from FRAZIER PARK, CA
Difficulty Level:
Easy
Total Repair Time:
30 - 60 mins
Tools:
Pliers, Screw drivers
1 personfound this instruction helpful.
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Refridgerator too cold...freezing food,could not turn down
First,read "how to" on the internet because the thermostat comes with no instructions and unplug refer. Second, remove food and lower rear panel. Third, pull off thermostat from tube it clips to, unhook wire harness,and cut wires.Fourth,add heat shrink tubing from store(that supplied is way too big) and connect wires with automotive conne
... Read morectors;shrink-seal tubing with flame.Fifth, re-install everything, and replace food.Sixth,use a thermometer to check temp and adjust controls as needed.
Read less
Wes from FARMINGTON, NM
Difficulty Level:
A Bit Difficult
Total Repair Time:
15 - 30 mins
Tools:
Nutdriver
1 personfound this instruction helpful.
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Freezer was cooling, but refrigerator was not cooling all the time. Evaporator fan was running, so decided to try new thermostat.
Followed install instructions on utube. Once freezer was empty, back panel was easily removed, and defrost thermostat was in plain sight, and easy to replace. Hope that solved my problem. Refrigerator has been plugged in for four days now, and is cooling properly so far.
Patrick from ROGERS, AR
Difficulty Level:
Really Easy
Total Repair Time:
15 - 30 mins
Tools:
Nutdriver
1 personfound this instruction helpful.
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Refigerator was freezing and freezer was not
Installed a new Defrost Thermostat.
Sally from FREEPORT, IL
Difficulty Level:
Really Easy
Total Repair Time:
15 - 30 mins
Tools:
Nutdriver
2 of 2 peoplefound this instruction helpful.
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it doest not cool
after changing all the pieces the evaporator continues to freeze and stops cooling
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54 questions answered by our experts.
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Bud
September 26, 2017
Does the defrost thermostat testing with an ohm meter have continuity in the non defrost state, or does it test open.
For model number 5303918214
Hi Bud, Thank you for the question, when it is cold it should read 0 for ohms, if it is warm, about room temp or warmer it should read infinity. Hope this helps!
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Jose
November 13, 2017
Both sides are warm. Comp. Ohm out good,capacitor checks out good,fans work all the lights come on. The only thing I can think of is the defrost thermostat. Can I test that putting it in a glass of water to see if it opens and closes? Thanks for your time
For model number GS23HSZDC4
Hi Jose, Thank you for the question. The best way to do this is to remove the thermostat from the refrigerator so you can control the temperature of the sensor. You can let the sensor warm up to room temperature. With the sensor warmed up to room temperature the sensor should read approximately 6.2K Ohms at 68°F. With the thermistor submerged is a glass full of ice water, the sensor should be very close to 32°F which should read approximately 16.3K Ohms. If the values that you are getting are far off from these readings, then the sensor is bad and should be replaced. Hope this helps!
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Robert
August 6, 2018
How long afte you replace the termostat before the fridge cools
For model number ffhs2622mw3
Hello Robert, thank you for your question. You should notice the unit cooling within approximately 30 minutes. I hope this helps!
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Dean
February 13, 2019
My fans are both working fine, however the coil on the freezer side is freezing up, and after thawing out completely and restarting the refrigerator side works great cooling properly for a few days until it freezes up again. Does this sound like the defrost thermo. Problem? Thanks
For model number FRS26R4CW3
Hello Dean, Thank you for contacting us. I suggest checking the following parts: PS469522 Defrost Thermostat Kit and PS2582247 Adaptive Defrost Control Board. You can test the parts with a multimeter. If you are unfamiliar with how a multimeter functions, we have videos available to assist you.
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Mary
January 13, 2018
If my refrigerator is too warm, will installing his help to regulate the temperature
Hello Mary, Thank you for your inquiry. Yes this is one of the recommended parts. Hope this helps!
9 people found this helpful.
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Andrew
October 28, 2017
I only find frost in the fridge side and not the freezer side. Is it the problem with depfrost thermostat? Thanks for the attention.
For model number PLHS269ZCB0
Hi Andrew,
Thank you for your question. I would suggest testing that part and also the control thermostat for your refrigerator as well. That part may be reading the wrong temperature inside of your refrigerator section. You may also just want to double check that the damper between your fridge and freezer as well. I hope that helps. Good luck with your repair.
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Ellen
May 4, 2018
Where is the defrost timer on this refrigerator?
For model number FRS6LF7GS4
Hello Ellen, thank you for your question. The Defrost timer is a part of the electronic control board part number 5303918341. This part activates the defrost cycle. I hope this helps!
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Gary
January 11, 2019
Freezer not cold enough h! Alarm. Evaporator fine, no ice. Condenser & evap fans run. Unplug fo a few minutes, then plug back in and compressor starts after a minute or so, but can't tell if it stays running. There was small frost build up on lie to evap. Just not getting cod enough
Thank you
For model number FFHS2311LWQA
Hi Gary,
Thank you for your question. If the freezer is to warm, There are some parts that you will need to check to see which ones are causing the issue. You will need to check the defrost thermostat, the run capacitor, and the defrost heater. I hope this helps. Thank you and have a great day!
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Terri
December 4, 2018
Last week there was a lot of ice built up in the back of the freezer section that i had to chip away. Now the freezer and the refrigerator section are warm..i replaced this part a couple of years ago. do you think it is the sam problem
For model number FRS23LH5DSR
Hi Terri,
Thank you for your question. If both the refrigerator and the freezer section are too warm, there are some parts that you will need to check to see which ones are causing the issue. You will need to check the run capacitor, the evaporator fan motor, the defrost thermostat, the start device, the condenser fan motor kit and the temperature control thermostat. I hope this helps. Thank you and have a great day!
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THUAN
February 15, 2018
I got a code "high temp" , i replaced a thermostat, but still same faulted after 3 days running. Can you help me out?
For model number LFFU14F5HWC
Hi Thuan,
Thank you for your question. If the high temp error code is flashing, there may have been a loss of electrical power. Make sure the power cord is plugged in. Check the electrical outlet for power. reset the the house circuit breaker if the outlet does not work. You may have a failed start relay or electronic control board. If this is the case, you may have to replace them. I hope this helps. Thank you and have a great day!
