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Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement

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Use this guide to replace the defrost heater in your Whirlpool Refrigerator.

The defrost heater melts frost off the evaporator fins. If your freezer is perpetually frosty, then the defrost heater might be broken.

This guide will work for most Whirlpool refrigerators. This guide is written with a model WRS315SDHW refrigerator. If you have a different model, you may encounter some minor disassembly differences, but the overall repair process will be the same.

Note: Some photos show the doors removed for clarity purposes. Removing them is not required and will not change the procedure.

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  1. Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Safety precautions: crwdns2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0

    • Before you begin your repair, perform the following:

    • Turn off your main water supply

    • Unplug your device

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  2. Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Open the doors: crwdns2935265:02crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Open the doors: crwdns2935265:02crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Open the doors: crwdns2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0

    • Depending on your repair, open one or both doors.

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  3. Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Remove the drawers: crwdns2935265:03crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0 Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Remove the drawers: crwdns2935265:03crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0

    • Remove the drawers and shelves from the freezer section.

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  4. Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement: crwdns2935265:04crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0 Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement: crwdns2935265:04crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0

    • Remove the screw(s) securing the evaporator cover.

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  6. Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Unclip the evaporator cover: crwdns2935265:05crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Unclip the evaporator cover: crwdns2935265:05crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Unclip the evaporator cover: crwdns2935265:05crwdnd2935265:03crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0

    • Lift the bottom of the evaporator cover up and over its lip in the chassis.

    • Pull the cover toward yourself to release its top clips.

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  7. Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Remove the evaporator cover: crwdns2935265:06crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Remove the evaporator cover: crwdns2935265:06crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Remove the evaporator cover: crwdns2935265:06crwdnd2935265:03crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0

    • Continue pulling the evaporator cover towards yourself to unclip its metal prongs from the chassis.

    • Remove the evaporator cover.

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  8. Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Disconnect the defrost heater: crwdns2935265:07crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Disconnect the defrost heater: crwdns2935265:07crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Disconnect the defrost heater: crwdns2935265:07crwdnd2935265:03crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0

    • Disconnect the connector(s) attached to the defrost heater.

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  9. Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Reposition the cable: crwdns2935265:08crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Reposition the cable: crwdns2935265:08crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Reposition the cable: crwdns2935265:08crwdnd2935265:03crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0

    • Pull the defrost heater cable out from behind the evaporator.

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  10. Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Unfasten the defrost heater bracket: crwdns2935265:09crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0

    • Remove the screw(s) securing the defrost heater bracket.

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  11. Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Release the defrost heater bracket: crwdns2935265:010crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0 Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Release the defrost heater bracket: crwdns2935265:010crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0

    • Pull the defrost heater bracket up to release it from its slot in the chassis.

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  12. Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Remove the defrost heater: crwdns2935265:011crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Remove the defrost heater: crwdns2935265:011crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Remove the defrost heater: crwdns2935265:011crwdnd2935265:03crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0

    • Slide the defrost heater from under the evaporator.

    • You may need to pull one end at a time until it's completely removed.

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  13. Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Heater Replacement, Only the defrost heater remains: crwdns2935265:012crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0

    • You're now left with the defrost heater.

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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Ask our Answers community for help.

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