How to Troubleshoot & Replace Whirlpool AP5985208 / W10822278 Defrost Timer

Researched what could cause the problem on AppliancePartsPros.com. Then ordered the part I needed. The part arrived in 1 day... Amazing! 

Replaced the defrost timer. 

The new part arrived very quickly. The original part number had been superseded and the new part had an extra wire that the original did not have. The part arrived without an instruction sheet, so I called customer service. They explained the installation and sent a link to the complete instructions. Installation was then easy and the refrigerator works just fine. 

This is an older freezer. Over the years the only item prone to failure is the defrost timer. The timer is located in the back of the freezer and is easy to replace. It takes about 5 minutes to replace it. Then the real work begins. The evaporator was pretty much clogged with ice. I defrosted it with a heat gun on low setting. About 30 minutes later I had a working freezer again. 

Watched and followed the video. 

I watched the troubleshooting video on this site. Checked each part for continuity in the thermostat (which I was the most concerned with since I had to cut the wires and then rejoin them), the fan, and the heater. I ended up replacing the defrost timer. I didn't receive instructions with the timer and they are critical! There is an additional wire on the new timer that has to be placed onto one of the prongs. Depending on the wiring diagram for your particular timer the extra wire will be on the different prong. Fortunately, AppliancePartsPros is top-notch! I reached out in a chat on a Saturday and described my no instructions situation. Helen was able to send an electronic version to my email within minutes. I had to read them several times along with the diagrams, but I finally figured it out! Thanks for a great company! 

First I had to figure out the problem so took stuff apart. Discovered a box with gears in it that looked like a timer. Google search, it's a defrost timer and you can manually override it. I did and the fridge worked. Ordered a new defrost timer. Installed the new timer. Enjoy a cold beverage. 

Googled refrigerator problem and Appliance Parts Pros guided me through the repair and parts required. Ordered parts and followed instructions and problems were fixed. I was about to spend $1,000 on a new refrigerator but the repairs cost less than $100 and all is now well. 

I called Appliance Parts Pro's and everyone I spoke with was knowledgeable, and professional. They helped me pinpoint the problem, sent the proper parts, and sent me diagrams It is all fixed, and running perfectly! Having folks like them to help me thru made this so much better, You all are Great! Thank you so much! Jane O. ( Happy customer!) 

The part came as described and it was easy to change.