Customer Questions and Answers for Refrigerator Air Damper Assembly by Whirlpool

It's always recommended to unplug the unit before starting as there is no way to guarentee that you won't encounter voltage in the process of a repair. Look in the fresh food compartment at the top left hand side. There is a cover that is held on by a single 1/4 hex headed screw. Remove this screw and cover. You will find another screw behind where this cover was. Remove it also. Open the freezer compartment and remove the cover in the uppermost right hand side. Under this cover, there is a small rectangular hole with a tab hooked into each of the four corners. You have to press these corner tabs towards the center of the hole at the same time to release the damper assembly. It will drop towards the fresh food compartment. Be gentle and don't push it all the way through. This model has an escutcheon, (control panel display) that has to be removed with a butter knife. You can use a screwdriver but the chances are high that you will damage it cosmetically. If you slip the butter knife into the slot at the top of the control display, after the removal of the knobs, and slide it across to the other side, this will release it and you can set it aside. There are two screws that were hidden behind this display panel, (1/4 inch hex). (Hint: When reinstalling, I never tighten these two all the way to ease the reinstallation of the display panel). Remove these two screws and look straight up behind the control area, (fresh food ceiling). There are two more 1/4 inch hex headed screws there. Leave one screw part way in for now. Now there are two types of controls here. One has wires going to the damper control and the other has a linkage. Carefully reach back and pull the rear part, (damper assembly), out and hold it. There is a very delicate plastic part that the linkage goes into that will break if you allow this assembly to hang down if it has the linkage type control. Remove the screw that you had left in and lower the assembly, (front and rear), simultaneously to prevent stressing the damper linkage. Unplug the harness from the ceiling and lower the unit to gain access to the inside of the control box. Remove the two screws that secure the board to the control box. Now, one at a time, remove a wire and place it on the new board. Remove the next, and so on. once the wires are on, reinstall the two screws that secure it to the control box and you're ready to begin the reinstallation process. This is where most people will break the linkage if so equipped, so be very careful! I usually find a Tupperware container or something else with a large top to set the damper assembly on while I plug in the harness and get a couple of screws started. Once the control assembly is held up by a couple of screws, you can reinsert the four prongs back into the rectangular opening. The rest is simply reinstalling covers and screws. Don't forget the covers in the freezer compartment. At the end of this repair, you have to reinstall the escutcheon, (control panel display). This can be tricky, but there are tabs that fit slots. Get them started and it should go in. Sure hope this wasn't too confusing.

Hi Mario. Your unit is a self defrosting unit. Every 6-8 hrs / 24 - 7 the unit will turn off the run time and then send 120 vac to the defrost thermostat part # WP2306462 and then if it is closed (normally in frozen temperatures) It will pass the voltage to the defrost heater part # WP2306389. This defrost control board or timer will allow it to stay on for aprox. 20-25 mins. untill the inside temp reaches 40 ° approx. and then the defrost thermostat now opens and stops voltage to the heater protecting cabinet damage. Therefore the damper was more then likely ok unless the damper motor could not regulate the opening / and / closing of the damper. You will need a volt/ohm meter to check the parts. In the frozen temps. your defrost thermostat will be closed-o-ohms. The heater will read resistance of approx. 11-18 ohms, not open. Then you need to advance the unit into defrost and check for 120 vac going to the thermostat and the white neutral wire. This will tell you if the control board is ok part # W10839424. Your wiring diagram is with the controls section. Thank You.

Hello John. Check and see if there is a defrost problem inside the freezer. If so, you will need to test the heater WP2323198 and the thermostat WPW10225581. They should read closed for continuity when cold. If they are good, you will need to replace the timer 8201658. You can test this with a multi-meter TJMA-DMT3. Here is a link on how to use a multi-meter. Hope this helps. http://forum.appliancepartspros.com/oven-repair-including-ranges-cooktops/4810-how-check-continuity-ohmmeter.html

Hi Rich. The Auto damper is motor controlled. The wall gasket(no- leakage) is very sticky and you may need to use a putty knife to scrape it off. If you do, unhook it electrically and then physically open it to a 50% rate until you get the new part. This will help recover the no-cool. If you have to, block it so it stays open. The part # is WP2209751. Thank you.

Hello Bin. Yes, you will remove the wire cover to access and replace the diffuser WP2209751. Hope this helps.

Ray, The diffuser is a very good place to start, and is most likely the issue. Before you replace it, check and make sure the air return tunnel grille on the left lower wall is not blocked or has frost or ice. Check the back wall of the freezer compartment for ice or frost build up, indicating a defrost problem. Thanks and Good Luck.

Hello Cora. You will need to remove screw holding the wire cover in place in the top left side of the refrigerator. Then remove the wire cover and remove the screw holding the air diffuser WP2209751 in place. Once screw is removed you will be able to remove the old air diffuser and unplug the wires going to it. Reinstall with the new diffuser in reverse order. Hope this helps.

Hello. The diffuser does have a little motor that will open according to the temperature desired set by you at the controls. The model number located on the door is a partial number. The complete model number for most fridges, is located inside the cabinet either top right or left. Hope this helps!