GE Arctica Refrigerator: Broken Air Damper and Everything’s Freezing in the Beer Compartment!

This affects all 2001 models with “M” as the eighth letter in the model, e.g., PSS25SGM, and those units with serial date code LA4, MA4, RA4, SA4, TA4, VA4, ZA4 & AD4.

When the damper door mechanism breaks (usually in the wide-azz open position), the temperature control can no longer regulate the amount of cold air blowing in from the freezer. So, you end up with frozen beer slushy all over the beer compartment.

To verify that the damper door is broken, remove the light shield and rear light bulb from the top of the refrigerator. Enter the factory diagnostic mode by pushing all four temperature control buttons at the same time and start the damper motor test: set the freezer control to 1 (FZ 1) and fresh food control to 0 (FF 0) . Press any other button, such as Custom Cool or Filter Reset to start the damper test cycle. Now, shine a flashlight through right hand side opening of the light assembly so you can see the movement of damper door. If’n it don’t move, well, come git you a new and improved (ha!) damper door kit.

Oh, by the way: to exit test mode, do FZ 1 and FF 6.

If damper door assembly is FUBAR and you need to replace it, pull the top two shelves out about two inches. Then pull the rear tower assembly slightly forward with both hand and move it left and the right to expose the two screws that secure the duct assembly. Also, remove both screws that secure the duct to the ceiling. The rest is plug n’ chug.

Awwite, Hoss, go git ’em.

To learn more about your refrigerator, or to order parts, click here.


 

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