How to Install an Evaporator Fan in a Frigidaire Refrigerator

Safety Precautions

• Before beginning the repair, unplug the appliance from the outlet or turn off the electricity at the breaker box to avoid electrocution.

Evaporator Fan Function

• The evaporator fan moves air over the evaporator coils and throughout the freezer compartment, ensuring that the freezer stays at one particular temperature. The evaporator fan also moves air through the air damper, which keeps the air in the refrigerator compartment cool.

Reasons for Failure

• The most common reason an evaporator fan might fail is that it has simply worn out after continuous, year-after-year service. Or, the fan motor could burn out if an obstruction prevents the fan blade from spinning. Even a power surge can cause the evaporator fan to fail.

Installing a New Fan

• To install a new fan, reverse the steps taken to remove the one one. They are:

  First, remove all the contents from the freezer, including the shelving and drawers. Remove screws securing the drawer sliders, if there are any, and remove the sliders. Remove the screws securing the rear panel of the freezer, and then pull the panel out of the freezer. Lift the top rear panel of the freezer to reveal the evaporator fan housing, which holds the evaporator fan motor. Lift the fan housing out of the freezer and pull the plastic wire connector off of the fan motor terminal. Pull the fan blade off the front of the motor, and then depress the tabs on the motor bracket that hold the fan motor to the fan housing. Remove the fan motor and replace it with a new one.