How do you fix a stuck bottom freezer door?

Answer 1

The drawer guides have frozen up. If you cannot work it loose by shifting the door up and down (don't hang on the handle, you'll yank it off and have a broken handle and a broken head) you'll have to shut the fridge down for like an hour... maybe less maybe more, but grab the door to pull open, not the handle. Next, when you get it open, pull the door all the way out, transfer food into cooler. You may have to remove the icemaker. There is always one more screw that you can't get at unless you crawl into the freezer and look in back of the front part. Look for the drawer guide release, it is about 6-inches from the front of the door on the outboard side of the steel guides. one gets pushed up, the other down and then the door and the short piece attached to it comes with it. Your refrigerator manual will have pictures. Now, at the back of the fridge at the end of the guides is a spring loaded mechanism that pulls the door in tight. Mine has two plastic prongs going up and two down. A table knife will lift the center section and allow you to pop the top prongs out and then remove the thing. (do one side at a time so you see how to reinstall the stuff). Look for any screws holding the guides to the wall. Mine did not have any anymore. Depress the plastic keeper that you uncovered when you took the spring loaded thingys out (Nice technical term there). Slide the guide out by pulling it to the front of the fridge. Clean thoroughly. The old lube broke down, got mucked up with mildew and absorbed water. You need to replace that. And that's why there's the smeary dark green sort of frozen crud at the bottom of the freezer. Dry it pretty thoroughly. For a short term fix, spray it up with silicone spray. 100% silicone is better (and more money) than the regular silicone based spray at the auto parts shop made by Gunk and others. Spray thoroughly and wipe off excess from the outside. Reinstall. Now do the other side. DON'T use oil based lubricants. Put the door keepers in (spring loaded thingys at the back). Next, order tubes of silicone grease lubricant used for lubricating o-rings in underwater cameras. Here's a link. I'll correct this if I find it does not work (mine are showing up Sept 12, 2008). http://www.bhphotovideo.com/ part no. IK5020 They sell four little tublettes for $1.90, free shipping. Another option is a 5.3-oz tube available for about $20 from several sources… http://www.waterfilters.net/ORing-Silicone-Lubricant_p_11-1127.html Since you have a nice maker and a water filter, maybe that's a worthwhile investment. Also, its approved for incidental contact with food, so Here's 3 oz. for $4 = http://www.yourbroadbandstore.com/product.php?pid=202516 has = = Clear Silicone Grease 3 Oz Tube With Applicator = Another source of grease is, of course, your local show room, open up one of these and scrape it off with your finger nail and take it home. Neither Sears, nor GE nor Whirlpool/Amana will own up to the need for re-lubricating these guides and the folks on the phone are useless. The local Sears appliance guy had no luck on the phone either.