Question about finding parts for older fridges now

I used to just call my local supplier for any part, but after they closed last year, I'm stuck online. Spent 45 minutes yesterday hunting for a specific ice maker motor for a 2007 model. Anyone else have a go-to site they trust for this stuff?

4 comments

4 Comments

laura_schmidt822mo ago

Ugh, is your fridge from 2007 too? I feel like I'm becoming a weird expert on ancient appliance parts. I mean, last week I spent an hour looking for a door hinge that wasn't even the right shade of white. Maybe it's just me but I swear these websites are designed to make you give up and buy a whole new fridge.

miller.rowan2mo ago

Check out AppliancePartsPros, they saved me with a weird compressor for my old fridge. Their search is actually decent and they have exploded diagrams so you can find the exact part number. Totally get what @laura_schmidt82 means about the wrong shade of white, I ordered a "bisque" door handle that looked straight up yellow. For motors, I always cross-check the model number from the fridge tag, not just the ice maker model. Sometimes the same motor is used across a bunch of years and you can find it cheaper on eBay once you have the exact part number.

ninaowens2mo ago

Actually, the model number's on the back panel.

mia70025d ago

The real trick is checking local appliance repair shops that still keep paper catalogs. Not the big chains, but the dusty back room places that have been around since the 80s. They often have NOS (new old stock) parts tucked away because nobody buys that stuff online. I found a defrost timer for a 2005 Kenmore that way, the guy pulled it out of a box that looked like it had been sitting since 2010. You might have to drive a bit, but it beats playing the eBay gamble where the picture looks right but the motor ends up being the wrong voltage. Plus they usually know exactly which parts swap between models without you needing to cross-reference anything.

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