How to replace a diffuser in a side-by-side refrigerator

Unplug the refrigerator or shut off the circuit breaker for the refrigerator.

Close the water supply cut-off valve for the water line attached to the back of the refrigerator. The valve is often on the wall behind the refrigerator but could be under the kitchen sink or in the basement below the refrigerator.

Use tape to shut the flipper cover on the left wall in front of the ice maker.

Open the plastic cover in front of the refrigerator ice maker.

Slide the cover to the left and push up on the right side of the cover to release the plastic pin from the bracket.

Use a slot screwdriver to pry the pin from the bracket, if necessary.

Pull off the cover and set it aside.

Tape the flipper shut.

Using a 1/4-inch nut driver, remove the screw that's under the ice maker module, in the rear right corner. Pull off the cover the screw held in place and set the screw and cover aside.

Push in on the tab to the left of the ice maker to release the ice maker and slide the ice maker forward, off its rails.

Use a slot screwdriver to release the locking tab on the wire harness plug and pull the wire harness out of the plug.

Remove the ice maker from the freezer compartment.

Remove the screws from the air duct in the top of the freezer compartment—support the air duct as you remove the second screw so it doesn't fall.

Remove the air duct from the freezer compartment and set it aside.

In the refrigerator compartment, remove the 2 mounting screws that hold the control housing in place—support the housing as you remove the second screw so the control housing doesn't fall and damage components.

Lower the control housing slowly.

Using a slot screwdriver, release the locking tabs and then unplug the wire harness. 

Because the connecting rod for the diffuser is still connected, so you may be unable to pull the control assembly completely out of the refrigerator.

Disconnect the wire harness.

Release the locking tabs on the freezer side of the diffuser.

Push the diffuser toward the refrigerator compartment slightly to keep the tabs from snapping back into place.

In the refrigerator compartment, pull the control housing and diffuser out and down to completely release those components.

Work the control rod out of the diffuser. You might have to rotate the diffuser 90 degrees to release the control rod.

Remove the diffuser.

Connect the control rod to the new diffuser.

Position the diffuser and the control housing in the opening in the top of the refrigerator compartment and push the diffuser into the opening until the locking tabs snap into place.

Push the wire harness for the control housing into the wire harness plug in the refrigerator compartment.

Position the control housing and line up the screw holes.

Insert the mounting screws and tighten them firmly to secure the control housing in the top of the refrigerator compartment.

Position the air duct in the freezer compartment.

Line up the screw holes and replace the mounting screws.

Again, tighten the mounting screws firmly, but don’t overtighten them.

Hold the ice maker near the mounting rails and plug in the wire harness into the connection plug until the locking tab snaps into place.

Line up the new ice maker with the mounting rails and push it onto the rails until you can position the fill tube in the fill cup.

Put the fill tube into the cup.

Slide the ice maker module into position until the locking tab snaps into place.

Position the plastic wire harness cover and screw it into place.

Tighten the Screws firmly, but don't overtighten.

Position the front plastic cover in front of the mounting clip and insert the left side pin into the mounting clip.

Work the right side pin over the top of the mounting clip and snap it into place. Remove the tape that holds the flipper cover.

Open the water supply shut-off valve to restore the water supply to the refrigerator. Plug in the refrigerator or turn on the house circuit breaker to restore power.