Almost every appliance part is model-specific. Buying a door gasket, a start relay, a thermostat or a water filter for the wrong model wastes money and time, and the returns process costs more than the part did. It all starts with the model number.
Here is where to look, what to write down, and how to turn that into a part number.
- The full model number — every character, including suffixes.
- The serial number — needed for warranty and sometimes for mid-run revisions.
- The brand exactly as printed.
- The type: top freezer, bottom freezer, side-by-side, French door.
- Photograph the plate. Guaranteed accuracy, and you will need it again.
On this page
Where the plate hides
| Location | Which fridges | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the fresh-food compartment, on a side wall | Most models | Most common location |
| Behind the crisper drawer, on the back wall | Many models | Slide the drawer right out |
| On the ceiling of the fridge compartment | Some models | Look up |
| Behind the kick plate at the bottom front | Some models | Remove the grille |
| On the back of the cabinet | Older models | Requires pulling the fridge out |
| Inside the freezer compartment | Freezer-on-bottom models | Check the rear wall |
| On the door jamb, when open | Side-by-side models | Along the frame edge |
| On the frame behind the door gasket | Some models | Peel the gasket edge back |
Start inside the fridge. On the overwhelming majority of models the plate is a small silver or white sticker on an interior side wall, roughly at eye level. If it is not there, check behind the crisper drawer next — that is the second most common spot.
How to read the numbers
- The model number is usually a long alphanumeric string such as a series of letters and digits; do not assume it is the short number on the front badge.
- The badge on the front of the fridge is a marketing name, not a model number — it will not find parts.
- Suffixes matter. Two models differing in the last two characters can use different gaskets, relays or thermostats.
- The serial number is separate, usually shorter and numeric, and identifies the individual unit and its build date.
- Manufacturing codes sometimes appear on the same plate — photograph everything rather than transcribing selectively.
- Some brands use a combined model/serial field; check the label headings carefully.
The most common cause of a wrong part is ordering from the name on the front of the fridge. That is a product family name and it routinely covers a dozen distinct models with different parts. Only the interior plate identifies your unit.
Turning it into a part number
- Photograph the plate, including the full model and serial numbers.
- Search the model number plus the part name — for example 'door gasket', 'start relay', 'thermistor'.
- Use the manufacturer's own parts portal first where one exists; it is the most reliable.
- Cross-check on a parts retailer and confirm the part number matches what the manufacturer listed.
- Check the part against an exploded diagram of your model, which shows exactly where it fits.
- Confirm the physical appearance against your old part before ordering.
- Note the part number down for future reference — you will need it again.
Why parts come back wrong
| Cause | Example | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Ordered by front badge name | 'Frigidaire Gallery' covers many models | Use the interior plate |
| Dropped a suffix character | Model ABC12 vs ABC12A | Copy every character |
| Assumed both doors are the same | Fresh-food and freezer gaskets differ | Order per door |
| Mid-run revision | Same model, different part fitted | Check the serial number |
| Generic 'fits most' part | Believed to be universal | Confirm exact fit |
| Wrong part name | 'Thermostat' vs 'thermistor' | Use the exploded diagram |
The photo shortcut
Photograph everything before you search: the model plate, the failed part in place, the part number printed on the failed part itself, and the connector or mounting points. Many components carry their own number stamped or printed on the body, and that number is often the fastest route to an exact replacement — especially for capacitors, thermostats and fan motors.
- Photograph the model plate in good light, straight on.
- Photograph the failed part from two angles before removing it.
- Photograph any number printed on the part itself.
- Photograph the wiring or connector layout before disconnecting.
- Keep the photos in one album named for the appliance — you will use them again.
A phone camera — the cheapest parts tool you own
Photograph the model plate and the failed part, and you have an exact reference for ordering. It eliminates the single most common cause of wrong parts.
Check Price on Amazon →The model number is on a plate inside the fridge — usually a side wall, sometimes behind the crisper. Write down every character, photograph it, and search by model number plus part name. Never order from the badge on the front.
Frequently asked questions
Where each major brand puts the plate
| Brand | Common plate location |
|---|---|
| Whirlpool / Maytag | Interior side wall, upper right |
| Frigidaire / Electrolux | Interior side wall or behind the crisper |
| GE / Profile | Interior left wall, or on the ceiling |
| Samsung | Interior side wall, often right, near the top |
| LG | Interior left wall, high, or behind the drawer |
| Bosch / Thermador | Behind the crisper drawer |
| Sub-Zero | Behind the grille or on the frame |
On almost every brand the plate is inside the fresh-food compartment, and it is usually on the right-hand wall near the top for American brands and on the left for Korean ones. The common exception is European brands such as Bosch, which frequently hide it behind the crisper drawer instead.
If you cannot find it after checking the side walls, the ceiling and behind the crisper, pull the fridge out and look at the back of the cabinet. On older models that is where it lives, and occasionally it is also the only place with the full model suffix printed legibly.
