ED22PWXBN00 Whirlpool fridge door shelf keeps falling

[K8ecat]

Model Number

ED22PWXBN00

Brand

Whirlpool

Age

More than 10 years

We recently moved into a home with a whirlpool fridge, model number ED22PWXBN00, estimated to be about 28 years old. It’s running great, but a couple of the shelves in the door keep falling down. Nothing appears broken, and we have made sure the shelves are latched in properly. Any tips on what could be wrong and how to fix it?

 

[Dan O.]

The only thing I can imagine is a problem with the plastic inner door liner.

Maybe the screws under the gasket (see image below) that hold it and the door liner on are loose, the plastic liner has broken by the mounting screws or the plastic has lost a bit of its rigidness with age and is now out of shape and slightly too wide now to properly support the shelves?




Dan O.

 

[K8ecat]

Thank you, I’ll definitely look into that! With the age of the fridge, I’m sure some loosening has happened over the years. I’ll have my husband take a look tonight

 

[Dan O.]

I’m sure some loosening has happened over the years.

It'd be more common for the plastic inner panel to break along its mounting holes rather than the screws to loosen. A new inner liner is no longer available so be very careful inspecting it. The plastic could be brittle with age. If cracked it will need to be repaired somehow which would be tricky and involved to accomplish.

Let us know how you make out.

Dan O.

 

[K8ecat]

I checked the screws out (carefully, and nothing broke or cracked thank goodness) and everything looks ship shape. No cracks or breaks and screws are flush and secure

 

[Dan O.]

There aren't a lot of other suggestions I can offer.

1. Add spacers to both sides of the shelf to keep it more centered in the door. Maybe it's just when the shelf moves to one side or the other that it falls?

The rest are quite extreme.

2. Remove the door liner and fit thin pieces of Styrofoam into the thin edge section of the liner where the shelves latch onto to 'plump' them up slightly, hopefully resulting in a tighter fit in between. That is a big job however. Usually the whole door would be removed to work on it on a flat surface.

3. Try injecting some foam insulation into those thin edges where the shelves fit to try to 'plump' them up. (Make sure the insulation used is non-toxic.)

4. Use a heat-gun to soften the plastic liner and reform it as (little as) necessary. The inner door panel can not be replaced. Don't F/U!

5. Put up with it.


Maybe others will suggest alternatives too?

Dan O.

 

[Dan O.]

I thought of something else, get a piece of nylon rod of comparable size and extend the 'nubs' the shelves mount onto slightly.

Dan O.

 

[K8ecat]

I thought of something else, get a piece of nylon rod of comparable size and extend the 'nubs' the shelves mount onto slightly.

Ooh that’s a great idea, thank you!

 

[Dan O.]

Maybe nylon washers or even just rubber end caps?