After nearly tearing the door off my GE Spacesaver Microwave, I'm trying to replace the handle. There are screws that I can't access that go into the top holes in the handles, and others that go into holes under that that I can get to.
Anyone have any suggestions as to how I can get this thing back together???
Hello cagoulet and Welcome to the Do-It-Yourself Web Site and the Small Electric Appliances Forum Topic.
Not sure what you mean by After nearly tearing the door off the appliance. Needs more detailed information. Meaning by accident or attempting to remove it to fix something???? other than a broken handle...????
Not sure what you mean by I'm trying to replace the handle. If you cannot take it off, that's one aspect. If you already took it off, that's another. Kindly explain in more specific details.
Your statement ...how I can get this thing back together??? implies the handle is already removed. Thus it seems to reinstall is simply a matter of reversing the removal process. Or would seem so. More details would help greatly.
Retail small appliance parts dealers can also help determine what the possible problem may be. Bring the make, model and serial numbers. Appliance part stores and parts dealers are listed in the phone book.
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I also have a broken door handle. The bottom of the handle is attached to the door with , I think a screw, but I can't see it from the rear of the door. The top of the handle ia attached with a screw that is visable from the rear of the door.
Thanks
If it's like mine, to get to the magic handle screw, you have to *carefully* pry out the soft plastic door seal. Use something like a butter knife, and just work in the gap between the plastic door frame and the softer door seal. Go slow and easy, a little at a time, and the whole thing will come out pretty easily. (And it will press right back in when you're finished.)
You will also get access to screws that will allow you pull out the door glass and give it a good washing.
If the door seal doesn't come out easily, then you should probably search GE's website for a manual and see if it has an exploded view. Or call their helpline, if they still have one.
Moli, Ya did good. I followed your instructions and they worked fine. Since I just finished I’ll enhance your info with my experience (it will let me relive the kill). The interior door frame, that Moli references is a piece of flexableish plastic, about Ѕ inch wide on top and bottom and 1 inch wide on the sides. The glass in the door is integral with the door itself so don’t think of removing it at this time. Using Moli’s butter knife approach I started on the top upper corner (where it is hinged) as this gave me more room to get my first knife in. I then gently inserted more knives ( I used 3) till I could work the frame loose. As it sits lovingly by my feet, I notice it has plastic flex clip extensions on both the inside and outside, (to engage door frame and window frame at the same time) so be careful and take it slow releasing both top and bottom clips as you go . Finalinfo is to wait on running the dish washer till U get it out as it will need to cleaned. Guess I’ll just have to take mine to the shower with me. Thanks again to Moli, Good on ya!!!
One thing, if the glass has printing on it, be careful not to clean it with anything harsh or you might take the color off. Just warm soapy water should do it. I'm not sure what part you were talking about in the dishwasher, I think I'd avoid that as it gets hot and could deform the plastic or wash the color off the glass.
Hi
I googled to this forum and followed all of your suggestions and I would like to thank you. I was on the phone to GE forever and they told me that I would have to get a certified technician to test for leakage. While I was waiting on hold I finally figured out what all of you were saying and within a few minutes it was done. Again thanks so much.
moli rocks!!! worked so well that I have put a butter knife in my toolbox!!
great advice!!
Just want to add my thanks to Moli. The repair job took a couple of minutes. I joined this site just so I could say thanks!
Just to add my thoughts: I had a GE spacesaver microwave, and replaced the handle similar to the way Moli so aptly suggested. The replacement parts are quite expensive. I finally found a replacement EWave microwave for about the cost of replacement of the GE plastic parts that were deteriorating. That's the 4th of our GE products that has not lasted but a few years. Can you read my mind?
I have the same problem and can't seem to get past the 2nd set of plastic clips. The first panel has been removed but now there are (about) 9 other clips on the panel just before the handle. I don't want to break these but they need some real tough prying to get them open.
Any suggestions on get this 2nd panel off?
Thanks!
Suggestion tried. It worked.
I removed the handle and could not have done so with your kind help.
Thanks so very much.
I registered just to say thanks.
Jim T
Hi-
Great site. I got my plastic door seal with no problem. On the other hand, I only see 1 pair of screws for the handle. I have the jvm1600. The handle has two sets of screws, one for the inner handle and one for the outer handle. I can see the second pair of screws under the assembly that has the plastic shield, etc.
How do I get that off so I can access the second set of screws?
I tired for a long time and could not do it. On the left side of the door where the handle is there is one clip that seems to be key, but after I got past that I still could not access the screw.
Please advise.
Thanks,
I appreciate you all posting your solutions to accessing the screws for the door handle replacement... I called GE for there answer and they told me this was not a consumer replaceble part.... So then I search the web and found this site.... I followed you instructions and got most of the inner bracket removed with a butter knife... I then removed the screws.. Now I have me a new handle on my old microwave.... thanks for saving me some money... You can also save money by not buying the replacement handle from the GE website... I found a local parts dealer who sold the replacement handle for about $37.00...
thanks again....
Originally Posted by wiltriker
I called GE for there answer and they told me this was not a consumer replaceble part....
You can also save money by not buying the replacement handle from the GE website... I found a local parts dealer who sold the replacement handle for about $37.00...
Is GE two faced or what??? They will sell the consumer a part they say can't be replaced by the consumer. To boot, they over charge for it too!!
Shame on GE!
I have a ten-year-old GE Spacemaker Microwave, model JVM1339WW. The handle broke off, and I purchased the replacement for approx. $55. The part came with no instructions, and the GE Answer Line told me the part was not user installable, and that I would have to pay for a service technician to call.
Fortunately, I found this forum. I used a putty knife to follow Moli's advice and in LESS THAN TWO MINUTES had installed the replacement handle and reinstalled the trim.
Pretty poor business practice by GE, if I may say.
There are obviously many GE microwave models that use similar door designs, so I will add some details for my unit that I bought in 2002, which is a GE Profile Spacemaker Oven, Model No. JVM1490WD003. This unit mounts over the stove and is a combination range hood, convection oven, and microwave oven.
Using 2 small putty knives I was able to easily remove the inner plastic frame or seal as it has been called here. The parts list calls it a choke cover. This is a snap-in piece, and I believe it is not designed to be re-used. Hence the non-user serviceable aspect. Despite being gentle three or four of the tiny clips broke off. Not enough to prevent it from snapping back into place later more or less securely so I reused it. I am confident that had I call a professional service technician as GE recommmends, he would have trashed it as a consumable part.
Then, a big surprise: only the top one of the two handle screws was accessible. The bottom screw head was covered by the black metal skeleton of the door. They could have designed an access hole, but that would have boosted production costs by at least 1/16 of a cent per unit, so they didn't.
OK, so now I had to remove the white plastic and glass front panel to get at the remaining screw. This piece is doubly fastened. There are six small phillips screws attaching the front panel to the black metal center structure of the door. After you remove those, the front panel is still attached by clips molded into the plastic. These are similar to the one-way clips of the choke cover, but they are much heavier and have no flexibility. The panel is flexible enough along the top and bottom that you can dislodge the clips by pulling at the edge but the sides are too rigid. To solve this I made the two clips on the latch end of the door flexible. I took a pair of diagonal cutters and cut a pie shaped wedge out of the plastic just behind the clip, but leaving the clip attached. I don't know what to call that structural feature that I cut... a gusset or brace, or stiffener, or support, whatever. Anyway, cutting out a piece of it provided space for the clip to move back and release its grip. I only had to do this to the two clips mentioned, and I was able to remove the front panel and access the bottom handle screw.
Next problem was to get a grip on the broken stubs of the old handle so they wouldn't turn when I removed the screws, which you have to re-use because the replacement handle comes without them. They are hard to grip because they are down in a recessed area. I successfully used a needlenose electrical plier... putting one pointy end into the screw hole and gripping with the other.
From there, all was easy. The new handle fit fine. The front door panel snapped back into place and then was doubly secured by replacing the small phillips head screws. The choke cover pushed into place gently and easily and seems secure.
As to lessons learned, for any future replacement I would remove the choke cover before ordering the replacement handle. That way, if I broke too many of the little clips during the removal for the choke cover to go back into place securely, then I could order a replacement for that at the same time as the handle.
I have a 1996 JVW1339WW002 GE Microwave/Hood.
Your fix worked. 2 minutes time.
Compare that to THIS:
Called GE. Service call JUST TO GET THE PRICE was $99.95.
Tweaking GE's nose would offer a smigin of satisfaction.
Moli,
Thank you for your help. I used two butter knives and it worked seamlessly just as you described it.
Thanks again,
Wow I'd really like to see a pic of someone's door frame with an indication of which strip / panel to remove. The door appears to have several different distinct seams. . and I am hesitant to start prying until I'm sure I am in the correct spot.
Thanks for your help, the door handle change on my Kenmore elite took a few minutes after I had given up (I read another blog that said I needed to contact a service tech $$).
After I finished, I started to kid my fam about the glowing effects of the radiation leaking through the door. My 14 year old said, Dad, don't be dumb. Just put your cell phone in the microwave, close the door, and then call yourself. If the call goes through, it leaks, if it doesn't, it doesn't. Wouldn't you know, the call didn't go through!
I did walk away a little humbled by kid logic.
The bottom threads on our GE Spacesaver Microwave Oven Handle broke. I understand it is a common complaint. First I just used a longer screw to generate a couple of extra threads in the plastic handle. That worked for nearly a year and then that gave way. Rather than spend $60.00 for a replacement handle, new screw, and shipping on a 10 year old Microwave, I left the screw in the handle, even though there was not threaded section left to attach to it. I then dribbled a lot of Gorilla Glue around top opening of the bottom connection along the slot. As the Glue hardened overnight, some of it became globs below the bottom of the handle. The golbs were easily removed with a kitchen knife. The Gorilla Glue set up overnight and created a new indestructable attachement to the Micorwave Door and the Screw. It is a piece of Cake... Looks Perfect and Works Perfect.
I had the same problem as beesquare--after the plastic seal came out (thanks to Moli!) only two of the four screws were accessible. I used a 1/4 inch black oxide bit to drill access holes for the other two in the metal door skeleton (where the holes should have been in the first place!). Problem solved.
Tags: spacesaver, microwave, handle, replacement handle, choke cover, butter knife, door frame, door handle, door seal, front panel, into place
