GE GTE18FTLKBB, GTS18FTLKWW, GTS18FTLKBB, GTE18FSLKSS, GTS18FSLKSS OWNER’S MANUAL & INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

SAFETY INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . 4

USING THE REFRIGERATOR

Control Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Storage Drawers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Ice Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

CARE AND CLEANING . . . . . . . . . . . 8

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Refrigerator Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Reversing the Door Swing . . . . . . . . . . . 12-15

TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS

Normal Operating Sounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Problem Solver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17, 18

WARRANTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

CONSUMER SUPPORT . . . . . . . . . . 20

OWNER'S MANUAL

AND INSTALLATION

INSTRUCTIONS

GTE18

GTS18

ENGLISH/FRANÇAIS

Write the model and serial
numbers here:

Model #

Serial #

You can find them on a label
inside the refrigerator

GE is a trademark of the General Electric Company. Manufactured under trademark licence.

29-6144 11/18 M

29-6144

THANK YOU FOR MAKING GE APPLIANCES A PART OF YOUR HOME.

Whether you grew up with GE Appliances, or this is your first, we’re happy to have you in the family.

We take pride in the craftsmanship, innovation and design that goes into every GE Appliances

product, and we think you will too. Among other things, registration of your appliance ensures that we

can deliver important product information and warranty details when you need them.

Register your GE appliance now online. Helpful websites and phone numbers are available in the

Consumer Support section of this Owner’s Manual. You may also mail in the pre-printed registration

card included in the packing material.

2

Notes

WELCOME

29-6144

3

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING THE APPLIANCE

WARNING

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located in accordance with the Installation
Instructions before it is used.

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cleaning.
NOTE: Power to the refrigerator cannot be
disconnected by any setting on the control panel.
NOTE: Repairs must be performed by a qualified
Service Professional.

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SAFETY INFORMATION

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vapors and liquids in the vicinity of this or any other
appliance.

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cans with a flammable propellant in this appliance.

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CAUTION

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cold. Components may break if exposed to sudden
temperature changes or impact, such as bumping or
dropping.

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clearances between the lid and cabinet are
necessarily small. Be careful closing lid when
children are in the area.

To reduce the risk of fire, explosion, electric shock, or injur

these basic safety precautions:

To reduce the risk of injury when using your refrigerator, follow these basic safety precautions.

y when using your refrigerator, follow

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children, remove the doors of the refrigerator
before disposing of it or discontinuing its use.

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stand on, or play in or with the appliance.

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or mental capabilities or lack of experience and
knowledge can use this appliance only if they are
supervised or have been given instructions on safe
use and understand the hazards involved.

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and similar applications such as: staff kitchen areas

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catering and similar non-retail applications.

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compartment when hands are damp or wet, skin
may stick to these extremely cold surfaces.

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completely.

WARNING

This appliance contains isobutane refrigerant,
R600a, a natural gas with high environmental
compatibility. However, it is also combustible.
Adhere to the warnings below to reduce the risk of
injury or property damage.

1. When handling, installing and operating the

appliance, care should be taken to avoid damage to
the refrigerant tubing.

2. Service shall only be performed by authorized

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service parts.

EXPLOSION HAZARD Flammable Refrigerant

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insulation material used require special disposal
procedures. Contact your local authorities for the
environmentally safe disposal of your appliance.

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enclosures or in the built-in structure clear of
obstruction.

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accelerate the defrosting process.

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storage compartment of the appliance.

STATE OF CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65 WARNINGS:

WARNING

This product contains one or more chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer

and birth defects or other reproductive harm.

READ AND SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

4 29-6144

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING THE APPLIANCE

INSTALLATION

SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING

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explosion, or death.

EXPLOSION HAZARD

CONNECTING ELECTRICITY

WARNING

Plug into a grounded 3-prong outlet.

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Do not, under any circumstances, cut or remove the third (ground) prong from the power cord. For
personal safety, this appliance must be properly grounded.

The power cord of this appliance is equipped with a
3-prong (grounding) plug which mates with a standard
3-prong (grounding) wall outlet to minimize the
possibility of electric shock hazard from this appliance.

Have the wall outlet and circuit checked by a qualified
electrician to make sure the outlet is properly
grounded.

Where a standard 2-prong wall outlet is encountered, it
is your personal responsibility and obligation to have it
replaced with a properly grounded 3-prong wall outlet.

The refrigerator should always be plugged into its
own individual electrical outlet which has a voltage
rating that matches the rating plate.

ELECTRICAL SHOCK HAZARD

A 115 Volt AC, 60 Hz, 15- or 20-amp fused, grounded
electrical supply is required. This provides the best
performance and also prevents overloading house
wiring circuits which could cause a fire hazard from
overheated wires.

Never unplug your refrigerator by pulling on the
power cord. Always grip plug firmly and pull straight
out from the outlet.

Immediately discontinue use of a damaged supply
cord. If the supply cord is damaged, it must be
replaced by a qualified service professional with an
authorized service part from the manufacturer.

When moving the refrigerator away from the wall,
be careful not to roll over or damage the power
cord.

PROPER DISPOSAL OF YOUR OLD APPLIANCE

WARNING

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IMPORTANT: Child entrapment and suffocation are not
problems of the past. Junked or abandoned appliances

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please follow the instructions below to help prevent
accidents.

Refrigerant and Foam Disposal:

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material used require special disposal procedures. Contact your local authorities for the environmentally safe
disposal of your appliance.

SUFFOCATION AND ENTRAPMENT HAZARD

Before You Throw Away Your Old Refrigerator:

Ŷ Take off the fresh food and freezer door
Ŷ Leave the baskets in place so that children may not

easily climb inside.

.

READ AND SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

29-6144 5

About the controls on the refrigerator

There is a temperature control in the fresh food compartment as well as the freezer com­partment. Initially set the control to the recommended normal settings in the fresh food and
freezer compartments. Allow 24 hours for the temperature to stabilize.

Freezer Temp Control

Min is Cold

Middle is Normal

Max is Coldest

Control Settings

Fresh Food Temp Control

1 is cold

5 is coldest

Refrigerator Control

USING THE REFRIGERATOR

When first powered all lights are illuminated for 3 sec­onds. The factory setting 3 is displayed after 3 seconds.

Change setting by pressing SET key, each time you press
it will advance by 1. Press until the desired setting is
achieved. Adjust controls one increment at a time to de­termine your preferred setting. Allow 12 hours after each
adjustment for the refrigerator reach the temperature you
have set. Setting 1 is the warmest 5 is the coldest.

Standby Mode

When the refrigerator is in ON, Press SET for 3 seconds
the refrigerator will go into standby mode, the standby in­dicator light will be on.

Standby setting will stop cooling in both the refrigerator
and freezer compartments but does not shut off electrical
power to the refrigerator.

About the storage drawers

Revert to normal operation by pressing the SET button ,
the standby light will go off, it will go back to the last set­ting.

After each adjustment, check both the freezer and the
fresh food compartments. Changing the fresh food control
will affect the temperature of the freezer compartment.
Likewise, changing the freezer control can affect the tem­perature of the fresh food compartment.

Control settings will vary based on personal preferences,
usage and operating conditions and may require more
than one adjustment. Factors that affect temperature in­clude the amount of food in the fresh food and freezer
compartments, frequency of door opening, and tempera­ture of food when placed in either compartment.

Fruit and Vegetable Drawers

These storage drawers provide space to store fruits, veg­etables and meats.

To remove and replace the drawers and the cover above
them, the door must be fully opened. In some installa­tions, the refrigerator may have to be moved away from
the wall for the door to be fully opened.

6

29-6144

About ice service

Ice Trays

USING THE REFRIGERATOR

To make ice, fill the ice tray with water and set it on a level
surface in the freezer compartment. Ice cubes will form in
a few hours.

To release ice cubes, turn the tray upside down, hold it
over a container and twist both ends.

For only one or two ice cubes, leave the tray right-side up,
twist both ends slightly and remove as many cubes as you
want.

Wash ice trays in lukewarm water only— do not put them
in an automatic dishwasher.

29-6144

7

Care and cleaning

Cleaning the Outside

Keep the outside clean. Wipe with a clean cloth lightly

dampened with mild liquid dish detergent. Dry with a
clean, soft cloth.

Do not wipe the stainless steel door with a soiled dishcloth
or wet towel. These may leave a residue that can erode
the finish. Do not use scouring pads, powdered cleaners,
bleach or cleaners containing bleach because these prod­ucts can scratch and weaken the finish. Use only a liquid
cleanser free of grit and rub in the direction of the brush
lines.

The stainless steel door and door handle can be cleaned

CARE AND CLEANING

with a commercially available stainless steel cleaner.
Cleaners with oxalic acid (e.g. Bar Keepers Friend Soft
Cleanser) will remove rust, lime, and other tarnish. Do not
use appliance wax or polish on the stainless steel.

Protect the paint finish. The finish on the outside of the
refrigerator is a high quality, baked-on paint finish. With
proper care, it will stay new-looking and rust free for
years. Apply a coat of kitchen/appliance wax when the re­frigerator is new, and then at least twice a year.

Cleaning the Inside

To help prevent odors, leave an open box of baking

soda in the fresh food and freezer compartments.

Unplug the refrigerator before cleaning.

If this is not practical, wring excess moisture out of
sponge or cloth when cleaning around switches, lights or
controls.

Use warm water and baking soda solution—about a table­spoon (15 ml) of baking soda to a quart (1 liter) of water.
This both cleans and neutralizes odors. Rinse and wipe
dry.

Other parts of the refrigerator—including door gaskets,
fruit and vegetable drawers, and all plastic parts—can be
cleaned the same way.

After cleaning the door gaskets, apply a thin layer of pe­troleum jelly to the door gaskets at the hinge side. This
helps keep the gaskets from sticking and bending out of
shape.

Do not use cleansing powders or other abrasive cleaners.
Do not wash any plastic refrigerator parts in the dish­washer.

Avoid cleaning cold glass shelves (on some models) with
hot water because the extreme temperature difference
may cause them to break. Handle glass shelves carefully.
Bumping tempered glass can cause it to shatter.

8

29-6144

Care and cleaning

Replacing the Light Bulb

CARE AND CLEANING

WARNING

Before replacing a burned-out light bulb, the refrigerator
should be unplugged in order to avoid contact with a live
wire filament (A burned out light bulb may break when be­ing replaced.) Turning the control to the OFF position
does not remove power to the light circuit.

Maximum bulb wattage: 40 W

Unplug the refrigerator

1

The bulb is located at the top of the refrigerator com-

2

partment.
Unfasten screw to remove light cover.
Replace bulb with a new one of the same or lower

3

wattage.
Reattach light cover using screw.

4

Plug the refrigerator back in.

5

Light bulb may be hot.

Preparing for Vacation

CAUTION

housing and light lens.

Using a bulb rated higher than
40W may damage the control

For long vacations or absences, remove food and unplug
the refrigerator. Clean the interior with a baking soda solu­tion of one tablespoon (15 ml) of baking soda to one quart
(1 liter) of water. Leave the doors open.

Preparing to Move

Remove food and unplug the refrigerator. Secure all loose
items such as shelves and drawers by taping them se­curely in place to prevent damage.

Be sure the refrigerator stays in an upright position during
moving.

29-6144

9

Installation

Refrigerator

Instructions

If you have questions, call 1.800.561.3344 or Visit our Website at: www.GEAppliances.ca

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Read these instructions completely and carefully.

• IMPORTANT – Save these instructions for local

inspector’s use.

• IMPORTANT – Observe all governing codes and

ordinances.

• Note to Installer – Be sure to leave these instruc-

tions with the Consumer.

• Note to Consumer – Keep these instructions for fu-

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

ture reference.

• Skill level – Installation of this appliance requires ba­sic mechanical skills.

• Completion time – Refrigerator Installation

15 minutes

• Proper installation is the responsibility of the installer.

• Product failure due to improper installation is not cov­ered under the Warranty.

LOCATION REQUIREMENTS

• Do not install the refrigerator where the temperature
will go below 55°F (13°C) because it will not run often
enough to maintain proper temperatures.

• Install it on a floor strong enough to support it fully
loaded.

UNPACKING YOUR REFRIGERATOR

• Remove tape and any labels (except for the rating la­bel) from your refrigerator. Tape or glue residue can
also be removed by rubbing a small amount of liquid
dish soap over the adhesive with your fingers. Wipe
with warm water and dry.

• Do not use sharp instruments, rubbing alcohol, flam­mable fluids, or abrasive cleaners to remove tape or
glue. These products can damage the surface of
your refrigerator.

• When moving the refrigerator, do not tilt the refrigera­tor beyond 45° from upright position.

LEVELING LEGS

Adjustable legs at the front corners of the refrigerator

should be set so the refrigerator is firmly positioned on
the floor, and the front is raised just enough that the
door closes easily when opened about halfway.

To adjust the leveling legs, turn the legs clockwise
to raise the refrigerator, counterclockwise to lower

it.

Models GTE18 & GTS18

CLEARANCES

• Free-standing installation only.

• If the refrigerator is being installed next to a wall,
leave sufficient space on the hinge side to allow the
door to swing open enough to access the clear bins
in the refrigerator compartment.

• Do not install within 5” (13 cm) of the range.

• Minimum Clearances:

Back 2” from wall
Sides 3/4”
Top 3/4”

10

To raise the refrigerator

POWER CORD

• Plug the refrigerator power cord into its own properly
grounded wall outlet with a voltage rating matching
that on the refrigerator rating plate.

• Do not use an extension cord.

• Read all safety precautions on pages 2 and 3.

29-6144

Installation Instructions

REFRIGERATOR FEATURES (appearance and features may vary)

Freezer Shelf

Control Dial

Temperature

Control Panel

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

Door Shelf

Dairy Bin

Adjustable

Shelves

Crisper

Cover

Fruit and

Vegetable

Crispers

Leveling legs

All images in this instruction manual are for indication only; please refer to your individual unit for details.

Door Shelf

29-6144

11

Installation Instructions

REVERSING THE DOOR SWING

IMPORTANT NOTES

When reversing the door swing:

• Read the instructions all the way through before start­ing.

• Handle parts carefully to avoid scratching paint.

• Set screws down by their related parts to avoid using
them in the wrong places.

• Provide a non-scratching work surface for the doors.

IMPORTANT: Once you begin, do not move the cabi­net until door-swing reversal is completed.

These instructions are for changing the hinges from
the right side to the left side—if you ever want to
change the hinges back to the right side, follow these
same instructions and reverse all references to left and
right.

Unplug the refrigerator from its electrical outlet.

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

NOTE: Do not let either door drop to the floor. To do so
could damage the door stop.

CAUTION

both hands to secure the doors before lifting.

Lifting Hazard. The Fresh Food
and Freezer doors are heavy Use

REMOVE FREEZER DOOR (CONT.)

1

4. Remove the three screws with a 5/16? socket
and ratchet, then lift the hinge straight up to free
the hinge pin from the socket in the top of the
door.

Top Hinge

5. Remove the tape and tilt the door away from the
cabinet. Lift it off the center hinge pin.

6. Transfer plastic bushing from right side of top of
freezer door to the left side.

TOOLS YOU WILL NEED

Phillips screwdriver

Masking tape

REMOVE FREEZER DOOR

1

1. Remove all food from the inner door liner..

2. Tape the door shut with masking tape.

3. Remove the hinge cover on top of the freezer door
with a thin-blade screwdriver.

5/16" socket and ratchet

Allen wrench (Stainless
Steel Handle Models)

7. Remove the hole covers with a putty knife on
the opposite side of the three hinges.

Hole Cover

Center Hinge
Hole Covers

8. Set the door on a non-scratching surface with
the inside up.

Bottom Hinge
Hole Covers

12

29-6144