The open-door release thingy doesn’t open the door when I push it in. I can open it by slipping something up the side of the door, but that’s not a solution.
Have you tried searching for you microwave make/model “door latch replacement”?
Oh.
That’s probably an easy fix. I suspect it just needs some silicone lubricant.
Is this an over-the-stove unit, with a built in “exhaust” fan? Our house came with one of those. It really just filtered the air and returned it to the kitchen. That looks like a duct that would serve that exact purpose.
The door might have a spring inside that releases the “fingers” and if the spring slipped its moorings, door no open. One of ours had this problem and I was able to take off the inside plate on the back of the door and re-attach the spring.
It’s not an over-the-stove unit. Apparently, there’s a plastic part that can break sometimes, leading to this problem.
If the repair people come back with an estimate that’s too high, I guess I’ll try taking it apart and seeing how I can break it further, but I’m going to try appliance repair first.
It certainly could be a spacer. There’s plenty of room in the space where it sits, but maybe that’s to make sure no one tried to jam it into a smaller space, blocking any venting. In the cabinet, there’s a little slot that the base slides into, with a few inches of extra space all around the unit (less where that contraption is, of course).
Yes, from the picture it looks like maybe it has a pin in the center that would prevent normal Torx bits from going in. I’ve seen those before. I actually have a screwdriver set somewhere for a variety of those “security” screws, including Torx bits with holes in the center for those types of screws.
They’re quite common nowadays. I remember ~25 years ago, when I was first starting to work on my own cars, that the only place I could TR-Torx bits was Snap-On. Now they’re available everywhere. I have a set of TR-Torx bits from Lowes (Kobalt) and a cheap pair of individual screwdrivers with the same driver heads. Definitely handy tools to have around.
Years ago I bought a set of screwdriver bits that included all of the security ones (torx, spanner, tri-wing, etc.) though it’s only rarely needed.
Back to your original question, the attachment is the ductwork to vent the microwave out of the built in cabinet. Most people use their MV for brief periods and it proably wouldn’t be needed but an extended period of use would build up significant heat from the generator. Don’t remove or discard it, reinstall with the ducting intact.
Thanks! From your user name, it seems like you know what you’re doing, but in a scary way.
If you get to the DIY fix stage, I’ve had good luck getting replacement parts for various applicaes from www.appliancepartspros.com.
+1
Most (all?) MW’s have some sort of motor and squirrel cage to vent the oven’s interior either back into the kitchen or to the exterior (through the wall):
Sometimes, the motor and fan assembly can be rotated to change from interior to exterior venting.
[ETA: this will generally NOT be all that is required to make this modification]
Meaning: the HVAC foil tape was the right thing to have been used in this application. You should neither monkey with this nor try to bypass or modify it if you don’t know what you’re doing.
With a make and model number, we can give you a 100% answer.
[I thought I replied to @Inferior_Desecrator post, but it appears I replied to @filmore post, who – IIRC – made the right call on the foil tape :-)]
+1 on that one, too.
If you can get in there with a Q-tip and isopropyl alcohol, that’s probably worth doing before the silicone lube.
I have the make and model at home, so I’ll try to remember to post it.
It’s a KitchenAid KCMS1555SSS:
I guess I could try to find another microwave with very similar dimensions and pick up one of those Tamper-Resistant-defeating Torx drivers and swap it out.
Here’s what the microwave looks like in place, with the front panel off:
Plenty of ventilation. The front panel has fins to let air circulate around, so I again wonder if the attachment that started this thread is meant to make sure it’s in a space at least that big.
My microwave just sits in a shelf/cubby. I intentionally didn’t have it built in when I got my kitchen remodeled because I was warned not to do so by more than a few people. It’s a pain in the ass to replace. Either way, there’s no ventilation.
It really just looks like the standard ducting configuration:
Other than the door latch, I’m not clear what problem, if any, you’re trying to solve.
If you want to have the micro ducted to the outside, you may want to have a handyman bid the job. Otherwise, lots of microwaves just vent into the kitchen.
I think the OP’s microwave just vents into the kitchen. The missing front frame almost certainly has vent slots.
Yep. You can see it in the original photos, upthread.
Maybe @RitterSport just needed to vent? 