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G.E. Profile Microwave Door Button Won't Open Door
The door button on my G.E. Profile Microwave broke. When pushed, the button makes no contact with mechanism behind it. There is no resistance like there is when it is functioning. Therefore, the door cannot be opened and the turntable continues to go around slowly (without the microwave heating mechanism running).
ANSWERS:
Just adding to the info above after fortunately finding this website after my “plastic post” broke on my built-in GE Profile microwave . When you push the button to open the door like you have numerous times before but this time you hear a snap and feel the button go all the way in freely you’ll hopefully find your way here. First thing to do is unplug the microwave so that the light will go out and the turntable will stop turning. You’ll have to unplug it anyway to remove it from the wall to fix the post. After you use the thin piece of cardboard to jimmy the door open the next task is to figure out where all the screws are holding the trim piece on and then the ones mounting the unit to the wall/cabinent. Once you get it out of the wall/cabinent and remove the housing a quick search will find the broken plastic post and the “plastic cam” that rotates on the post laying somewhere. After you actually see these parts and where they should be you’ll realize what a lousy design GE has come up with to actuate opening a door ! Talk about planned obsolecence !! Now the reason for my post…if you don’t make the effort to use a 4-40 screw , nut and washers to remount this plastic post to where it broke off you’ll just end up right back with a broken microwave down the road when the plastic post breaks off again. That’s what I’d expect if you had a GE repairman or anyone else replace the entire plastic assembly and restore it back to the way it was designed. By remounting the plastic post with hardware you’ll actually be improving the original design considerably and hopefully you won’t ever have to do it again !! The only other thing I want to add is to make sure you use a 4-40 machine screw that has a head big enough to keep the plastic cam part from sliding over it. Use a washer if needed but you don’t want the plastic cam to be able to slide off the post once the post is screwed to the main plastic frame piece. Also, I used a 1.25 inch long machine screw as I found it a lot easier to get the washer and nut on it…there’s plenty of space. That’s it…good luck ! You’ll feel a lot better about the whole debacle once you have everything put back together and the microwave is working again as intended (and now improved !)
"You have to be able to open it to repair it. Be sure to unplug it before working it. You may be able to use a flat head screwdriver to push the mechanism by inserting it on the right side after you have depressed the button but you’re probably out of luck on this on. In case you do get it open, here’s my answer on how to fix it once you can get to it
Microwave door button spring"
Dave’s answer is a good one and it helped me quite a bit. Key points from my experience: 1) use a thin piece of carboard to slide in the right side of the door and lift up the hooks holding the door closed. 2) Bite the bullet and take off the surround ( another crappy part of an overall crappy design, but I digress.) and remove the microwave from the cabinet. Not too bad… only 2 additional screws. Unplug it or course… Probably a good first step. 3) take out about 8 little screws and remove the housing. Be very careful once you get inside… don’t mess with any of the electrical connections. These things have capacitors that hold a charge and blast you!. 4) Find the incredibly insufficient post that has broken off probably just after the warranty period. I used a #4-40 x 1” screw and nut, and some E6000 glue to glue/bolt the post back on. 5) Put the whole mess back together and reinstall. I think the root cause of the failure is that it is possible to push the release button too far (no hard stop) and over stress the ridiculously tiny plastic post. So I have cautioned the family to just push the button enough to release the door and no more. Before ours failed it got to where we had to push the button harder and farther. If this starts to happen to you and you are still under warranty report it and get it fixed. If it is not under warranty you may want to make a preemptory repair. Good luck.
"A few tips to add to the previous helpful posts:
1) Use a flat thin (~1” x 5”) flexible plastic strip (cut from a plastic disposable food container) to jimmy the microwave door open.
2) Use a thin screwdriver or stiff metal wire (e.g., from a wire clothes hanger) to pop the trim screw covers (if you have them) from the other side so as to not scratch the pop-on covers.
3) Keep the microwave level when moving it, so the broken cam piece doesn't get lost under the microwave.
4) Use a Torx security T15 bit to open the case.
5) Use a minimum 1 inch #4-40 screw and nut. It will be easier if the screw is 1.25"" or 1.5"".
6) Put a tooth/serrated washer before the nut to prevent loosening. I did it the first time without the washer and the screw loosened, the post got wobbly, and the plastic lever popped out after 8 months. So I put a tooth washer in the second time."
My GE profile microwave suffered the same fate. The ridiculously flimsy post had snapped off, but I was able to repair it with these instructions and a #4-40 1.25 inch screw and nut. It took me a while to figure out how to put the cam piece back on, but I got there eventually. Thanks to all of you who posted information about this fix!! It was very helpful.
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