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Model Number Finder & Decoder

Where the rating label is and how to read the model and serial number.

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Where to Find the Model and Serial Number

Every appliance has a rating label (also called a data plate or serial tag) with the model number, serial number and electrical ratings. Take a photo of it before you call — it lets the technician look up the right parts in advance.

Appliance	Where the label usually is
Refrigerator	Inside the fresh food section on a side wall or ceiling Under the crisper drawers or behind the kick plate at the bottom front Inside the door frame on built-in models
Freezer	Inside on a side wall near the top On the back of a chest freezer near the compressor Inside the lid of a chest freezer
Washer (front-load)	Around the door opening (frame or inside the door) Behind the drain pump access panel at the bottom front On the back panel
Washer (top-load)	Under the lid at the back or along the rim On the back of the control panel On the back panel near the top
Dryer	Inside the door opening on the frame On the inside of the door On the back panel
Dishwasher	On the edge of the inner door (top or sides) On the side of the tub frame visible when the door is open Behind the kick plate on some models
Range / Oven	On the frame behind the storage or warming drawer On the oven frame visible when the door is open Under the cooktop (lift-up tops) or on the back
Wall Oven	On the frame around the oven opening, visible with the door open On the side trim of the control panel
Cooktop	On the underside of the unit (from the cabinet below) A second label is sometimes in the owner's documents or on the box
Microwave (over-the-range)	Inside on the door frame or side wall Behind the vent grille at the top front On the bottom of the unit
Microwave (countertop)	On the back panel Inside on the door frame
Garbage Disposal	On the bottom or side of the unit under the sink
Water Heater	On the rating plate on the side of the tank, usually near the controls
Air Conditioner (outdoor unit)	On the rating plate on a side panel of the outdoor condenser

How to Read It

The model number identifies the product line and options. Letters at the end often mark color or a production revision — include them when ordering parts.
The serial number identifies your individual unit, and on many brands it encodes the manufacture date.
Watch for look-alike characters: 0 and O, 1 and I, 8 and B.

Brand Notes

Brand	Model and serial format	Reading the age
Whirlpool	Also covers Maytag, KitchenAid, Amana and many Kenmore models built by Whirlpool. Serial numbers are usually 10 characters: letters for the plant and year, then digits for the week and a sequence.	On most Whirlpool-built appliances the second character of the serial number is a year code and the next two digits are the week of manufacture. Year letters repeat over time, so confirm the year with the manufacturer.
Maytag	Current Maytag appliances are made by Whirlpool and follow the Whirlpool serial format.	Same as Whirlpool for current models: second character is the year code, next two digits the week.
KitchenAid	KitchenAid major appliances are made by Whirlpool and follow the Whirlpool serial format.	Same as Whirlpool: second character is the year code, next two digits the week.
Kenmore	Kenmore model numbers have a three-digit prefix before the dot that identifies the maker. Common prefixes: 106 (Whirlpool refrigerators), 110 (Whirlpool laundry), 665 (Whirlpool dishwashers), 253 (Frigidaire refrigerators), 790 (Frigidaire ranges), 795 (LG refrigerators), 796 (LG laundry).	Decode the serial number using the rules for the maker identified by the prefix.
GE	GE serial numbers start with two letters followed by digits. The two letters encode the month and year of manufacture.	The first letter is the month: A Jan, D Feb, F Mar, G Apr, H May, L Jun, M Jul, R Aug, S Sep, T Oct, V Nov, Z Dec. The second letter is the year; the year letters repeat every 12 years.
Frigidaire	Frigidaire and other Electrolux-group brands use a 10-character serial: two letters for the factory, then digits.	The third character is the last digit of the year and the fourth and fifth characters are the week of manufacture.
Electrolux	Electrolux uses the same serial format as Frigidaire.	The third character is the last digit of the year and the fourth and fifth are the week.
Samsung	Samsung serial numbers are usually 15 characters long.	On most Samsung appliances the 8th character is a year code and the 9th is the month (1 to 9, then A, B, C for October to December).
LG	LG serial numbers usually start with three digits followed by letters and digits.	The first digit is the last digit of the year and the next two digits are the month (for example 905 means May of a year ending in 9).
Bosch	Bosch, Thermador and Gaggenau (BSH) appliances list an E-Nr (model number) and an FD number on the rating label.	The FD number is a 4-digit production code: add 1920 to the first two digits for the year, and the last two digits are the month (for example FD 9201 is January 2012).

Date codes are general guidance; manufacturers change formats over time. The manufacturer's customer service line can confirm the exact build date from your serial number.

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Model Number Finder & Decoder

Where to Find the Model and Serial Number

How to Read It

Brand Notes

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