Kenmore Model 596 Refrigerator Identification & Parts Guide

Quick Answer

Look for your model number on a silver or white sticker located on the interior side wall of the fresh food compartment. The 596 prefix tells us your Kenmore was actually manufactured by Amana, which is a huge help when we are hunting down compatible Whirlpool-style parts.

I've seen this play out dozens of times. Someone orders a water filter or door seal, gets the wrong one, and waits another week for the right part to show up. The full 596 model number is what saves you from that headache. And since Amana built these units, a lot of parts cross over to Whirlpool and Maytag, which means you've got way more sourcing options than you'd expect from a Kenmore.

KenmoreRefrigeratorSeverity: low

Time to Fix

5–10 min

Difficulty

beginner

Parts Cost

$0 (no parts needed)

Tools Needed

Flashlight, Phone camera

Kenmore Model 596 Refrigerator Identification & Parts Guide

The 596 series is honestly one of the most popular bottom-mount and French door lines Kenmore ever made. Built by Amana, so internally they're basically the same animal as an Amana or Whirlpool Gold from that same era. Parts are easy to find and usually not expensive. Most repairs on these are pretty straightforward once you know what you're actually working with.

Symptoms You May Notice

Your ice maker quit working and the parts website won't show you diagrams without the full model number first
The door gasket is peeling away from the frame and you need to match it exactly because 596 models came with a few different seal profiles depending on the specific sub-model
Water filter won't seat properly, which usually means someone grabbed the wrong filter by cross-referencing the brand name instead of the actual full model number
Fridge stopped cooling and a tech is coming out but called ahead asking for the complete number off the sticker so they can pull the right parts diagram
You're trying to register for an extended warranty or check a recall notice and the form rejects anything shorter than the complete model string

Tools Required for Diagnosis

FlashlightPhone cameraPhillips #2 screwdriver (for kick plate removal if needed)

Diagnostic Checklist

Follow these steps in order. We start with the easiest external fixes before opening up the machine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who actually manufactured the Kenmore model 596?

Amana built these. And here's where it gets genuinely useful: Whirlpool bought Amana back in 2001, so when you're shopping for parts for your 596, you're basically inside the Whirlpool parts ecosystem. That means ice maker assemblies, water filters, door gaskets, evaporator fans, all of it is available from stores that stock Whirlpool and Maytag components. Way more availability than if Kenmore had built these with proprietary parts that only one supplier carries. It's honestly one of the better-supported older fridge platforms out there.

What do the extra numbers after 596 mean?

The digits after the decimal narrow down your exact unit. Something like 596.72002010 tells us the specific configuration, capacity, color, and even minor production run changes made during the manufacturing cycle. Those last couple digits matter more than people think. I had a customer order a door bin using just the first eight characters of her model number and the bin was a quarter inch too narrow because a mid-run change shifted the shelf rail position. Always use the full number. Every single digit.

How do I know which water filter fits my 596 model?

Most of the 596 lineup uses either the EveryDrop Filter 4 or the UKF8001 style, both standard Amana and Whirlpool filters that you can find anywhere. But some earlier 596 models had a completely different filter housing, and if you order by brand name you'll get the wrong one. Just punch your full model number into the Whirlpool parts lookup or Sears Parts Direct and it'll tell you exactly which filter yours takes. Takes about 30 seconds and saves you a week of waiting for an exchange.

Is the 596 series a French door or a bottom freezer?

Both, actually. The 596 prefix covered a wide range of configurations across several years of production. Some are single door on top with a pull-out bottom freezer drawer. Others are French door on top with a bottom freezer. If your freezer is on the bottom and the model starts with 596, you've got an Amana-sourced chassis regardless of whether the top section has one door or two. The specific digits after the decimal will tell you exactly which configuration you've got when you're ordering door hardware or gaskets.

Can I use Whirlpool or Maytag parts in my Kenmore 596?

Yes, and this is honestly one of the best things about owning a 596. Since Amana built it and Whirlpool owns Amana, a ton of internal components are shared across the Whirlpool, Maytag, and Amana lines from the same production era. Ice maker assemblies, evaporator fans, defrost timers, door gaskets. You'll want to verify by cross-referencing your full model number first, but I've ordered Whirlpool OEM parts for 596 fridges probably a hundred times at this point and they drop right in.

What if my model number sticker is missing or completely unreadable?

It happens a lot on older units or ones that've had heavy condensation buildup near the sticker location. A few options. First, check your original purchase receipt or the owner's manual if you've still got it. Second, try the Sears model lookup tool using just your serial number if you can read that instead. Third, look for an embossed plate or stamped number on the back of the fridge itself, sometimes behind the lower kick plate area. If all else fails, a tech can usually narrow down your model from the physical dimensions and feature set, but that's the slow and expensive way to handle it.

Models Known to Experience MODEL-596-LOOKUP Errors

This repair applies to most Kenmore refrigerators with this error code. Common model numbers include:

596.72002010, 596.73503200, 596.75522400, 596.76573500, 596.79073990, 596.71153101, 596.65232402

Written by

Mike Sullivan

Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 20 years experience

Last verified for technical accuracy on May 1, 2025