Kenmore Refrigerator Model Number Lookup and Decoder

Quick Answer

The model number is usually on a sticker inside the refrigerator compartment on the side wall or ceiling. Look for a number starting with three digits and a decimal, like 106. or 795., which identifies the manufacturer of your Kenmore unit.

Here's the thing about Kenmore fridges. Sears never built a single one. They put their name on units made by Whirlpool, LG, Frigidaire, Samsung, and others, and if you ignore that three-digit prefix you'll end up ordering the wrong parts every time. I've watched customers buy three wrong water filters in a row because they just searched 'Kenmore' without knowing their manufacturer. Get the prefix first.

KenmoreRefrigeratorSeverity: low

Time to Fix

5–10 min

Difficulty

beginner

Parts Cost

$0 (no parts needed)

Tools Needed

Flashlight or phone with flashlight mode, Phone camera for photographing the sticker

Kenmore Refrigerator Model Number Lookup and Decoder

OK so here's the deal. Sears never manufactured a refrigerator in their life. They just slapped the Kenmore badge on units built by Whirlpool, LG, Frigidaire, Samsung, and a few others. The 106 and 665 series are Whirlpool-built. The 795 series is LG. The 253 is Frigidaire. I showed up to a call last week where someone had ordered three wrong ice maker assemblies before they figured this out. Get your prefix, identify the real manufacturer, and everything gets way easier and usually cheaper.

Common Causes

You ordered a replacement water filter that wouldn't seat correctly because the packaging just said 'fits Kenmore' without specifying which manufacturer series it's actually compatible with.
Your ice maker stopped working and the repair tech asked for the full model number before they'd give you a parts quote, and you realized you'd never written it down and have no idea where to find it.
The rubber door gasket tore and you found 15 different gaskets online all claiming to fit Kenmore refrigerators, with no clear way to figure out which one actually matches your unit.
You bought the fridge secondhand with no paperwork, no manual, no receipt, and you're starting completely from scratch trying to figure out what you actually own.
The owner's manual lists a model number but when you searched it the parts shown don't match what's actually inside your fridge, which happens constantly with Kenmore because the manuals cover whole product lines.

Symptoms You May Notice

You got a water filter that leaks or won't seat correctly because it's the wrong spec for your actual manufacturer, even though the packaging said it fits Kenmore.
A repair tech is coming out and asked for the full model and serial number, and you genuinely don't know where to find it.
You've been searching 'Kenmore refrigerator parts' online and keep getting results that clearly don't match anything you see when you open your fridge.
The ice maker or water dispenser quit and you need to find compatible replacement parts without paying full retail prices at a big box store.

Tools Required for Diagnosis

Flashlight or phone with flashlight modePhone camera for photographing the stickerFlathead screwdriver (only needed if removing the kickplate on older models)

Diagnostic Checklist

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the model number on a Kenmore side-by-side refrigerator?

On side-by-sides it's almost always on the upper right side wall inside the refrigerator section. Not the freezer side. People check the freezer constantly and wonder why they can't find it. If it's not right there at the top of the wall, check the ceiling of the refrigerator compartment. I've also found them on the floor behind the bottom crisper bin on a few older models. Pull that bin completely out and shine your flashlight along the back bottom wall. Takes about 30 seconds once you know where to look.

What do the first 3 digits of a Kenmore model number mean?

Sears never built appliances. They outsourced everything. Those three digits before the decimal tell you exactly who manufactured your fridge. 106 and 665 are Whirlpool-built. 795 is LG. 253 is Frigidaire. 596 is Amana. 363 means GE built it. 401 is Samsung. This matters a lot because the internal components are identical to the original manufacturer's models. You can often find the exact same part way cheaper by searching under the real manufacturer's part number instead of searching 'Kenmore parts.' I've saved customers $60 on a single water filter using this trick.

Why is the model number on the manual different from the fridge?

Manuals are printed for an entire product line, not your specific unit. They list a base model number that might cover a dozen different variants with different internal components. The sticker inside your actual fridge is the only accurate source for your exact revision, color code, and production run. I've seen two refrigerators that looked completely identical but had different ice maker assemblies because of minor production changes between runs. Always go off the sticker. If the sticker's gone, call Sears Parts Direct with your serial number and they can usually look it up.

How can I tell how old my Kenmore refrigerator is?

You need the serial number, which is on the same sticker as the model number. For Whirlpool-built units (106 prefix), look at the second letter of the serial, that indicates the production year. For LG-built units (795 prefix), the first digit is the year and the next two digits are the month. It's a little different for each manufacturer, so honestly the easiest thing is to use a free serial number decoder online. Just search for the manufacturer name plus 'serial number date decoder' and you'll get something that does the math for you.

Can I find the model number on the back of the refrigerator?

Almost never on a residential unit. Manufacturers figured out a long time ago that fridges are heavy and nobody wants to pull them away from the wall just to read a sticker. So they put the tag inside the cabinet where you can access it without moving anything. Very occasionally on really old models you'll see something on the back near the compressor, but if you're dealing with a standard Kenmore fridge from the last 30 years, if the interior sticker is gone, check the door frame before you even think about pulling the fridge out from the wall.

Can I use the manufacturer prefix to find cheaper compatible parts?

Yes, and honestly this is one of the best money-saving tricks for Kenmore repairs. Once you know your prefix and identify the actual manufacturer, search for parts using the equivalent manufacturer model number. A Kenmore 795 fridge shares a ton of components with specific LG models. Water filters, ice maker assemblies, door gaskets, compressor start relays. The parts are often identical, you're just skipping the Kenmore branding markup. I regularly save people $40-80 on a single part this way. Look up your full model number on a parts cross-reference site to find the OEM equivalent.

Models Known to Experience MODEL-REFRIGERATOR-LOOKUP Errors

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

106.51133210, 795.72053110, 253.70313211, 596.76523500, 363.50022000, 665.60612000, 401.41003010

Written by

Mike Sullivan

Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 20 years experience

Last verified for technical accuracy on May 20, 2024