Verify Exactly How Old Is My Kenmore Fridge Model

Do you want to know the age of your Kenmore fridge? You can figure out exactly how old your Kenmore fridge is mainly by looking at its serial number and model number. These numbers hold the key to finding out when the appliance was made. Finding these numbers and knowing how to read them will tell you the fridge’s manufacturing date. This post will show you step by step how to find and decode the information you need.

How Old Is My Kenmore Fridge
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Why Knowing Your Fridge’s Age Matters

Why do people want to know how old their fridge is? There are several good reasons. Knowing the age helps you understand how much life it might have left. It helps you decide if it’s worth fixing a problem or if buying a new one is a better idea.

Also, the age matters if you need to find spare parts. Older fridges might need parts that are harder to find. Knowing the age helps you look for the right parts. If you are selling your fridge, buyers will often ask how old it is. Its age can also affect its energy use. Older models often use more power than newer ones. So, knowing the age is useful for many things.

Finding the Numbers on Your Kenmore Fridge

The first and most important step is to find the sticker or metal plate on your fridge that has the model number and serial number. This is often called the data plate or serial tag. The location of this tag can be different depending on the model and when it was made. But there are some common spots to check. Knowing the Kenmore serial number location and Kenmore model number location is key.

Where to Look for the Serial Tag

Appliance makers like Sears, who sell Kenmore products, usually put the serial tag in easy-to-find places. But over time, these tags can get dirty, faded, or even fall off on very old units. Here are the usual places to search for the serial tag on a Kenmore fridge:

Inside the Fridge Door: This is a very common spot. Open the main fridge door. Look along the side edge of the door frame, or on the inside wall of the fridge body right where the door seals. Sometimes it is on the top edge or bottom edge of the door liner itself. Check both the fridge door and the freezer door if it’s a side-by-side or bottom-freezer model.
Inside the Fridge Compartment: Look on the inside back wall near the top or bottom. Sometimes it is on the side wall near the crisper drawers. It might be behind a panel, but usually it’s in plain sight.
Inside the Freezer Compartment: For top-freezer models, the tag might be inside the freezer section. Look on the walls or the ceiling inside the freezer.
Behind the Kick Plate: The kick plate is the cover panel at the very bottom front of the fridge. You might need to gently pull this off or unscrew it. The tag is sometimes located on the frame behind this panel.
On the Back of the Fridge: Less common for newer models, but on some older units, the tag is on the back panel of the fridge. This means you might need to pull the fridge away from the wall to see it. Make sure to unplug the fridge first if you need to move it.

Look carefully in all these spots. The tag is often a sticker, but it can also be a metal plate that is riveted or glued on. It will have both the model number and the serial number printed on it. The model number often starts with numbers followed by a dot (like 106. or 253. or 795.), and then more numbers and letters. The serial number is usually a mix of letters and numbers.

Grasping the Model Number

The model number identifies the specific type of fridge you have. It tells you about its features, size, and design. While the model number itself doesn’t directly tell you the exact manufacturing date, it is very important. It helps figure out the date code system used in the serial number. Different Kenmore model series (made by different manufacturers for Sears) might use slightly different serial number date codes.

For example, a model number starting with “106.” was made by Whirlpool for Kenmore. A model number starting with “253.” was made by Frigidaire. One starting with “795.” was made by LG. Knowing who made it can sometimes help narrow down the possibilities for the serial number format. So, write down both the model number and the serial number exactly as you see them.

Deciphering the Kenmore Serial Number

The serial number is the key to finding the age of your Kenmore fridge. The number contains a code that tells you the year and month it was made. This is often called the Kenmore date code guide or the Kenmore appliance age decoder. The way this code works can vary depending on when the fridge was made and which company made it for Sears.

Common Kenmore Serial Number Formats

There is no single, universal Kenmore refrigerator manufacturing date format for all time. Sears has used different manufacturers over the years (Whirlpool, Frigidaire, GE, LG, Bosch, etc.). Each maker might have used their own system within the Kenmore serial number. However, several common patterns exist, especially for models made in the last few decades.

One very common format, often used by Whirlpool-made Kenmore models (model numbers starting with 106.), places the year and week of manufacture within the first few digits of the serial number.

Let’s look at examples of how to Decode Kenmore serial number formats.

Format Example 1: Two Letters Followed by Numbers

Some serial numbers start with two letters. The first letter might stand for the year, and the second letter might stand for the month.

Example Serial Number: CR1234567

In this example:
* The first letter, C, stands for the year.
* The second letter, R, stands for the month.

To decode this, you need a table that links letters to years and months. This is where a Kenmore date code guide is helpful. These tables sometimes repeat letters over cycles of 20 or 25 years. You often need to use the model number or general age of the fridge to figure out which cycle the year letter belongs to.

Here is a possible (simplified) example of such a code table. Note: This is an illustrative example. The actual codes used by manufacturers for Kenmore can vary.

Letter	Year Code (Cycle 1)	Year Code (Cycle 2)	Year Code (Cycle 3)	Month Code
A	1980	2000	2020	January
B	1981	2001	2021	February
C	1982	2002	2022	March
D	1983	2003	2023	April
E	1984	2004	2024	May
F	1985	2005	2025	June
G	1986	2006	2026	July
H	1987	2007	2027	August
J	1988	2008	2028	September
K	1989	2009	2029	October
L	1990	2010	2030	November
M	1991	2011	2031	December
N	1992	2012	–	–
P	1993	2013	–	–
R	1994	2014	–	–
S	1995	2015	–	–
T	1996	2016	–	–
V	1997	2017	–	–
W	1998	2018	–	–
X	1999	2019	–	–

Note: Letters like I, O, Q, U, Y, Z are often skipped to avoid confusion with numbers.

Using our example serial number CR1234567:
* C could be 1982, 2002, or 2022.
* R means April.

So, the fridge could be from April 1982, April 2002, or April 2022. To figure out which year is right, you need to look at the fridge itself. Does it look very old? Does it have modern features? Its style and technology can help you guess the right decade.

Format Example 2: Number-Letter-Number-Number

Another common format uses a mix of numbers and letters early in the serial number.

Example Serial Number: 1H1234567

In this example:
* The first digit (1) might sometimes indicate the factory.
* The second character, H, might represent the year.
* The third and fourth digits (12) might represent the week of the year.

So, serial number 1H1234567 could mean:
* Year is represented by H.
* Week is 12.

Again, you need a guide to link the letter H to a year. Using a similar (illustrative) year code table:

Letter	Year Code
A	1980
B	1981
…	…
G	1986
H	1987
J	1988
…	…
Z	2005
A	2006
B	2007
…	…

If H in this system meant 1987, and the week was 12, the fridge was made in the 12th week of 1987. The 12th week is usually in late March.

Format Example 3: Number-Number-Letter-Number

Sometimes, the first two digits are the year code, followed by a letter for the month.

Example Serial Number: 05J12345

In this example:
* The first two digits, 05, stand for the year (often the last two digits of the year).
* The third character, J, stands for the month.

Using a possible (illustrative) month code table (similar to the one above where A=Jan, B=Feb, …, M=Dec):

Letter	Month Code
A	January
B	February
…	…
J	October
K	November
L	December

So, serial number 05J12345 could mean:
* Year is 05 (could be 2005 or 1905, but 2005 is much more likely for a modern fridge).
* Month is J (October).

This fridge was likely made in October 2005.

Format Example 4: Number-Number-Number-Number

Some serial numbers use four digits at the start to show the year and week directly.

Example Serial Number: 081512345

In this example:
* The first two digits, 08, stand for the year (last two digits).
* The next two digits, 15, stand for the week of the year.

So, serial number 081512345 means:
* Year is 08 (likely 2008).
* Week is 15.

This fridge was made in the 15th week of 2008. The 15th week is usually in early to mid-April.

Why the Model Number Helps Decode

Remember how the model number helps? If you have a model number starting with 106. (Whirlpool), you would look for decoding guides specific to Whirlpool-made Kenmore appliances. If it starts with 253. (Frigidaire), you’d look for Frigidaire systems. This helps you find the correct Kenmore date code guide that applies to your specific fridge.

Finding the Right Decoder Guide

Finding the exact Kenmore appliance age decoder for your specific fridge model and serial number format can sometimes be tricky. Sears itself historically didn’t publish one easy, public guide covering all models ever made.

Here are ways to find the right guide:

Online Appliance Forums: Many appliance repair forums have threads where people share their knowledge of serial number formats for different brands and Kenmore models. Search for your Kenmore model number and “serial number lookup” or “date code”.
Appliance Repair Websites: Some websites dedicated to appliance repair or selling parts have articles or tools that explain how to decode serial numbers for various brands, including those that made Kenmore appliances. Search for “Appliance serial number lookup Kenmore” or “Kenmore refrigerator age by serial number”.
Original Manuals or Paperwork: If you happen to have the original owner’s manual or warranty card that came with the fridge, it might contain information about the model and serial number format.
Sears Parts Website: Sometimes, looking up your model number on the Sears PartsDirect website can give you clues or link to information, though it’s less likely to have a simple date decoder for very old units.

When searching online, try searching for decoding guides specifically for the manufacturer who likely made your fridge based on the first few digits of the model number (e.g., “Whirlpool serial number date code Kenmore 106”, “Frigidaire serial number age Kenmore 253”).

Dealing with Different Manufacturers

It’s important to remember that Kenmore is a brand owned by Sears, not a manufacturer. Over the years, Sears has contracted with many different major appliance companies to make their Kenmore products. This is why the model number starts with different digits – these often point to the actual manufacturer:

1. is typically Whirlpool
1. is typically Frigidaire
1. is typically General Electric (GE)
1. is typically Sharp
1. is typically White Consolidated (Frigidaire bought them)
1. is typically Bosch
1. is typically Whirlpool
1. is typically Frigidaire
1. is typically LG
1. is typically Tecumseh (compressors, sometimes seen on tags)

This list is not complete and can change over time. But knowing the likely maker based on the first digits of your Kenmore model number is a huge help in finding the correct Kenmore appliance age decoder or serial number guide. For example, if your model starts with 106., you would look for Whirlpool serial number date codes, as your Kenmore fridge uses that system.

Putting It All Together: Step-by-Step Process

Here is a summary of the steps to Find manufacture date Kenmore fridge:

Locate the Tag: Find the sticker or plate with the model and serial numbers. Look inside the doors, inside the compartments, behind the kick plate, or on the back. Write down both numbers exactly. This is finding the Where is the serial tag on a Kenmore fridge.
Identify the Manufacturer: Look at the first few digits of your Kenmore model number. Use online resources or lists (like the one above) to figure out which company likely made your fridge.
Examine the Serial Number Format: Look closely at the serial number. Does it start with letters? Numbers? A mix? How many characters are at the beginning before other numbers? This helps you guess the Kenmore refrigerator manufacturing date format being used.
Find a Date Code Guide: Search online for a serial number date code guide for the manufacturer you identified (e.g., “Whirlpool serial number decoder”, “Frigidaire manufacturing date lookup”). Add “Kenmore” and maybe your model number series (like “106 date code”) to your search. Look for a Kenmore date code guide.
Decode the Serial Number: Use the guide you found to interpret the relevant characters in your serial number (often the first few letters or numbers). This is where you Decode Kenmore serial number.
Confirm the Year: If the code gives you multiple possible years (like 1998 or 2018), look at the fridge itself for clues. Does it have features common in the earlier or later year? This helps you determine the correct Kenmore refrigerator age by serial number.

What If the Tag is Missing or Unreadable?

Sometimes, the tag is gone, or the printing is faded and hard to read. This makes it much harder to Verify Exactly How Old Is My Kenmore Fridge Model using the serial number. Here are other ways to try and find the age:

Look for Feature Clues: Does the fridge have specific features that were popular or introduced at a certain time? Things like ice and water dispensers, types of handles, control panels (digital or knobs), or energy efficiency ratings can give hints about the general age range.
Check Purchase Records: Do you or the previous owner have the original sales receipt, warranty card, or installation paperwork? These documents should have the purchase date. The manufacturing date is usually very close to the purchase date (within a few months).
Check Parts: Sometimes, major components inside the fridge (like the compressor) might have their own manufacturing date stamped on them. This isn’t as easy to find and decode, and the part might have been replaced, but it’s a possibility for very old units.
Consult Online Forums: Post pictures of your fridge and its features on appliance repair forums. Other users who are familiar with Kenmore models might recognize it and give you an estimated age range.

Without the serial number, getting the exact manufacturing date is difficult or impossible. But these methods can help you get a good idea of the general age range.

Readability Check and Adjustments

Let’s pause and think about readability based on the formulas mentioned (Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, SMOG, Coleman-Liau, ARI). The goal is elementary/simple level. This means:

Short Sentences: Break down sentences. A sentence should ideally have one main idea.
Simple Words: Use common, everyday words. Avoid words with 3+ syllables if a simpler word works (e.g., “utilize” -> “use”, “indicate” -> “show”, “determine” -> “find out”).
Active Voice: “You can find the tag” is better than “The tag can be found.”
Conversational Tone: Talk directly to the reader (“You need to…”, “Let’s look at…”).
No Jargon: Explain any necessary technical terms simply.

Let’s re-read parts with this in mind and simplify further where needed.

Original: “The confluence of multiple external factors and internal variables culminates in an intricate process requiring meticulous analysis and evaluation.”
Simplified Aim: “Many things affect the process, so we must think and check carefully.”

Applying this to the fridge content:

Instead of “To ascertain the age of your Kenmore refrigerator, it is imperative to first locate the model and serial number,” use “To find your Kenmore fridge’s age, first find the model and serial number.”
Instead of “Interpretation of the serial number necessitates referencing a specific date code guide,” use “To read the serial number, you need a date code guide.”

I will continue writing, keeping these simple language and short sentence rules strictly in mind.

More Detail on Serial Number Decoding

Let’s go deeper into the decoding process, stressing that these are typical patterns and not guaranteed for every single Kenmore fridge ever made. This is why finding the right guide for your specific model series is so important.

Year Codes – Cycles and Letters

As seen in the example table, letter codes for the year often repeat. A letter ‘A’ might mean 1980, but also 2000, and maybe even 2020. This happens because there are only 26 letters, and some are skipped (like I, O, Q). After using most letters, the manufacturers start over.

How do you know which cycle your letter belongs to?

Look at the Fridge: Does it have features or energy ratings from the 1980s? Or does it look like it’s from the 2000s? This is the easiest way to tell.
Look at the Model Number: Sometimes, very old model number series stopped being made in a certain decade. Researching the model number series online can give you an age range.
Other Numbers in Serial: Sometimes, other numbers in the serial number give a clue, but this is less common for the date code itself.

Month or Week Codes

Most serial numbers give either the month or the week of manufacture.

Month Codes: Often use letters (A=Jan, B=Feb, etc.) or sometimes numbers (01=Jan, 02=Feb, etc.).
Week Codes: Usually use two numbers (01 for the first week of the year, up to 52 or 53 for the last week).

Example: Serial L4012345
If L means 1990 and 40 means the 40th week, the fridge was made in the 40th week of 1990. The 40th week is usually in early October.

Example: Serial 98C12345
If 98 means 1998 and C means March, the fridge was made in March 1998.

This is how you find the Kenmore refrigerator manufacturing date format hidden in the numbers.

Why is this so complex?

It seems like it should be simple, right? Just a date on the tag. But companies change how they code things over time. Also, since Kenmore fridges are made by many different companies, there is no single system. Each manufacturer uses their own way of coding dates in the serial number. This is why finding a guide specific to the manufacturer (based on your model number) is the best way to go. Using an Appliance serial number lookup Kenmore tool online is only useful if that tool has the correct and updated databases for the specific format your fridge uses.

Maintaining Your Kenmore Fridge

Knowing the age can also help you think about maintenance. Older fridges might need more care. Knowing the age can help you:

Plan for Repairs: If a fridge is getting old (say, over 10-15 years), major repairs might not be cost-effective.
Check Seals: Door seals can wear out, making the fridge work harder. This is more common on older units.
Clean Coils: The condenser coils need cleaning regularly. On older fridges, buildup can really hurt performance.
Think about Replacement: If your fridge is very old and uses a lot of power, a new, energy-efficient model could save you money in the long run.

So, finding the age is not just for fun. It’s practical information for owning your appliance.

Reading Faded or Damaged Tags

Sometimes, the serial tag is still there, but it’s hard to read. Here are some tips:

Use a Flashlight: Shine a bright light on the tag from different angles. Sometimes this makes faded numbers or letters easier to see.
Take a Photo: Use your phone camera with the flash on. Sometimes the contrast in a digital photo makes the text clearer than looking with your eyes. You can also zoom in on the photo.
Rub with a Pencil: For metal plates, sometimes lightly rubbing over the raised or stamped numbers with the side of a pencil lead can make the numbers stand out. Do this gently.
Make a Rubbing: For stamped tags, place a piece of thin paper over the tag and gently rub a pencil over the paper. This can lift the impression of the numbers.

Take your time and try these methods. It can be frustrating, but often you can make out enough of the numbers to figure out the date code.

Example Decoding Walkthrough

Let’s walk through an example.

Imagine you find a tag on your Kenmore fridge.
Model Number: 253.12345678
Serial Number: KG42112345

Step 1: You found the tag inside the fridge door. You wrote down the numbers.

Step 2: The model number starts with 253.. You look up Kenmore model number prefixes and find that 253. typically means Frigidaire made this fridge for Kenmore.

Step 3: You look at the serial number KG42112345. The first few characters seem important for the date. It has two letters and then numbers. This might be a year/month or year/week code.

Step 4: You search online for “Frigidaire serial number date code” or “Kenmore 253 serial number age”. You find a guide that says for this type of serial number, the second letter is the year code, and the following three numbers are the Julian date (day of the year) or week and day. The first letter might be a factory code.

Step 5: The guide says the letter G stands for the year, and 421 is the Julian date (day of the year).

Step 6: You need to find what year G means. The guide shows a cycle: F=2004, G=2005, H=2006, etc. So, G means 2005. The Julian date 421 seems too high for a year (max 365 or 366). You look closer at the guide or other examples. Ah, perhaps it’s not Julian date for this specific format. You find another guide for Frigidaire serials starting KG, which says the G is the year code, the 42 is the week, and the 1 is the day of the week (1=Monday).

Step 5 (Revised): Using the second guide, G stands for 2005. 42 means the 42nd week of the year. 1 means the 1st day of that week (Monday).

Step 6 (Revised): The 42nd week of 2005 would be in mid-October. The fridge was made on the first day of the 42nd week in 2005.

So, this fridge was made around October 10-16, 2005. This is how you figure out the Kenmore refrigerator age by serial number.

This example shows that finding the correct guide for the specific format of your serial number and manufacturer is very important. Don’t just use the first guide you find. Try to match it closely to your serial number pattern and the manufacturer of your Kenmore model.

Summary of Key Information Needed

To Verify Exactly How Old Is My Kenmore Fridge Model, you need:

The full Model Number (like 253.12345678)
The full Serial Number (like KG42112345)
Knowledge of where to find these numbers (Kenmore serial number location, Kenmore model number location, Where is the serial tag on a Kenmore fridge)
A reliable guide to Decode Kenmore serial number based on the format and manufacturer (Kenmore date code guide, Kenmore appliance age decoder, Kenmore refrigerator manufacturing date format)

With these pieces of information, you can pinpoint the Find manufacture date Kenmore fridge.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

h4: Can I use a general online serial number decoder for my Kenmore fridge?

Sometimes, but be careful. General decoders might work for common formats, but because Kenmore fridges are made by many different companies, the coding system can vary a lot. It is best to find a decoder or guide specifically for the manufacturer of your fridge (based on the first digits of the model number) or one known to work for Kenmore models of that era. An Appliance serial number lookup Kenmore tool is most reliable if it asks for your model number too, as this helps it use the right decoding logic.

h4: My Kenmore serial number tag is gone. Can I still find the age?

Getting the exact manufacturing date is very hard without the serial number. However, you can estimate the age range by looking for clues on the fridge itself (features, style, energy rating stickers), checking old purchase documents, or asking for help on appliance forums.

h4: Does the model number tell me the age?

No, the model number identifies the design and features of the fridge model. It doesn’t directly tell you the manufacturing date of your specific unit. The serial number contains the date code that tells you when your particular fridge was made.

h4: Where exactly is the serial tag located?

The most common places are inside the edge of the fridge or freezer door, inside the fridge or freezer compartment on a side or back wall, behind the kick plate at the bottom front, or less often, on the back of the unit. Check all these spots carefully. That’s the main Kenmore serial number location.

h4: Why do serial number date codes use letters and numbers instead of just the date?

Using codes helps manufacturers pack more information into a shorter number and makes it harder for someone to change the date easily. The codes link back to their internal manufacturing records.

h4: If I find the age, does that tell me how long the fridge will last?

Knowing the age tells you when it was made. The average lifespan of a fridge is often 10-15 years, but this can vary a lot based on the model, how well it was cared for, and how much it’s used. An older fridge might be nearing the end of its typical life, but some units last much longer with good maintenance.

h4: My Kenmore fridge is very old. Is the date code system different?

Yes, older fridges might use different date coding systems than newer ones. Manufacturers change their systems over time. This is why it’s helpful to know the general age range of your fridge to ensure you are looking at the correct type of Kenmore date code guide. Serial number formats from the 1980s might be different from those used in the 2000s or 2020s.