Samsung Refrigerator Evaporator Fan Motor Parts — Models & Compatibility

Your Samsung French door refrigerator's evaporator fan motor is the hardest-working component you never think about — until it stops. This brushless DC motor runs continuously to circulate cold air from the evaporator coils throughout both the freezer and fresh food compartments. When it fails, you'll notice uneven cooling, frost buildup, or complete temperature loss. This hub covers the DA31-00345A BLDC evaporator fan motor, compatible with RF28R, RF22R, RF24R, and RF23A series models.

Is This the Right Part for Your Model?

Samsung's model number is typically located on the left interior wall of the refrigerator compartment, near the top. You'll see a white or silver sticker with a string like "RF28R7201SR/AA" printed on it. The DA31-00345A motor directly replaces older versions DA31-00334D and DA31-00287C, so if your tech diagnosed either of those part numbers, this is your upgrade. Check that your model number matches the RF28R, RF22R, RF24R, or RF23A prefix — these French door models all use the same evaporator fan design.

About This Replacement Part

The DA31-00345A is Samsung's brushless DC (BLDC) evaporator fan motor, engineered specifically for their French door refrigerator lineup. Unlike older brush-type motors, BLDC technology delivers quieter operation and longer service life because there's no physical contact between moving parts. The motor spins at variable speeds based on cooling demand — you'll hear it ramp up after door openings or during defrost recovery. Samsung switched to this motor design around 2018 across their premium RF-series models, making DA31-00345A the most common replacement part for 4-door and Family Hub configurations. It mounts directly to the evaporator assembly in the back of the freezer compartment, secured by three screws and a wire harness connector. The motor includes the fan blade assembly, so you're replacing the complete unit — no need to transfer old blades or spacers.

What Models Use This Motor?

This evaporator fan motor fits Samsung's RF-series French door refrigerators manufactured between 2018 and 2024. The compatible model list includes the popular Family Hub models (RF28R7551SG, RF22R7551SG), standard French door configurations (RF28R7201SR, RF28R7351SG), and the newer Bespoke series (RF23A9671SR). All these models share the same evaporator system architecture, making DA31-00345A the universal replacement across the entire RF lineup. If your refrigerator has French doors on top and either a drawer freezer or bottom freezer compartment, and the model number starts with RF2 or RF3, this motor will fit.

Why This Motor Fails

Evaporator fan motors typically fail after 5-8 years of continuous operation, though some units develop issues earlier due to frost buildup or bearing wear. The most common failure mode is bearing seizure — the motor tries to start but can't overcome friction, resulting in a humming sound without any airflow. You might also see the motor run intermittently, working for a few minutes then stopping as internal thermal protection kicks in. Ice accumulation around the fan housing accelerates wear, especially if your defrost system isn't cycling properly. When the motor fails completely, your freezer will still make ice (the icemaker has its own fan), but the refrigerator compartment will gradually warm up because cold air isn't being circulated from the evaporator.

Installation Overview

Replacing this motor requires accessing the evaporator cover panel inside your freezer compartment. You'll need to remove all freezer contents, unscrew the rear panel (usually 6-8 screws around the perimeter), and disconnect the wire harness from the old motor. The motor itself is held by three screws — once removed, the entire fan assembly lifts out. Installation is reverse order: mount the new motor, connect the harness, replace the panel, and power up. The job takes about 45 minutes if you work methodically. Don't skip the step of checking for ice buildup before reinstalling the panel — if there's excessive frost, you've got a defrost problem that needs addressing or this new motor won't last long either.

Compatible Samsung Refrigerator Models

Below are the most common Samsung models that use the DA31-00345A evaporator fan motor. This isn't the complete list — Samsung used this motor across 50+ model variations — but these represent the majority of installations. If your model number isn't listed but starts with RF2 or RF3, cross-reference the old motor's part number stamped on its housing.