power of the refrigerator before removing any panels or screws. If the plug is hidden behind cabinets or in another hard-to-reach location, flip the breaker switch that controls the power to the kitchen.

Find the thermostat on your fridge. Most refrigerators with the freezer on top, the thermostat is either at the rear of the freezer compartment or on the underside of the refrigerator's floor panel. In a side-by-side fridge, the thermostat will be located in the back, on the freezer side.

Remove the icemaker and any food or shelves located in front of the thermostat. Depending on the construction of your refrigerator, you may have to loosen a few screws or remove some retaining clips to take out the inside panel of the freezer.

Use needle-nose pliers to remove the wires from the ends of the thermostat's terminals. Grip the wires close to the end and gently tug until the slip-on connectors pull away from the terminal.

Remove any screws or clamps holding the thermostat in place. Some refrigerator models have the thermostat clamped around the evaporator tube, be careful not to damage this tube while loosening the thermostat. Others may have a clip that can be released before pulling the thermostat up and out of the assembly.

Set the new thermostat in place and reconnect any clips, clamps or screws. If you had to unclamp the thermostat from the fridge's evaporator tube in the previous step, be sure to clamp the new thermostat in the same location. Slip the ends of the wires onto the terminals of the new thermostat. Replace any inside panels, screws or clips that you removed. Plug the refrigerator's cord back into the electrical outlet or flip the breaker back on, and wait for the unit to cool down.

My problem is how to replace the thermostat.  I cannot figure out how to get the plastic mounting plate off without breaking it.  I appreciate any suggestions.