Sears Kenmore Identification: 110, 796, 417 — Who Built Yours?
Sears never built a single washer or dryer. Every Kenmore unit was manufactured by a partner OEM, and the first three digits of the model number tell you exactly which one.
The prefix is your decoder ring. Look at the model tag inside the door frame or under the lid.
- 110 — Whirlpool. Covers a huge slice of Kenmore laundry production from the 1980s through the 2010s. Parts cross directly to Whirlpool catalog numbers (look for 279xxx, 285xxx, or 8xxxxxx).
- 796 — LG. Front-loaders with the round window and the LG-style direct-drive motor. Drum bearings, control boards, and drain pumps are all LG-coded.
- 417 — Frigidaire (now Electrolux). The Affinity-style front-loaders we see often in Fullerton and Fountain Valley rentals. Door switch assemblies and rear drum bearings are the recurring service items.
- 592 — GE.
- 587 — Bosch.
- 665 — dishwashers (Whirlpool), not laundry.
Once you know who built your unit, you can pull the correct service manual, source the right thermal fuse or drum belt, and avoid ordering a part that physically will not fit.
DIY range: identification itself is free. Pull the model tag, read the first three digits, photograph the rest. From there, sourcing the right part is the same exercise as repairing the underlying brand, with the same DIY-or-tech decision points. Thermal fuses, lid switches, and door latches are approachable. Control boards, MCU replacements, and tub seal jobs usually are not.
We covered the Kenmore manufacturer decoder in a sister post that goes deeper on the field implications. For an actual service call:
We’re at (949) 283-6111 weekdays and weekends, 8am to 7pm. Three-month warranty on parts and labor.
