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I have a Maytag side-by-side with a defrost issue. Not sure of the model number, but I recall it was described as a zigzag when I bought it (fridge on the right, freezer and ice maker on the left). It’s just over 3 years old.
2 weeks ago we cam home to find water all over the kitchen floor and the fridge periodically making a buzzing noise akin to something attempting to switch in but failing. The freezer had defrosted in a matter of hours and some stuff in the fridge had frozen solid.
Operation clean up took care of the mess whilst the I consulted the Maytag manual, which is pointless unless your problem is no more complex than ‘my light doesn’t come on when I open the door’. After being turned off for 24 hours and vacuuming vents and so on we turned back on and it was like the thing had a new lease of life. Even the ice crusher was crushing again.
Being cautious we didn’t completely refill the fridge and freezer which has turned out to be a wise move because it’s done it again after 2 weeks.
First contact with the Maytag customer service hasn’t been the most pleasurable experience. All they wanted to do was tell me it’ll cost £135 for a call out charge and wouldn’t offer the slightest hint of what the problem may be. In fact, my first (and likely last) buying experience of Maytag hasn’t been good. I can’t believe they don’t operate a list of ‘Known problems’ which would at least enable them to give an indication of final repair costs.
Anyway, there seems to be a wealth of knowledge on this forum and I expect a fairly accurate diagnosis can be offered based on my description. More importantly for me though is…
Should I even bother repairing or just replace with a more reliable unit. The more I read the more it seems there is an emerging gloomy picture of modern Maytags. Is this just the start?
If I repair, where can I find a decent local repairer (Woking Surrey area)? I normally prefer to use local trades anyway and the Maytag attitude makes me feel even more like doing so in this case.
Can anyone offer a guess of what it is likely to be and the probable repair cost?
Anyone had a similar experience and how did you get on after repair was completed?
Thanks, Jon
Re: Maytag side-by-side fault
hllo jim, the problem is more than likely the compressor on your fridge.
the buzzing you hear is going to be the compressor trying to start and then failing.
occasionally on these, the starting device on the compressor has been at fault, if it’s this then you’re lucky.
hth,
cheers.Re: Maytag side-by-side fault
keepoffthemarbles wrote:Operation clean up took care of the mess whilst the I consulted the Maytag manual, which is pointless unless your problem is no more complex than ‘my light doesn’t come on when I open the door’. After being turned off for 24 hours and vacuuming vents and so on we turned back on and it was like the thing had a new lease of life. Even the ice crusher was crushing again.
Hi Jon,
For the above and, I suspect the lack of phone support, I think you may have our friends in Brussels to blame I’m afraid, not Maytag.
In Europe manufacturers are EXTREMELY reluctant to offer anything beyond the most basic of basics as, if you blow yourself up after being given advice, even if you didn’t follow it to the letter, then they can be held responsible in law. They often won’t even give us in the trade that information and we’re most certainly not at liberty to republish it. Mad, isn’t it?
Welcome to our politically correct world and why you won’t get a lot of information beyond those most basic of basics as, no-one wants sued by grieving relatives frankly.
If that law changes then so may this to a more open approach seen in other areas of the world. Even in lawsuit central, also known as the US of A, wiring and parts diagrams are generally freely available, but in Europe, not a hope due the culture of fear that we have of litigation.
People (we’re told) want as much safety and accountability (someone to blame when it doesn’t go their way) as possible, often way beyond that of other markets outside of Europe but by the same token, when people want support that is possibly dangerous for DIY, then people bemoan the lack of support. It’s a Catch 22, you can’t have your cake and eat it. Obviously that is a generalisation and not intended or aimed at anyone in particular other than the idiots that come up with this stuff.
As Alf says, it does sound compressor related but I doubt the staff at Maytag, even if they knew that, would be able (allowed) to tell you due to the above.
One question though, the airflow to the machine isn’t restricted is it? In hot weather it’s easy to overheat a compressor if the airflow is restricted in some way and that may explain why it worked again then konked out once more after a bit.
HTH
K.
Re: Maytag side-by-side fault
Hi
If your F/F is still running it sounds like the condensor fan has failed,This failing will cause the refrigerant to boil and become less efficient thus lack of cooling.
By switching off and vacuuming you have allowed to cool the refrigerant down and allow more air to circulate.
Bryan
Re: Maytag side-by-side fault
Thanks for the feedback guys.
The legal stuff makes some sense now you mention it.
Update of the fridge. The freezer did defrost itself, but started working again within a few 8 hours. I guess the issue could be ambient heat related, but our kitchen is reasonably cool and the first failure wasn’t during hot weather. I’ve checked all the vents are clean and the unit is installed with more clearance than the handbook specified.
I’ll keep an eye on it over the next week or so before I decide what to do next.
Thanks, Jon
Re: Maytag side-by-side fault
I promised an update, so here it is..
As feared the issue has returned, but this time it seems to be isolated to the freezer defrosting.
I removed the lower back panel and got the vacuum cleaner in there for a thorough clean. In doing so I exposed what I assume is the compressor (large black bulb object), a small, 2-3 inch silver cylindrical component and a plastic housing on the side of the compressor.
The compressor was hot. Almost too hot to touch at the top. I’m guessing from my basic understanding of how fridges work and the insulation that surrounds it that the compressor is expected to get hot. But how hot?
When the freezer is playing up there is a distinct buzzing noise every 5 minutes or so that sounds like a relay or solenoid trying to switch in. With the back off the fridge it sounded like it was coming from the cylindrical item. What is this?
Lastly, I have read a number of posts on an American forum which point to the relays burning out and these seem to be the items that are housed on the plastic housing on the side of the compressor. But these seem to be exclusively talking about older models (mine is three years old). Anyone have any experience of this?
I’d appreciate anymore insight that you good folk may have.
Cheers, Jon
toRe: Maytag side-by-side fault
After reading several posts on a US website I replaced the Overload/Relay a week ago. This cost me £20.67 direct from Maytag and I was able to collect it on the same day thanks to a very helpful young lady called Alex.
All was well for a week. It has never performed better. Until today when it’s done it again.
So is it the compressor or just bad luck that the overload/relay has failed again?
Re: Maytag side-by-side fault
hllo jim, the problem is more than likely the compressor on your fridge.
the buzzing you hear is going to be the compressor trying to start and then failing.
occasionally on these, the starting device on the compressor has been at fault, if it’s this then you’re lucky.
hth,
cheers.Re: Maytag side-by-side fault
Maytag engineer came round and very quickly said it’s the compressor based on my description of the failure. It’s a shame the customer service people couldn’t have share this information and saved us all a load of grief and 2 weeks. At least the compressor is covered by the 5 year warranty.
Anyway, the guy had no compressor and it looks like we are looking at a couple of weeks to get one… The cheeky knob I spoke to suggested I should buy a cheap fridge to see me through. Whilst we’re dishing out the fridge buying tips, here’s one everybody should take notice of.
Don’t buy a Maytag fridge. They are over priced, unrelaible and customer service is an alien concept to these people. I can’t wait to ditch this thing coz I live near the Maytag headquarters and their chief exec may just find it in his parking space one day…!
Thanks for all the useful responses.
Re: Maytag side-by-side fault
Well, my first post and I have almost exactly the same comments as Mr Marbles about Maytag and their service department – clueless!
Took a week to send someone around to look at my 6 month old ZigZag £2000 appliance. Now have to wait another week or so for a new PCB, but do I really need one.
Freezer started randomly defrostling. Threw everthing away and began monitoring. Unitl would cool down then stop cooling and defrost again (fridge same).
Anyway, now, the compressor will only run with the fridge door open. As soon as you shut it the fan and the compressor stop. I am told that the PCB needs replacing – what do you experts think?
Charles
PS: Whole reason I bought Maytag was because I was replacing a very old but reliable Amana (thought they were the same factory etc). How the hell this company think that their clients (who spend well over double the average on these appliances) can wait 2-3 weeks for a repair is beyond me. They have one engineer for the whole of North London.
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