zDespite being a popular and reliable refrigerator, there is no doubt that your Maytag fridge is guaranteed to give you problems. The brand has a quality lineup of refrigerators that comes with suitable home convenience on features and quality. The Maytag refrigerators may not be the most expensive fridge appliance. Still, you are sure to keep them in working order.
Whenever your Maytag refrigerator is not working correctly, the underlying problems can manifest in different ways. Top among these issues have to do with the Maytag refrigerator not cooling or reduced cooling power due to a lack of temperature uniformity.
To make such an issue less of a daunting task, here is a sum-up of the possible cause of your Maytag refrigerator not cooling, plus what you can do.
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Common Problems with a Maytag Refrigerator Not Cooling
Your Maytag refrigerator not cooling is an ordinary troubleshooting matter that is bound to emerge at one time. While it is often frustrating, this does not always mean you have to call it quits and replace it. More often than not, you could be working with the following underlying causes.
Overloaded Refrigerator
There is a good chance your refrigerator isn’t cooling because of overloading the unit with too much food. When you pack plenty of food items, you restrict the cold air flow by blocking the air vents. The result could have both the motor and condenser malfunction, risking more problems than not cooling.
Dirty Condenser Coils
Another common culprit of the refrigerator not cooling is dirty condenser coils under your unit. Remember, the condenser coil is responsible for dissipating heating and carries the refrigerant or coolant to the food items. Thus, debris and dirt on the condenser coil mean the refrigerator will fail to cool or freeze properly.
Defective Condenser Fan Motor
Alongside dirty condenser coils, you could also be working with a defective condenser fan motor. The fan motor will draw air through the condenser coil to dissipate heat away from the cooling unit.
In case of the condenser fan motor malfunctions, the condenser coil fails to work efficiently, resulting in a defective cooling system. Simply put, a faulty condenser fan motor will have the whole refrigerator fail due to cold air not reaching the interior.
Defective Start Capacitor
Any mechanical failure to the start relay or capacitor could also spell doom for your cooling system. The start capacitor does not signal the compressor to start, resulting in the cooling process failing to initiate.
In addition, the start capacitor will have a hard time running if the start relay is defective. Both scenarios could be why your Maytag refrigerator is not cooling due to issues with the start capacitor.
Faulty Thermistor
Without a proper working thermistor, you could be working with a refrigerator showing inaccurate temperature readings. The thermistor monitors the temperature and sends the readings to the refrigerator’s control board. Once the control board receives them, the unit initiates power regulation for the compressor and evaporator fan.
Of sorts, this makes the thermistor the source of control for the compressor and evaporator fan. Therefore a defective thermistor will result in the refrigerator having faulty temperature readings and not getting cold enough.
How To Fix A Maytag Refrigerator Not Cooling
Lucky enough, you can count on solving plenty of these issues surrounding your Maytag refrigerator not cooling. For starters, you can try the following options depending on your scenario.
- Clean the Condenser Coils- Since the condenser coils are under the refrigerator, there is a good chance that dirt and debris have built up over time. This not only makes the condenser coils look dirty but also affects their performance at dissipating heat efficiently. Take time and clean them using a wet cloth dipped in dishwashing soap or detergent.
- Repair Or Replace The Start Relay- As the name suggests, the start relay initiates the compressor to run the cooling process. Therefore, a defective start relay means the compressor fails, and the cooling process becomes non-existent. In case you want to be sure of the relay’s condition, conduct a continuity test and see if the unit is defective or not. If no continuity is present, be sure your start relay is faulty and needs replacing.
- Organize Your Refrigerator- Airflow in the refrigerator is essential for the cooling process to achieve maximum potential. Once you pack your refrigerator to the brink, you are blocking the vents plus the cooling process of the unit. As such, organize and sort out the food items inside the refrigerator, leaving only the most essential. Check for expired foods or items that have overstayed in the fridge without being cooked.
- Fix The Thermistor- If the thermistor fails, you can ensure that the evaporator or compressor will fail to run when necessary and stop the cooling process. You can check this by reviewing the thermistor’s continuity and resistance using a multimeter.
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A Maytag Refrigerator Not Cooling
If the thermistor is defective, the multimeter will indicate this by showing no change in resistance despite the refrigerator temperature changing while testing. In this case, be ready to replace the refrigerator’s thermistor.
- Check The Evaporator Fan Motor- You can also rule out if the evaporator fan motor is the cause of your refrigerator not cooling. Usually, the motor becomes noisy or defective when it fails to turn. Check the fan blade’s condition by trying to turn it by hand. If it does spin freely, then your evaporator fan motor is okay. If not, the motor might need a replacement. In addition, you can carry out a test using a multimeter to check for continuity on the motor windings. When continuity is not present on the windings, your evaporator fan motor could be defective.
- Check and Confirm the Settings- At times, a simple check on the settings could have the cooling process back to normal. You will often find a possible setting restricting cooling or accidentally running when working the refrigerator. So, before anything else, be sure to check that all features interfering with the cooling are off.
Wrapping Up
Whenever your Maytag refrigerator fails to cool, you are now confident not to write off the entire unit. Our piece gives you a variety of cooling problems and the best solution to get that Maytag refrigerator cooling as usual. So next time, be sure to put the knowledge to good use and fix that cooling process.
