Fridge not cold enough! Please help!

**smr2500bus** · September 17th, 2011, 01:16 PM

Brand: Maytag

Age: 1-5 years

Hi everyone,

I've found lots of useful information already on this board. Thanks!!!

Question - I have a Maytag MFD2560HES. In the last few months, I've already replaced the icemaker and the evaporator fan motor.

Now I'm having another issue where the fridge isn't cool enough, but freezer is fine. I noticed I had to increase the coldness to "keep up". Finally, last weekend, I was realizing it was getting very bad so I unplugged it and pulled the freezer apart to check if the evap fan had died on me. It had not. While I didn't fully remove the back panel to see if there was frost, I did snap off a few pics with my iPhone and couldn't see any frost.

I plugged it back it and lo and behold, it got very cold again. I thought whatever hiccup was causing the warmth was gone. No suck luck.

Another week passed and same thing now. Fridge is not as cold as it should be and food will spoil. This time I found the Service Test specs on line and ran through the list. I noticed that the Programming Code wasn't correct, so I set it to the one on the fridge label. Then ran a Forced Defrost. Then I went through the service tests and everything checked out as it should. One thing however was that I didn't hear anything the first time I ran the damper test. I put my hand over the lights and you could feel the heat. Then when I ran it again, THEN I started heard something. I closed the fridge (leaving it plugged in). Shortly thereafter, I checked in again and the fridge started cooling down again.

I just don't know what to make of it. I'm not much of a handyman, so any layman's instructions/tips would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Steve

***Jake*** · September 18th, 2011, 11:54 AM

Hi Steve,

Ok it sounds like your control board is acting up, very common for this issue.

Here's the repair manual for your model, page #32 shows how to change it:
www.applianceblog.com/manuals/16025629.pdf

Here's the control board for your model you can order:
Manufacturer's Number: 12868513

12868513

Its #5 here:

Jake

**smr2500bus** · September 19th, 2011, 05:51 PM

Hi Jake,

Thanks so much for this! I have been keeping a close eye on the fridge and 3 days later, its still as cold as ever. I guess at this point I should wait until it craps out again? Is there a chance that running through the service tests cleared whatever hiccup was preventing the fridge from staying cold? It's one of those things where I don't want to do an unecessary repair, but I certainly don't want to restock the fridge and have it crap out again.

Any suggestions on a "best practices" approach?

Thanks again!

***Jake*** · September 20th, 2011, 12:44 AM

Is there a chance that running through the service tests cleared whatever hiccup was preventing the fridge from staying cold?

Nope, not likely.

There have been many issues with that control board, so I'd order it before it craps out again.

Jake

**smr2500bus** · September 20th, 2011, 06:53 AM

Sounds good. Thanks, Jake! One last question - I've been reading that the damper is also quite a common problem. How will I know when/if to replace the damper as well?

I really appreciate all your help and guidance. Thanks for that repair manual!

***Jake*** · September 20th, 2011, 10:13 AM

Here's the air damper for your model:
Damper Control Assembly 67003903 Order now for same day shipping. 365 day return policy. RepairClinic.com

Read these threads here from other members that had a air damper issue:
Google Custom Search

Jake

**smr2500bus** · October 31st, 2011, 10:01 AM

Hi Jake

Okay, I replaced the control board a few days ago. First couple of days, the fridge was super cold. So cold, in fact, that the water tank inside the fridge froze up and I had to lower the temperature to allow the tank to thaw and start flowing again.

Then this morning, I opened the fridge and it was warm again! I had the fridge on 4 and while it wasn't completely lukewarm, it definitely wasn't cold, nor was the food.

I had programmed the control board using the code on the fridge label when I installed it. I double checked and yes, the control board still had the right code.

Freezer did not have any frost on the coils (from looking through the slots on the inside of the freezer) and the evaporator fan, which I had replaced a few months back is working as it should.

Any ideas of what do I do now? Once it gets to compressor components, I'm a bit out of my league as far as repair. So I guess we're getting into the repair or replace question. The fridge is only 7 years old, but has had 3 major problems (broken ice maker, broken evaporator fan motor, control board) all of which I could repair myself until now. Is it time to bite the bullet and get a new fridge or call a pro repairman and see if it's worth repairing? I'm at my wits end here.

Thanks!

***Jake*** · October 31st, 2011, 12:45 PM

Did you notice if the compressor and fans were running when you checked it when it wasn't cold this morning?

Jake

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