Thread: 8-year old Maytag MTB1956GEW freezer not getting cold enough.

Model Number: MTB1956GEW

Brand: Maytag

Age: 6-10 years

Does any manufacturer actually make a refrigerator which lasts longer than 5-7 years? At any rate, this is the second major problem with this refrigerator. The first one cost me 150 bucks to repair for a faulty out-of-warranty freezer fan. That was about 2 years ago. Now the freezer is not getting cold enough, although the fridge temp is fine. I ran through the checklist provided on this site, I think the problem may not be fixable by me, in which case I will have to buy a new fridge or suffer yet more costly repairs.

We emptied the fridge and freezer, and let it sit with both the freezer and fridge doors propped open for 24 hours. Then I cleaned it from top to bottom, vaccuumed what I hope were the condenser coils underneath the fridge at the back (very dusty), and checked that it was draining into the evaporation pan. I plugged it back in, and verified the condensor fan and the freezer fans both came on, and let it sit empty for another 24 hours. I jacked the freezer setting up to 9 just to be sure, and left the fridge at 5. After a full day chugging away, the fridge was nice and chilly, and the freezer was definitely colder but did not seem cold enough. So I filled an ice tray with water, threw in a cold pack, and a frozen OJ container. After another full day, the ice in the ice tray was actually frozen, but the orange juice was very soggy and the ice pack did not freeze at all. I left it another day, and it was the same the next day. So I unplugged it, and pulled off the back panel in the freezer. The coils behind the freezer wall were not frosted, there was only one line of frosting on the bottom-most level. The cords coming out of the coils were frosted, but I can see that I am getting only 15% or so of the coils helping out with the cooling.

Is there any hope for this fridge? Should I bother trying to have it repaired, or is the repairman going to ask for the cost of a new fridge? I am very reluctant to throw any more money at this lemon. I am also very discouraged to learn that virtually any fridge I pick up short of blowing 8K on a Sub-Zero is almost certainly going to eventually experience the same difficulties. And even the SubZero will die after 15-20 years, making it more cost effective to buy a new mediocre fridge every 7 years as opposed to one sub-zero every 20.

Thanks,
DD.