Maytag Performa Frig/Freezer Model # PBF1951KEW Not cooling properly

[HOT_here_in_AZ]

Working on the above mentioned model, any help would be greatly appreciated.

The other night, when I opened the freezer to get some ice, I noticed that the ice was partially melted & other contents in the freezer were the same way. I then, opened the refrigerator to find that everything in there was cool & not cold as well.

FYI... Lights are on in both Frig / Freezer, cool air in blowing in both, I can hear the fan running & I periodically hear a clicking sound, coming from the back of the Frig. I assumed it was probably the thermostat relay?... turning the compressor on/off to adjust the temp.

I then checked the thermostat in the Freezer to find out, that it got turned back accidentally to a lower setting (probably when I put something in the freezer... Bad spot for the thermostat dial on a bottom freezer model) around a #3 setting, over the original #5.5 setting.

I readjusted the setting back to #5.5, expecting everything to freeze back up, but six hrs later, no effect. So I maxed out the dial to #7, another six hours go by & still no effect. Everything in both the Frig & Freezer are still cool, but not cold / frozen.

So am I assuming correctly that it's a freezer thermostat issue? And if that is the problem for the freezer, why is the refrigerator cool & not cold? Different thermostat's, correct? Also, should I turn off / unplug the refrigerator until I replace whatever is broken? I'm afraid that the relay might burn out or something else goes before I fix the problem.

Once again, any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Jake]

Hi,

Pull the refrigerator out from the wall, then remove the lower back access panel and put your hand on the top of the compressor and feel if its running and warm/hot. Also see if the condenser fan next to the compressor is running too.

Jake

 

[HOT_here_in_AZ]

Hey Jake,
Thanks for replying to my thread.
I forgot to mention in the original thread, while trying to find out what was making the "clicking" noise. I did feel the compressor, & it was warm, but not hot.
And the fan was running, the fan relay?...
on the side of the compressor was making the "clicking" noise, every 3 or 4 mins, which I assume tells the fan to come on/off?
Thanks,
Doug

 

[Jake]

I did feel the compressor, & it was warm, but not hot.

But was it running/vibrating? Or was the start relay on the side of it just clicking? If the compressor is NOT running, unplug the refrigerator from the wall outlet, then remove the compressor start relay, it just pulls off, or you may need to pry it off with a flathead screwdriver, then shake it. If little plastic pieces start falling out of it, then its bad.

If NO little plastic pieces start falling out of it, THEN you will need a multimeter. Set your meter at the lowest ohms of resistance setting and ohm test the compressor start relay and see if reads anything. If your multimeter does not change numbers on the multimeter display then its bad.

Ohm test the 2 parallel holes on it. Take the wires off of it(TAKE A PHOTO OF IT FIRST, SO YOU WILL KNOW WHERE THE WIRES GO WHEN YOU REPLACE IT) and ohm the 2 parallel holes on it.

Here's the compressor start relay device for your model:
W10613606 Compressor Start Device


Jake