FIXED Maytag Refrigerator Model MFT2976AEM Keeps restarting

[BraveBeach]

Model Number

MFT2976AEM

Brand

Maytag

Age

6-10 years

Hello,
After several power outages in my neighborhood, my refrigerator keeps powering down, then restarting.
After losing power--about 4 times while the power company was working on repairing--the refrigerator came on with a detected power outage and had a touch button that says "confirm."
I touched on that and it started running.
I can hear the compressor fan start and inside the refrigerator, things start cooling down.
But after about 2 ~ 4 minutes, it powers down (as if I unplugged it), then it comes back on (as if I plugged it back in) after about 6 seconds on it's own.
It has been doing this since the power was restored. It does not have time to make ice. The contents seem to be cooling while this keeps cycle.

One time after waking up, the refrigerator was in a state as if the power had gone out again with the indicator that the power had gone out, but nothing else (clocks, power company with an outage alert, etc.) indicated that the power to the house had actually gone out.

This was purchased on January 16, 2015. Maytag model number MFT2976AEM

I looked around online and some general advice articles suggested cleaning the coils can possibly fix this "short-cycling," but as this issue did not start until after the power outage, I am not sure if that will work. I opened the panels behind the unit and I found where the boards mentioned are and where compressor is and the fan that blows onto it, but I did not find the coils. The only thing I can think of is that I would have to remove the compressor and look behind the metal sheet behind the compressor.
I did try to just unplug the refrigerator and leave it off for 30 minutes, then plug it back in but the issue is still there.

Suggested Possible parts to replace I found are
the control board, which seems to have several part number designations: W10589837 / WPW10589837 / AP6023258;
and/or the Electronic Control Board (some places called the same part a Power Supply Control Board), part number AP6021648 / WPW10453401

Do you think I should replace one or both of those control boards to address my problem, is it something else, or is it time to just replace the entire refrigerator?
I could try to find a company to come and look, but it would be nice to save on the labor costs IF just replacing a board or two would likely get it up and running like it should.

Thanks.

 

[Jake]

Hi,

Your missing the last digits of your model number. Read it from the model number tag located inside the refrigerator section on the upper walls or ceiling.

MFT2976AEM00
MFT2976AEM01
MFT2976AEM02
MFT2976AEM03

It sounds like possibly the main control board if the issue started after the power outage. The last 2 digits in your model number are very important, because it tells you which is the exact main control board part number for your model.

 

[BraveBeach]

It is MFT2976AEM03.
While checking the model number with the doors open, it did the "power down" issue, but the interior lights stayed on. The interior felt cool/cold the entire time.

 

[Jake]

Thanks!

Here's the main control board for your model:
Control Board WPW10589837

While checking the model number with the doors open, it did the "power down" issue, but the interior lights stayed on.

Was that just a one time thing? Or does it power down every time you open the door?

 

[BraveBeach]

Thanks!

Here's the main control board for your model:
Control Board WPW10589837

Thank you. I will order that board and see if that fixes my issue!

Was that just a one time thing? Or does it power down every time you open the door?

It just happened to happen while the door was open. It was part of the original issue with the refrigerator cycling.
Opening and closing the door doesn't seem to affect the cycling issue.

If this matters at all, when the refrigerator "powers up" the interior lights turn off after a few seconds, around the same time that the compressor fan starts.

 

[Jake]

If this matters at all, when the refrigerator "powers up" the interior lights turn off after a few seconds, around the same time that the compressor fan starts.

Yes, that sounds like the main control board is the culprit.

 

[BraveBeach]

My refrigerator is running as expected now (as far as I can tell)! Temperatures are where they are expected to be in the refrigeration and the freezer compartments.
I just wanted to come back and report my findings.

I ordered and installed the main control board--Control Board WPW10589837. Upon installing it, I waited an extra 30 minutes before plugging it back in.
When it was plugged in, it took about 8 minutes until it started the cycling described at the start of this post.
I unplugged it and waited an hour, then plugged it back in and it still had the same issue.

So I ordered the other part number that I had found from searching (the Electronic Control Board) mentioned earlier. The board matched what the refrigerator had.
Replacing this part (and keeping the new main control board installed) did not affect the issue--the refrigerator was still cycling as described.

Then I decided to unplug the unit and wait over 12 hours (thinking maybe there was a very large capacitor, or a tank circuit charging and discharging a capacitor, or something and needed longer to be drained of power).
After about 18 hours, I plugged the refrigerator back in and it worked as expected, the issue was no longer there and everything was cooling down and it was making ice again.

Since I had already removed all perishables, I decided to install the old boards and see if it would work with those, after being unplugged for a large amount of time, and it did indeed work without the issue occurring.
I decided to keep the new control boards and re-installed those new ones again anyway.

I really appreciate that a forum like this exists and I am grateful to the techs here who respond and help us all to save where we can.

 

[Jake]

Then I decided to unplug the unit and wait over 12 hours (thinking maybe there was a very large capacitor, or a tank circuit charging and discharging a capacitor, or something and needed longer to be drained of power).
After about 18 hours, I plugged the refrigerator back in and it worked as expected, the issue was no longer there and everything was cooling down and it was making ice again.

That's very interesting, I've never run into that situation before keeping it unplugged 12 hours.

Hopefully that solves it completely and the issue does not return.

Thanks for the update.