Maytag MBF2258WEW1 bottom-freezer refrigerator icing and fan issues

[susan_oldwork]

Hello Appliantology community!

I haven’t been here for a while (since y’all coached me through a control board replacement on an electric dryer) but I could use some advice again.

I have a Maytag MBF2258WEW1 (bottom-freezer) refrigerator purchased, oh, 6 years ago.    It had an early issue with defrosting (back of the freezer compartment looked like snow!) that was repaired under the service plan that came with the fridge.  

I am now having different issues and I think I have two separate problems.

The first set of symptoms was that produce in the bins in the bottom of the fridge would freeze up.  I checked the back of the freezer compartment for “snow” build-up and noticed that there was no snow, the fins visible from the slots at the back were nice and clear, but there was a buildup of ice (not frost, ice) at the drain area and along the path leading to the drain.    I used a steamer to clear this (thank you Appliantology for teaching me about steamers) and a little transfer pump to pull the water out of the drain as it collected (didn’t want to overwhelm the drain pan) and things were OK for a while.        

I later had a problem with the whole fridge getting too cold, and again found the entire drain area completely blocked with ice.  I repeated the steamer process but this time kept putting steam into the slits at the bottom of the fins and into every crack along the back of the freezer compartment that I could find, again clearing the resulting water with a transfer pump.   I repeated this until the walls of the freezer compartment had no more cold spots – and I know I was clearing stuff because I was putting in 440ML (water, into the steamer) and getting out something over 1200ML (water in the bucket from the transfer pump).     

I have not been able to find information on how to remove the freezer basket and door for this model and actually open up the inside back of the freezer to see what’s going on with the internal cooling setup  – I’m working with the back still in place.   I’d like to see a diagram or photograph showing the layout of the inside back of the freezer compartment once that back wall is removed.  I’m sure the charts are out there; I just can’t find ‘em.

I also noted that when these problems were starting the fridge would seem to run constantly.     After listening to it for a while, I realized that it’s the fan that runs constantly, not the compressor.       To verify this, I tried turning the temp controls all the way to “off”.   Sure enough, the fan keeps running.    The first couple of times that I did the manual defrost, the unit would return to normal behavior – the fan turned off as appropriate.    But now, even when I complete the manual defrost process, the fan does not turn off, although the compressor appears to be cycling appropriately.  

 

I checked the under-unit coils and they’ve built up noticeable dust (not clogged; you can still see individual coils not a wall of dust; but there’s dust on the coils at the back of the bottom space, the ones I can’t reach).  The manual says they shouldn’t need cleaning, but I attempted to clean them anyway, and I can’t even get a coil brush underneath them or into most of the spaces – I’ve never seen coils like this with a slant and such tight spacing.    The installers who put the fridge in left the leveling feet just about as “short” as possible, so there is almost no clearance under the coils, but the fridge does appear to be properly level.

I think I have two problems: I think I have a clogged or damaged drain, and I think I have dirty coils or possibly a problem in the coil fan setup.

So here is the help I’m looking for.  1) Any suggestions about where to find pictures or other information on how to access the inside back of the freezer, if that’s practical – I am an older woman with some physical limitations, and I’d be working alone.  2) Any opinions about possible other causes for the ice buildup along the drain area in the freezer compartment. 3) If it is the drain, opinions about the feasibility of one DYI’er tackling a replacement of it.  Or is there some other trick I can try to unclog it in place?   4)  Any suggestions about how to properly clean the coils – for instance, can I raise the front feet a bit and/or use something like a vacuum cleaner setup intended for computers to get under the coils and clean them?  (something like this: http://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-micro-vacuum-attachment-kit-32994.html ) – there is not clearance to get the Repair Clinic clean out tool in there, even the coil brush doesn’t fit.

 

As a bonus, if y’all can tell me how to REMOVE the damn icemaker, I’d be thrilled.  We ordered the fridge without one, and it came with one, and we don’t have water near the fridge so it’s just a waste of space.  (Yes, I do check it to be sure that it stays in the “off” position.)

I may eventually need to get an appliance repair tech in here, since I can’t move the fridge by myself which limits the work I can do, but I am trying to buy a couple of weeks before that happens.

Thanks for your time and for any suggestions.

[Hiroshi]

Ok, we are going to start at the easiest and work our way upwards:

The ice maker has three screws holding it to the wall if the freezer, two along the top which it hangs on, and one below to secure it in place- once the three ( usually screws on top and a 1/4 nut drive on the bottom) fasteners are removed, you can lift the icemaker unit while tilting the bottom of it away from the wall slightly and it will come off into your hand. You will then have to disconnect the wiring harness, which will be plainly visible after dropping the icemaker out of the way, by lifting a small tab to release the two ends of the plastic "molex" connector- some of these models may also have a zip-tie holding the molex plug together along with the tab. Once the plug is seperated, you can toss the icemaker or give it to someone else you know with a Maytag, Whirlpool, or Kitchen-Aid refrigerator since the unit has never been used...

On to the harder issues-

The fact your fan is staying on when you cycle the machine to "off" is proof you have a welded fan relay on the control board... Control board fails are common on this model, so common, in fact, everyone just calls the computer in this guy a "Jazz Board." Replacing the Jazz Board is the most reliable way to solve this, if you have a tech install it, he can pop the new control in place in under 5 minutes, then turn to clearing that defrost drain tube... Removing and re-installing freezer door and basket on these is a "can of worms" in its own right at times, plus the tech should have no problem moving the unit out for you, so you can vacuum it thoroughly while he struggles in the freezer section!

Part number: WPW10503278

[susan_oldwork]

5 hours ago, Hiroshi said:

The fact your fan is staying on when you cycle the machine to "off" is proof you have a welded fan relay on the control board... Control board fails are common on this model, so common, in fact, everyone just calls the computer in this guy a "Jazz Board." Replacing the Jazz Board is the most reliable way to solve this, if you have a tech install it, he can pop the new control in place in under 5 minutes, then turn to clearing that defrost drain tube...

 

Hmm.  Hiroshi, is there any way that this board can have an intermittent fault?  Because I left the toe kick-plate off of the fridge this morning, in case I can figure out how to clean the coils, and the fan is now cycling normally.   In fact right this second the fridge is working perfectly!  Arrrgh.

 

[lvasquez11]

Jazz board could have int relay sticking causing defrost issues 

this drain Part number: W10619951

[Hiroshi]

This drain tube is accessible through the back of the machine... if yours is clogged you may want to replace it with the updated, corrugated one which should flow better and for a longer period

[Gnominator77]

15 hours ago, lvasquez11 said:

Jazz board could have int relay sticking causing defrost issues 

this drain Part number: W10619951

I'm curious about the extension tube. Is this the latest from Whirlpool on newer models? I've changed many of the p-trap drain tube kits, but have never seen the extension tube before. 

[susan_oldwork]

1 hour ago, Hiroshi said:

This drain tube is accessible through the back of the machine... if yours is clogged you may want to replace it with the updated, corrugated one which should flow better and for a longer period

Is it reasonable for one DIY'er (and I'm not tall or strong)  to tackle that replacement job working alone?   If I can figure out how to move the fridge safely? 

 

[Hiroshi]

Yes. It is in the back of the machine behind the panel, but only one nut holds the drain tube in place, so it isn't a hard installation if you can gain access

[16345Ed]

Be careful removing drain line where it attaches to the drain pan. 

I removed one and it cracked the pan. 

I also have never seen this new accordian style drain line???

[Hiroshi]

I haven't either, I always alter the existing one to suit my own mania...

[Derik]

I'd agree with Hiroshi, have changed 100's of these Jazz brds over the years , pull it out and take a peek at the little capacitors ect on the brd itself.   Drain issues on all these bottom mount freezers has been an issue FOREVER!!!