Maytag top freezer is cold but refrigerator is not

SOURCE: refrigerator won't get cold

You likely have a defrost cycle failure. The freezer's cooling coils need to be frosty and cold so the air that the fan pulls over them can cool the fridge section. If the defrost cycle fails, the coils freeze up to a block of ice and air flow suffers (fridge is about 55 degrees F). The freezer stays cold only because there's a block of ice in there now... sometimes that cold "sinks" to the bottom and only the food at the bottom stays frozen (and can even freeze food at the bottom of the fridge compartment while the rest is warm). To be sure, you'll need to take the rear interior panel off the freezer back wall and check the coils to see if they are frozen solid. If they are then there's a defrost cycle failure. If they are showing a nice white frosty pattern evenly all over the coils then that's normal and maybe the evap fan (right above the coils) is not blowing air up properly or is not working at all. That fan should run if the compressor is running, etc. the only time it doesn't run is during an actual defrost cycle. Once you find out what condition the coils are in it should be simple to direct you further on the problem.

SOURCE: Freezer not freezing

Check the back wall of the freezer section for signs of frost build-up. If the freezer coil is frozen from a fault in the defrost system your refrigerator will be the first to show signs of not cooling.

SOURCE: Maytag freezer & refrigerator not coold enough

It's not cool If the refrigerator isn't cool, you need to answer some questions, then see if the compressor is running.

First, answer these questions:

• Is the refrigerator completely dead? If so, see “It's stopped completely.”



• Is the thermostat knob turned to the proper setting? If not, reset it.

Next, see if the compressor motor is running

The compressor is a football-sized case with no apparent moving parts. It's on the outside of the refrigerator at the back near the bottom. If it is humming or making a continuous noise and your refrigerator is still not cooling, there may be a more serious problem with one or more of several different components, we recommend contacting a qualified appliance repair technician for further help.

If the compressor is not running but you do have power to the refrigerator, there may be a problem with one or more of these:

• The compressor



• The Thermostat



• The overload, relay, or capacitor



• The defrost timer



• The condenser fan motor

Cooling is poor For an overall understanding of how refrigerators should work, read about refrigerators in the How Things Work section of our website. A refrigerator or freezer that is cooling, but cooling poorly, may have a problem in one of several areas:

Evaporator coils
Condenser
Poor cooling is often the result of a heavy frost build-up on the evaporator coils or a condenser that is clogged with dust, lint, and dirt. 

Evaporator coils Poor cooling is often the result of a heavy frost build-up on the evaporator coils. You can't see these coils without removing a panel on the inside of your freezer. A sure sign that there is a build-up is the presence of any frost or ice build-up on the inside walls, floor, or ceiling of the freezer. Such a frost build-up usually indicates a problem in the self-defrosting system or damaged door gaskets.

The refrigerator is supposed to self-defrost approximately four times in every 24 hour period. If one of the components in the self-defrosting system fails, the refrigerator continues to try to cool. Eventually, though, so much frost builds up on the evaporator coils that the circulating fan can't draw air over the coils. There may still be a small amount of cooling because the coils are icy, but with no air flow over the coils, cooling in the refrigerator compartment is quite limited.

Here's an inexpensive, though inconvenient, way to determine if the problem is with the self-defrosting system. Remove all of the perishable food from the refrigerator and freezer, turn the thermostat in the refrigerator to Off, and leave the doors open for 24 to 48 hours. (Be sure to have several towels ready in case the melting frost and ice causes the drip pan to overflow). This allows the refrigerator to defrost "manually." When the frost and ice build-up has completely melted away, turn the thermostat back to a normal setting. If the refrigerator then cools properly, it indicates a problem with one of three components in the self-defrosting system:

• The defrost timer



• The defrost thermostat (also called the bi-metal switch)



• The defrost heater

If it still does not cool properly, there may be a problem with the refrigerant level or the compressor. You may need to consult with a qualified appliance repair technician to further diagnose the problem 

Condenser Self-defrosting refrigerators all have a set of coils and a cooling fan, usually under the refrigerator, that need to be cleaned regularly. If these coils get coated with dust, dirt or lint, the refrigerator may not cool properly. The coils may appear to be a thin, black, wide radiator-like device behind the lower kick-panel. To clean them, disconnect the refrigerator from the power source, use a refrigerator condenser brush (see the Appliance Accessories section) and your vacuum cleaner to clean the coils of any lint, pet hair, etc. You may not be able to get to all of the condenser from the front, it may be necessary to clean the remainder of the condenser from the rear of the refrigerator. I feel heat/warmth on the front edge of my refrigerator....why?
 
Older refrigerators had electric heaters on the edges of the refrigerator cabinet to help prevent moisture from building up, especially in the hot/hazy weather in the summer time. These electric heaters usually had a switch where you could turn them on or off...had words like..."switch here to prevent moisture"...switch here in damp weather".... in the picture it is in the top left of the control assembly.
Then along came the energy crunch. The manufactures stopped using the electric heaters and started running a pass of the hot condenser tubing on the edges of the cabinet where the electric heaters use to be. This is often called ayoder loop tube SxS version and the yoder loop tube Top freezer version. This has now replaced the electric heaters. If you feel heat/hot around the door opening of your refrigerator you should....
- clean the condenser coils as a dirty condenser can make the tubing hotter than normal
- check/clean & replace if necessary the condenser cooling fan   ( # F ) motor, if the condenser fan motor is slow or has quit the yoder loop pass will get very warm/hot to the touch
- If the condenser coils are clean and the condenser fan motor is running ok, check the fresh food and freezer section temperatures...if the refrigerator is not operating well and the temps inside are warming up, you could feel more heat/warmth than normal

SOURCE: Maytag MTB2156GEW Freezer works but refrigerator (lower part) not

Is the freezer fan working ? Is there frost on the rear wall , inside the freezer section ? If frost , in the middle of the control panel , you will see a hole slightly larger (1/2 " ) . Insert a screwdriver slightly into this hole and turn slowly until you hear a click slightly louder than the rest . Once you hear this click , stop . The freezer fan should be off ( you set it into the defrost cycle ) . Close the fridge door . Using a short extension cord with all 3 wires split (without bare wire showing) check the amps . 2 to 5 amps is good , this would indicate the heater and bimetal are good , also , indicates that the timer is probably bad . If you get no reading on the amp meter , then either the bimetal or heater is bad . Remove the inside rear freezer panel . Trace the heater wires (1 on each side) and disconnect . Useing an ohm meter , or beep meter (tells continuity) , test the 2 heater wires for continuiny . No continuity , replace the heater
pt # 61002046 . If continuity thru heater , then bimetal is bad (small disk clipped onto the coils , with 2 wires attached . Pt # 61005254 .

SOURCE: Refrigerator side doesn't feel cool but the

Is there ice build-up in the back of the freezer? If so take the panel off the back of the freezer section inside the freezer and replace the heating element.