Brand: Maytag
Model Number: MSD2542VEB00
Main Symptom: Frost buildup/poor air flow
What happens & when: Frequently
Error Code (if any):
Parts or tests already tried:
Photos / video link:
Let me elaborate more on the issue.
I have a Maytag refrigerator that has frost buildup from time to time on the freezer side especially at the bottom where the pull out drawer is and at the top. I have tried to adjust the dials for both compartments and it doesn’t improve it.
On a related issue, the air flow from freezer to fridge is low. There is a vent between the two compartments. On the freezer side there is a cover that directs the air into the fridge. After I open the freezer door, the air flow improves but when the door is closed the air flow decrease to a little bit. The fan is spinning and the coils are fine or appear to be fine. There is no ice or frost buildup on them. I know the drain plug is probably clogged therefore the water is not draining into the pan. I will have that replaced.
What would cause the air flow to be poor? Secondly, what causes the frost buildup?
It sounds like the freezer door gasket has a small air leak, and that could be causing both issues you’re seeing. The frost buildup along the bottom is probably heavy enough to partially block the return vent that allows air to move from the fresh food side back into the freezer.
An easy check would be to remove the back cover inside the freezer and look for a rectangular cutout near the bottom right of the evaporator — that’s usually where the blockage forms. If it’s iced over, clear the frost and any excess buildup, and plan to replace the door gasket to keep it from happening again. https://www.appliancepartspros.com/whirlpool-freezer-door-gasket-2159082-ap3038638.html
Hi. Thanks for reply. If I look at the seal of the freezer door, it is rubber like material, it is worn and cracked. Most likely it is not providing a seal when the door is shut therefore could be causing what you were describing.
However, in the freezer when looking at the back of it, after I remove the back white panel or cover, the fan is spinning and the coils appear to be fine. No ice buildup or frost on them.
Just to clarify, the evaporator is the fan and coils? Do you have a pic of what I am looking for?
Unfortunately, I do not have a picture. However, if you look to the right of the evaporator (aluminum coils) at the bottom, there should be a square or rectangular cut-out. This is the return vent, and if it gets partially blocked, it can cause the issues you are experiencing with air flow. A bad or piece of plastic on the refrigerator side, or ice accumulation on the freezer side, can play a part in this.
Are you talking about at the very bottom where the drain plug is? If so, there is a silver rectangular thin type of piece that had a thick sheet of ice on it. I cleared it but didn’t make a difference.
The drain plug is going to be replaced soon. I guess I have to look at the freezer door seal. Perhaps, that needs to be replaced.
Isn’t there a piece of hardware that is supposed to control the frost buildup?
The defrost heater and thermostat are controlled by the adaptive defrost control. However, if the evaporator is not blocked up with ice, they are working properly.
So, if the adaptive defrost controller is working based on no ice on the coils then why do I have frost buildup? Does this go back to the freezer door seal problem? I am trying to understand the bigger picture of frost buildup on the freezer side.
Frost at the bottom or top of the freezer, especially towards the front, is caused by warm air getting into the freezer. If the frost accumulating was specifically on the back wall only, and the evaporator was clogged up with ice, then the defrost system would be suspect. However, it does not sound like this is the case. It sounds like there is an air gap and the return vent that runs from the refrigerator back to the freezer is partially blocked up (located on the bottom left wall in the refrigerator after removing the crisper drawers where it runs to the bottom of the freezer into the evaporator section).
Well, most if not all frost buildup is in the front- top, bottom below the pull out bin, and on the top of the freezer door. So, I am thinking it is a seal issue based on the information.