Maytag refrigerator top freezer Defroster problems? HELP

[terry]

My mother has a 6yr old Maytag. Refrigerator/top freezer Model MTB2156DEW. the freezer on top frosts over in the back. The frig looses temp and gets warm. she unplugged it for 24 hours. plugged it back it and it ran fine for about a month. The ice maker quit making ice, the temp was not cold enough in the freezer. It started getting the frost build up in the freezer in the back again. The frig. started getting real warm.

Maytag told her it was probably the defroster and or the heater as well. Can I test the defrost heater, timer, and thermostat or whatever this all consits of. Is there a way to find where these parts are as I do not have a schematic for these.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!

Terri

[Nobody You'd Know]

I can tell you from personal experience that Maytag has had problems with the circuit board which controls the defrost cycle on their side by side refrigerators. The Sears repair people keep them as a standard repair part on their trucks.

My guess is that the board is the same on both types.

[terry]

[gfretwell]

Make sure the fan is running and that there is nothing blocking the vents. I had a problem like this on my fridge and it turned out "someone" was putting a box tight against the vent where freezer air enters the fridge part. That will cause it to ice up in a hurry. Once it ices up the "unplug overnight" thing is the only easy way to clear the problem.