Maytag Wide by Side not cooling [FIXED]

[Target23]

Model Number: MZD2766GEW
Brand: Maytag
Age: 6-10 years

My Maytag refrigerator started warming up a few days ago. It is still kind of cold in the freezer, but it's almost room temperature in the refrigerator side. We tried turning up the cold settings, but that didn't do anything. The other thing we noticed is that there is some frost building up on the back panel of the freezer. Any ideas? Please don't tell me a need to get a new one!

[Doc Ryan]

It sounds like the refrigerator isn't going through the automatic defrost cycle. Unlug the refrigerator and remove the panel in the freezer where you are seeing the frost, if the evaporator coil behind that panel is a big block of ice and frost then it has a defrost problem. When the freezer builds up with frost it can't circulate the air properly and that's what causes it to warm up. There are three components to the defrost cycle on your refrigerator, a defrost heater, defrost thermostat, and an adaptive defrost control board. You can check the heater and thermostat (when cold) for continuity. If those both check out then the control board is bad.

[Target23]

I pulled the panel off in the back of the freezer, and it was FULL of frost. I used my multi meter to check out the heater and it had continuity. I checked the defrost thermostat for continuity while it was still covered in frost, and it had continuity also. So that must mean that my control board is bad? Where is that board located, I couldn't seem to find it?

[Doc Ryan]

The defrost control board is located in the top back right corner of the refrigerator section.

This is the part:
Defrost Control Board - 61005988

[Target23]

Just wanted to let you know that we defrosted the freezer and then we ordered and replaced the control board, and everything seems to be working great! Thanks for the help!

[gabbyrae]

Are you guys checking the freezer by removing the panel in the freezer or behind the unit?

[Doc Ryan]

This is the panel in the back of the freezer.