Our Maytag refrigerator model MTB1896AEW was purchased in May, 2005.
It is a standard model with freezer on top, no icemaker. With the
thermostat set to lowest temperature (7) it barely gets down to 42F
(4C) in the fridge and the freezer will not get to 0F (-18C). The
thermostat was replaced (under warranty)promptly when service was
called but this made no difference. The compressor cycles on and off ,
everything sounds fine and there is no obvious ice buildup on the coils
visible in the freezer. The fan in the freezer blows well and there is
cold air coming to the fridge part. The freezer control is set midway;
if it is set colder then less air comes into the fridge. The air
intake on the back is clear and the condensor fan works well.
It just seems as if the range of the thermostat is wrong and can not be
adjusted low enough. Is there a calibration adjustment on these
thermostats or any other way to adjust the range?

Thanks

Milt

Hi,

Our Maytag refrigerator model MTB1896AEW was
purchased in May, 2005

Still under warranty, don't get too deep into it and void your
warranty!

The compressor cycles on and off, everything sounds fine and there is no obvious ice buildup on the coils
visible in the freezer.

Coils are not visable, the panal must be removed to check the
evaporator.

The fan in the freezer blows well and there is cold air coming to the fridge part

Blowing strong enough? Light(s) shutting off inside when the door is
closed?

Is there a calibration adjustment on these
thermostats or any other way to adjust the range?

Nope.

jeff.
Appliance Repair Aid
http://www.applianceaid.com/

energy efficiency is a bitch. the new fridges want 24 hours to come to
temperature.
we got a new maytag a few years ago and had the service guy out and he
made some small changes in the cold vent. remember to take product not
air temperatures with a minimum/maximum digital thermometer like a
pyrex available at wegmans supermarket.
if your milk is too warm is's not going to last as long as it should at
35-40 degrees.
here the kids and the wife like to overload the fridge shelves forward
too far so the door barely closes. when the freezer door is then used
and closed, its air pushes thru the fan and opens the fridge door
slightly and you know what happens next to the temperature.
you must use a new digital thermometer to eliminate doubt. a cold glass
of water in the fridge.
after monitoring the water temperature in a refrigerated glass of water
with the thermometer turned on for 24 hours with a new thermometer,
completely defrost it by unplugging it for 48 hours with a 20" window
fan blowing into its propped open doors from the kitchen tabletop.
also, if you are running a warmer than 80 degree kitchen there may be
additional concern on this.

for professional advice online:
http://fixitnow.com
is a website full of humor and samurai appliance repair tips. with so
many appliances on the market, dig around for gems of his like this
one:

"Instruct the customer to step away from the refrigerator as I walk
into the kitchen so she can show me how gawd-awful warm it is. Within
seconds of opening the door, refrigerator space temperature jumps. See,
I'll use my infrared thermometer to get an instant temperature
reading the moment I open the door. Getting an accurate temperature
read on the two compartments both forms the empirical basis for
proceeding and helps to define the problem. For example, if the freezer
is at 0ºF or below but the fresh food compartment is at 53ºF, I'll
bet you my last warm can of Bud that the problem is with air
distribution and I'm going straight for the air supply or air return
ducts. Oh yeah, I got lots o' little tricks like that. Stick around
and I'll show you a few.

Is the condenser fan running and the condenser clean? The condenser is
the dirty, icky black coil-thingy at the very bottom of your fridge,
right above the floor (unless your refrigerator cools its condenser by
natural-convection, in which case, the condenser would be mounted on
the back of the refrigerator cabinet and you wouldn't have a
condenser fan). If the condenser fan ain't running or the condenser
is matted up with Rover's hair, well, hope you like warm beer,
that's all I gots to say.

Is the evaporator fan running? That's the one in the freezer; you
won't see it but you can hear it. On some models, it stops running
when the freezer door is opened, but you'll hear it when the door is
closed. Turn down Shania Twain and Garth Brooks long enough to really
listen to the sounds your appliances make. You know, when you're
troubleshooting, you're using all five of your senses. Does something
smell different? Does something sound different? Well, how you gonna
know if'n you don't listen to them when things are running well?
Hmmm? Ok then. Y'see, Slick, all your cold air is made in the freezer
and that little fan in there blows some of it into the beer
compartment. No fan == warm beer. Is simple, da tovarish?

Does the evaporator itself look abnormal: either too much frost
build-up or too little? Too much frost indicates a defrost system
failure == easy, inexpensive fix that's definitely worth doing. Too
little frost means either a freon leak or a worn compressor; either
way, junk the refrigerator and get a new one... "