Here is an article I recently wrote to inform expecting mothers to be about the faulty door latch wax motor on the Maytag Neptune front load washers. You can probably imagine the laundry that will need washed with a baby in the house and it is critical to keep the washer working!
If you know anyone expecting please pass this letter along to them via an email or you can point them to this helpful blog...
Congratulations! You're having a baby soon... Before you know it your Maytag Neptune Front Load washer will be working overtime cleaning bibs, blankets, baby outfits, etc. so your washer uptime will be critical. There are some things you should know about your Neptune front load washer.
The most important thing to be aware is that the Maytag Neptunes with a timer knob (non digital) shipped with a faulty door latch wax motor. This small electrical device locks the door during the high speed spin cycle. What happens is that this faulty device eventually shorts out and damages the machine control board.
The good news is that Maytag redesigned this device to correct the failure but you need to replace it before it fails to prevent the machine control board damage. After your machine fails it will not lock the door which means your clothes will be sopping wet at the completion of the wash cycle. More good news... The door latch wax motor is inexpensive and really easy to change. It can be done in 5 -10 minutes. There are videos available that show how to inspect wax motor and replace it.
Luckily, Maytag made it easy to tell which wax motor you have by the color of the actuator pin that sticks out of the device. If the pin color matches the body color then you have the faulty design. You want the wax motor with the black color pin which is the redesigned component. If you bother the repairman after this failure they will probably quote you $450 to fix your machine. I recommend that you proactively replace your door latch wax motor before it damages your machine control board.
The next thing to be aware of is your bearings. When you first put your Neptune in service you were probably impressed with how quiet the machine is... That is the way it is supposed to be. When your bearings start to fail the machine will get loud in the spin cycle. It will sound like a jet taking off when ramping up to 850 rpm. You should be concerned and not ignore it. You can replace your bearings yourself. If you bother the repairman they will want $900+ to replace your large plastic outer tub. But you don't need to replace the expensive $450 tub... Just replace the bearings and seal. There is a special Neptune bearing tool kit available you can rent that includes an instructional DVD that shows you step-by-step how to disassemble your Neptune, replace bearings using tool, and install the new seal.
The sooner you replace your bearings once you notice the machine getting louder in spin cycle the better. I would even recommend that if your machine has made it to the 10 year mark that you replace the bearings proactively. The Neptune front loader is a workhorse but it does have some design issues you need to be aware of to keep it running efficiently for years to come.
Keep your Maytag Neptune front loading washer running efficiently and when a problem surfaces you can save more money by repairing your machine yourself. Watch a quick video explaining the faulty door latch wax motor issue right now and sign-up to be a Neptuner and discover any known issues your Neptune may have so they can be proactively prevented thus saving you both washer downtime and money - Go Here:
http://www.neptunehelpsong.comUntil next time...
