My 10 year old Maytag PBB2255GES bottom drawer freezer is not cooling

Freezer Not Freezing but the Refrigerator Section is Working

This problem is usually a result of a freon issue.  Basically what is happening here is the evaporator inside the freezer is not completely frosted over.  This means the freezer is not producing enough cold air to freeze the contents of the freezer, but there is enough cold air being made to cool the contents of the refrigerator section.

Freon Problem

The way you want to check this is easy.  You need to remove the back panel inside your freezer so you can check the coils.  What you would want to see back here is an evenly frosted over set of coils.  What you are probably going to see if you have a freon problem is only a small portion of the coils have frost on them.  You may also see a large ball of ice in one of the upper corners.  This is usually the worse case scenario when it comes to refrigerator repair.

Compressor Not Running Continuously

Another common issue that causes this is a compressor that cannot run long enough.  It may be overheating, have bad relays or the windings in the motor are shot.  This will cause the compressor to only run for a short amount of time.  This allows just enough cooling for the fridge compartment, but not the freezer.  If you feel the compressor, it probably feels excessively hot or makes some sort of buzzing and clicking sound.

To fix this problem you are going to have to find out what is causing the compressor to not run long enough.  If it's overheating, this would be caused by the fan down by the compressor not runnning.  This fan needs to operate when the compressor is running.  This is what cools the compressor and the condensor when the machine is supposed to be operating normally.

If you're hearing the buzzing and clicking sound, you will need to check the windings on the compressor.  You have three pins on the compressor that the relays connect to. You need a multimeter to test these pins for continuity.  If the pins are testing good, then replace the relay and capacitor on the side of the compressor.  It's possible that they are shot and need replaced.

Another thing that may cause the freezer to appear not to be working is the ice maker. If your freezer has an ice maker installed an you are not using it, make sure that it is turned off. The icemaker will continue to run through it's cycles even if there is not water. The only problem is that it goes through the cycles much faster. And every cycle it goes through the heater under the icemaker tray comes on. So anything that is close to the icemaker will thaw. Bread will not freeze in this case and your ice cream will stay soft. I encounter this all the time on the road and the call usually starts with, "My Freezer is not working right."  This also causes a buzzing sound, when it's trying to get water.  This is water valve noise, not to be confused with the buzzing from the compressor.