My Maytag washing machine is rusting

AlistarWills

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Jul 26, 2006
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So my wife and I bought a Maytag washing machine a couple years back. (Didn’t know it was now owned by Whirlpool). Within the last month when it hits the spin cycle it sounds like it’s going to take off when it has previously been exceptionally quiet. Knowing there’s no warranty I begin to look online for how to fix it. Turns out there is a bearing above and below the tub and they need replaced. A seal above the bearings most likely failed and they got damp, rusted and went bad.
I buy the parts and the tool to properly seat the bearings and proceed. The job isn’t really that difficult. Just up and down a lot from being in the tub to under the washer. What really bothered me was the fact that when I got the top of the washer off, the underside of it was rusting. The edges of the metal are swelling and rusting. Where the metal curves down into the tub, backside of it rusting. Obviously this isn’t something that should even need a warranty, it’s a painted piece of metal that just sits there and covers the moving parts.
I got hold of Maytag to bring this up and see if they might by chance want to take care of it. It’s obvious to me that this didn’t get painted properly at the plant. How else does a piece of metal that is designed to be in a place to be exposed to moisture on a regular basis rust? Maytag basically told me they could send their bored repairman and let them identify if it was rusting and if it was covered under any warranty. I asked if I had to pay and was told that if it wasn’t covered, I had to pay them for coming out. I offered to send pictures but that went no where.
Don’t know if my experience here will help anyone but maybe it will. I still think Maytag ought to make it up.

On a side note...the person I was talking to identified as being in Tennessee. They asked if we were done and I gave them a “Roll Tide!” I got the chat equivalent of being hung up on.
 
  • Roll Tide!
Reactions: OSUTideFan
So my wife and I bought a Maytag washing machine a couple years back. (Didn’t know it was now owned by Whirlpool). Within the last month when it hits the spin cycle it sounds like it’s going to take off when it has previously been exceptionally quiet. Knowing there’s no warranty I begin to look online for how to fix it. Turns out there is a bearing above and below the tub and they need replaced. A seal above the bearings most likely failed and they got damp, rusted and went bad.
I buy the parts and the tool to properly seat the bearings and proceed. The job isn’t really that difficult. Just up and down a lot from being in the tub to under the washer. What really bothered me was the fact that when I got the top of the washer off, the underside of it was rusting. The edges of the metal are swelling and rusting. Where the metal curves down into the tub, backside of it rusting. Obviously this isn’t something that should even need a warranty, it’s a painted piece of metal that just sits there and covers the moving parts.
I got hold of Maytag to bring this up and see if they might by chance want to take care of it. It’s obvious to me that this didn’t get painted properly at the plant. How else does a piece of metal that is designed to be in a place to be exposed to moisture on a regular basis rust? Maytag basically told me they could send their bored repairman and let them identify if it was rusting and if it was covered under any warranty. I asked if I had to pay and was told that if it wasn’t covered, I had to pay them for coming out. I offered to send pictures but that went no where.
Don’t know if my experience here will help anyone but maybe it will. I still think Maytag ought to make it up.

On a side note...the person I was talking to identified as being in Tennessee. They asked if we were done and I gave them a “Roll Tide!” I got the chat equivalent of being hung up on.

Funny you should post this. Yesterday I replaced the agitator cam and dogs, etc. on my Estate by Whirlpool. It's over 10 years old now so I feel like I'm playing with house money.

Sorry to hear of your rust issue. But very proud of you for giving them a Roll Tide.....well done, sir! :)
 
I just wish i had NOT gotten a front load washer. Can't keep the moldy smell out of it because the rubber seal area has to be wiped down/dried after each load...which my wife will not do.
 
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I just wish i had NOT gotten a front load washer. Can't keep the moldy smell out of it because the rubber seal area has to be wiped down/dried after each load...which my wife will not do.
Our LG has performed very well except for this one problem. We're even thinking about replacing the front gasket and the washer is around four years old or so. I will never buy anything out of the Whirlpool/KitchenAid/Jenn Air/Maytag factory again. I also would not buy an LG dishwasher because of their faulty design and tendency to break down - probably a Bosch next time...
 
When our 18 year old Kenmore washer finally died we went with a top-load Samsung as my wife's friends all complained about the moldy smell from the front-loaders. Couple years in and zero issues.
 
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When our 18 year old Kenmore washer finally died we went with a top-load Samsung as my wife's friends all complained about the moldy smell from the front-loaders. Couple years in and zero issues.

Kenmore has always been my first choice.

I picked up this Estate by Whirlpool (top loader) on CL from an ERAU student for less than $100 just over 10 years ago....it was in such good condition I couldn't pass it up. It's been used almost daily and only now had this issue with the agitator.

18 years out of your Kenmore is also impressive.

I have a Kenmore microwave I bought in 1990 that is still working just fine. It only has 3 settings, the timer, and an on/off button. :p
 
Kenmore has always been my first choice.

I picked up this Estate by Whirlpool (top loader) on CL from an ERAU student for less than $100 just over 10 years ago....it was in such good condition I couldn't pass it up. It's been used almost daily and only now had this issue with the agitator.

18 years out of your Kenmore is also impressive.

I have a Kenmore microwave I bought in 1990 that is still working just fine. It only has 3 settings, the timer, and an on/off button. :p
Kenmores are now made in the same factory as the Whirlpool, etc. You can't depend on brands remaining the same any more. They basically mean nothing now and you have to do your research...
 
I just wish i had NOT gotten a front load washer. Can't keep the moldy smell out of it because the rubber seal area has to be wiped down/dried after each load...which my wife will not do.

Leave the door open when not being used. You may have to clean the bottom part of the seal every month or so but you should get no odors.
 
Leave the door open when not being used. You may have to clean the bottom part of the seal every month or so but you should get no odors.

This. We’ve had a front loader for almost 20 years with no issues. When not in use, the door is always open. Never leave the door shut when not I use and you’ll have few issues.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
When our 18 year old Kenmore washer finally died we went with a top-load Samsung as my wife's friends all complained about the moldy smell from the front-loaders. Couple years in and zero issues.

for the same reasons, we switched back to a top loader last year and are very glad we did.
 
So my wife and I bought a Maytag washing machine a couple years back. (Didn’t know it was now owned by Whirlpool). Within the last month when it hits the spin cycle it sounds like it’s going to take off when it has previously been exceptionally quiet. Knowing there’s no warranty I begin to look online for how to fix it. Turns out there is a bearing above and below the tub and they need replaced. A seal above the bearings most likely failed and they got damp, rusted and went bad.
I buy the parts and the tool to properly seat the bearings and proceed. The job isn’t really that difficult. Just up and down a lot from being in the tub to under the washer. What really bothered me was the fact that when I got the top of the washer off, the underside of it was rusting. The edges of the metal are swelling and rusting. Where the metal curves down into the tub, backside of it rusting. Obviously this isn’t something that should even need a warranty, it’s a painted piece of metal that just sits there and covers the moving parts.
I got hold of Maytag to bring this up and see if they might by chance want to take care of it. It’s obvious to me that this didn’t get painted properly at the plant. How else does a piece of metal that is designed to be in a place to be exposed to moisture on a regular basis rust? Maytag basically told me they could send their bored repairman and let them identify if it was rusting and if it was covered under any warranty. I asked if I had to pay and was told that if it wasn’t covered, I had to pay them for coming out. I offered to send pictures but that went no where.
Don’t know if my experience here will help anyone but maybe it will. I still think Maytag ought to make it up.

On a side note...the person I was talking to identified as being in Tennessee. They asked if we were done and I gave them a “Roll Tide!” I got the chat equivalent of being hung up on.

did you remind them of these commercials?

 
Kenmore has always been my first choice.

I picked up this Estate by Whirlpool (top loader) on CL from an ERAU student for less than $100 just over 10 years ago....it was in such good condition I couldn't pass it up. It's been used almost daily and only now had this issue with the agitator.

18 years out of your Kenmore is also impressive.

I have a Kenmore microwave I bought in 1990 that is still working just fine. It only has 3 settings, the timer, and an on/off button. :p

Going on 19 years with my Kenmore, still kicking. I dread the day it dies. I know I will never get one that reliable again.
 
Going on 19 years with my Kenmore, still kicking. I dread the day it dies. I know I will never get one that reliable again.

To add to the discussion I can say with some certainty that every Kenmore top load washer was made in the Whirlpool factory in Clyde, Ohio for the past 40-50 years the matching dryer was made in Whirlpool's dryer factory in Findlay, Ohio. Under the Whirlpool and Kenmore brands there were approximately 6 million washers and dryers built in those factories annually. I believe without question this was the very best top load washer ever manufactured.
 
We had a Maytag washer and dryer that lasted 19 years. I replaced one belt on the dryer. We finally replaced them with another set of Maytags and had a lot of service issues. We still have the Maytags but I really don't think the quality is there.
We've had really good service out of our LG products so if I replace them again I'll look at changing.
 
To add to the discussion I can say with some certainty that every Kenmore top load washer was made in the Whirlpool factory in Clyde, Ohio for the past 40-50 years the matching dryer was made in Whirlpool's dryer factory in Findlay, Ohio. Under the Whirlpool and Kenmore brands there were approximately 6 million washers and dryers built in those factories annually. I believe without question this was the very best top load washer ever manufactured.
We had a Kenmore top loader which we rode for about 25 years. We replaced it with an LG front loader which performs well but we also have the mold problem. I would never recommend an LG dishwasher. As soon as it was out of warranty, it started breaking and would lie face down in the kitchen while I waited for the parts to come in from Repair Clinic. On the fifth repair, my wife said "no more," and we bought a KitchenAid, which is not nearly so well designed and laid out as the LG, but it hasn't broken - yet...
 
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What is the advantage of a front-loader washer over a top-loader anyway?
Front-loaders have a much larger capacity, leading to a lot less washing, plus they only cost a fraction of what a top-loader does to operate. OTOH, generally, they are much more expensive, so that would tend to balance out for a single guy like you...
 
Front-loaders have a much larger capacity, leading to a lot less washing, plus they only cost a fraction of what a top-loader does to operate. OTOH, generally, they are much more expensive, so that would tend to balance out for a single guy like you...

OK thanks. I thought it might have something to do with stacking the dryer on top, but now I remember hearing about the using less water thing too.

TBH, I prefer doing smaller loads and more of them because there's less to fold after they come out of the dryer.

I do laundry almost daily - at least 5 days/week. I dirty a lot of clothing and along with the sweat - don't like them sitting like that for very long.
 

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