My 2 year old Maytag commerical agitator top loader broke down. Warranty questions

[pumice]

Just over 2 years ago I bought the Maytag MVWP575GW . Like below picture. Bought it brand new from a local Appliance dealership (not big box store). They special ordered it for me.

Just over a year ago, the washer wouldn't drain, which was fixed under warranty.

Now the agitator and tub won't spin during the wash cycle. The rinse cycle seems to work.

Since it is over 2 years old, is the warranty no good? I did not get any extended warranty.

I read somewhere there is a 5 years warranty on the tub and motor? When they say motor, do they mean strictly the motor or do they mean the motor and the transmission / gearbox ?

Posted video on YouTube, of it not working. Sorry about it being orientated in portrait mode.

 

[qsd-dan]

Probably needs a new shift actuator. It's a high rate of failure part on these machines. Most VMW washers need to be recalibrated once the repair is completed.

 

[DADoES]

 
Five years warranty on the motor means only the motor.  Transmission/gearbox not included, it's a separate part.

May not be a shift actuator problem, examination is required to confirm.  The actuator shifts the mechanism between agitation and spin.  It's not doing either in your video ... the actuator may be stuck between modes but some gear-grinding type of noises may occur from the drive pulley in that case.  Did you notice any such noises at any time while the problem was developing?

Note that the rinse "cycle" performs both spin and agitation.  Presumably if it's not agitating during wash then it's also not agitating for rinse.  Apparently it does spin?

Note also that the basket isn't forcibly driven during agitation (wash or rinse).  It rotates passively/sympathetically opposite of the agitator movement due to the design of the transmission/gearbox.

 

[combo52]

Check your warranty papers that came with the machine some of these machines especially those sold through independent dealers had a five year parts and labor warranty.

In any case, get the dealer to look at it and if it’s a serious issue go after whirlpool they may give you some satisfaction, it may well just be a bad lid switch to they have not had much trouble with the shift actuators on the commercial versions. It has a different one.

John

 

[ryner1988]

Reply #2

"the actuator may be stuck between modes"

When my VMW machine died in early 2022, the tech we called determined it was likely the gearbox that had failed without even looking at the machine so advised us not to try to fix it. However, knowing what I know now I would have asked him further questions because the symptoms the machine was exhibiting actually point to a broken shift actuator, or so it would seem. Washer had drained but it had failed to continue to spin and was making a buzzing noise...sounded exactly like the transition sound between cycles except stuck there.

Wonder if it would have been worth it to try to fix the machine after all, not that it matters much now because it's long gone.

Ryne

 

[pumice]

"Did you notice any such noises at any time while the problem was developing? "

Just before it died, there was a thud / clunk sound. Sounded as if parts smacked against each other.

"Check your warranty papers that came with the machine some of these machines especially those sold through independent dealers had a five year parts and labor warranty. "

Problem is I don't know where I put the receipt, owner's manual and warranty info.

 

[pumice]

Here's my quandary:

If I open it up to see what's wrong the dealer will say I voided my 5 year warranty by doing that.

The tub spins during the rinse cycle so it can't be the motor, and is not the tub, so the 5 year warranty wouldn't apply to me , correct?

I did not get an extended warranty for additional cost

 

[DADoES]

 
This link is to a .pdf of the warranty via Maytag's website.

MVWP575GW Warranty

Says five years parts/labor on the entire machine.  Additional five years (sixth through tenth years) on the drive motor and stainless steel wash basket (only parts, labor not covered).  Note that the wash basket is not the outer tub, which is plastic and covered by the initial five-years warranty.

The serial number is coded for year and month of manufacture which helps confirm warranty coverage, although that doesn't reflect your precise purchase date and the terms state that proof of purchase / dealer's name is required.  Surely you can get that information from the dealer being that they're local to you and it was only two years ago.  Are they an authorized servicer?  They should be able to do the repair if so without you having to call Maytag directly.

 

[pinkpower4]

I have owned THIS model for 5 years now with no issues...

Hi! I am not a repair person. However, I have used the mvwp575gw for five years now without issues in a kid/pet friendly home. It's my understanding the "575" model has a five year in-home parts and labor warranty by Maytag itself. I fix as much of my stuff as I can. I've not had any issues with this machine, but I did take the agitator off at one time to see if there was anything under it.

I could be wrong, but this sounds like the washer is in wash mode not spin mode. I can hear the belt moving back and forth, but see that the agitator is not. There is a piece under the agitator held in place by a U-clip. I wonder if it is stripped or if the underside of agitator itself is stripped?

Regarding the link I shared, refer to that post about agitator removal and Reply 7. Check the dogs (picture 7) and that plastic piece (photo 12) to make sure neither is stripped. If it isn't that, the only other things I can think of would be the shift actuator or gearcase. I am not a repair person though. This washer does not seem to be overloaded. I have always been careful to fill the machine loosely with clothes a few inches below the white rim and then fill with water. If you add the clothes while the washer is filling, you'll end up with more clothes because the water compresses the clothing as the machine fills. Anyway, I've always been careful with mine because they aren't made like the old Maytags. Overloading could definitely cause issues with the cheap, plastic parts. The good news is those can be fixed even by me and not terribly expensive as to make me want to replace the whole machine instead. I could replace the shift actuator too. If it's the gear case, I'd probably scrap mine at this point. The part is probably $200 to $300, but it would be a beast for an extra small adult like me to try and replace. Also, the newer models have the water level switch. My kids are older now and some have moved out recently, so I do smaller loads now. It is why I bought the TC5 this past year. I wanted to get one before the eco (know-it-all NOTS) decide to ban them. They are really hard to get in my area as some scalpers were selling them above MSRP, but I got on a waiting list and got one before the prices had went up again. I have both washers hooked up, but the Maytag is still the main one I use as I will just pitch it for whatever I can get at the scrapyard when the gearcase goes. I do use the Speed Queen TC5 for smaller loads where I need hotter water, longer wash time, or less rough wash action. I love the TC5 Normal Eco secret cycle. I choose heavy wash and get a much longer wash for small loads of whites. Need a tub instead of spray rinse? I just run it with Normal Eco again no options and no detergent (and add Lysol sanitizer, if needed).

But back to your Maytag. When the video first starts, what is the brown stuff in the upper left corner? Why does there appear to be powder in what should be the fabric softener dispenser? Do you use a lot of bleach or something else? I see rust spots on the lid. Mine looks almost like it did the day I bought it. I live in the hot south. The room the washer is in not heated/cooled well either. I keep my A/C around 80 to save money during the summer (it gets over 100 where I live) and just use fans. In the winter, it is probably 60 degrees in that room. Still, the washer looks new. No smells either. The reason I ask is some of this stuff may be corroding parts in the washer.

The detergent is placed in drum before clothes are put in. I use either Tide powder or Persil liquid (line 2 for Normal Eco and somewhere between line 3 and 4 for the deep water washes). I sometimes add a scent booster. Once in a while I'll use bleach. Most of the time I use Tide powder with the bleach and/or oxi-clean for whites. I like Lysol sanitizer in the rinse water (just let them sit a bit for throwing in dryer as the sanitizer needs 16 minutes to work). I use cool/warm for colors and hot for whites (but there is usually at least one load a week).

The spot in the center of the agitator is for fabric softener (which I don't recommend using). It is just my opinion, but fabric softener can gunk up the machine, coat the fabric so the detergent and water don't penetrate the fibers well enough next to get as clean, etc. In a dryer, it can't coat the sensors for auto dry over time. It could be that the powder just happens to get in there when you putting it into the machine. If so, that piece can be removed and cleaned.

I can't go back and edit the post, so I hope the link works.

Maytag Commercial Washer MVWP575GW remove agitator?

Hello I’ve got a Maytag Commercial Washer (MVWP575GW) washer and we’ve got a coin (or coins?) that just dropped under the agitator. I’ve gotten some of the agitator out but I’m stuck. It doesn’t seem to have the typical agitator that most maytags have. Does anyone know how to get the...

www.google.com

 

[pinkpower4]

P.S. About the Warranty Clarification.

My machine is over 5 years old, so nothing that is actually going to break would be covered any more. That is why I would scrap mine at this point for a major repair like the gearcase.

It's my understanding the in-home parts and labor covers all parts of your machine if it is not customer misuse. I can't tell what the brown stuff in the upper left corner is, if those are rust spots on the lid (and what caused that), the extra stuff I can see in the fabric dispenser. I just know my machine looks almost like it did the day I got it. If it was me, I would definitely wipe this down before repair person comes.

 

[pinkpower4]

The tub...

Oh, wow! I was a bit distracted by the other stuff I saw going on with this washer, but the tub doesn't seem to be moving at all whereas the agitator is moving some. I can hear the same sound I do with my washer, so it seems like the belt underneath washer is moving forward and back. But is it? Can you take the front panel off and see? If all that brown stuff is rust, I would be curious to see what the teeth on the gearcase shaft look like. I'm guessing not good.

Not sure my post above will be much help. Sorry. I saw this in the middle of trying to do other things. I will be curious to see what this issue turn out to be.

 

[DADoES]

 
Screen capture (rotated) from start of the video.  Appears to be extensive rusting at the bleach dispenser, some on lower edge of the lid, and apparently on the top at the left outside the loading area.  Rusting around the bleach dispenser funnel is very common but that much in 2 years is astonishing and tragic.

 

[ea56]

OMG! Glenn tragic is an understatement! How could anyone let their washing machine get into this condition in just two years? In my 72 years I’ve never seen anything like this. No telling what the rest of the inside of the machine must look like.

My Roper is 4 years old and there is ZERO rust anywhere. After every use I wipe it down and then leave the lid open so it can dry out thoroughly. It only takes about 30 seconds.

Eddie

 

[combo52]

Rust around chlorine bleach dispensers

This comes from pouring the bleach in the dispenser in a careless manner, and not rinsing the bleach into the dispenser or cleaning up around the dispenser.

There will be no other harm to the washer anywhere from this, once the bleach gets into the tub, it’s quickly diluted, and there will be no damage or harm in the rest of the machine unless incredibly large quantities are being used.

It’s very common to see this type of rust on all washing machines that have bleach dispensers.

It’s really not nice to chastise people for the way they take care of their machines when they come here for advice.

John

 

[ea56]

“It’s very common to see this type of rust on all washing machines that have bleach dispensers.”

John,
I realize that you see lots of washing machines day in and day out in the course of your work. But I can’t believe that rust of this degree around a bleach dispenser is common.

I will agree that it may be common to see some minor amount of rust around a bleach dispenser due to careless pouring of the bleach and failing to wipe up the excess, but the amount of rust in this picture is simply amazing! Just loading the tub would probably result in the transfer of this rust to the laundry and stain it.

I wasn’t meaning to chastise the OP. However this amount of rust in IMO is indicative of neglect of the appliance. I suppose everyone has different standards of appliance maintenance. I’ve owned 23 washing machines since ‘72, some of them used when I got them and NONE of them ever had rust like this and neither did any of the washing machines that my Mom and the rest of BOTH sides of my family owned.

Eddie

 

[Chetlaham]

Obscene Rust

I wouldn't be so quick to blame the OP. I am very casual and careless with my 2013 Speed Queen- I never wipe up splash or spills- and the amount of rust on my machine is minimal in comparison. I personally would pin the blame on Whirlpool's quality more than the user. There are many, many folks whom splash, spill and not wipe afterwards.

 

[pinkpower4]

In general, THIS rust is NOT a quality issue...

Only OP know how and what products are used, so this may not apply to that particular situation. In general, THIS type of rust is NOT a quality issue...

This is in the Maytag's warranty information under what is not covered. "Discoloration, rust, or oxidation of surfaces resulting from caustic or corrosive environments, including, but not limited to, high salt concentrations, high moisture or humidity, or exposure to chemicals."

When I use bleach, I measure it out. I carefully pour it in the bleach dispenser. Then I take a couple capfuls of water and rinse the remainder down. I have a tub of wet wipes I keep near the washer, I give it a quick swipe. My 5 y/o washer is not exactly in the best climate-controlled environment, but it has no rust spots. I am not joking when I say I have put this washer through some true real-life endurance tests, but it has been used properly too (not overloaded, quality detergent, proper water temp, etc.). It looks almost like it did when I bought it though.

It stands to reason if the bleach can rust out parts of the lid and surrounding areas, it can damage other parts of the washer too especially if more than the recommended amounts were used.

At first I thought maybe the bottom of the agitator was stripped or the part the U-clip holds. Both easy to fix. Then I realized the tub doesn't seem to be turning at all. Is the belt actually moving the part? If not, maybe the belt is too loose. If belt is tight and working normally, it seems as if something like the gear case may be stripped. I'm not a repair person. It's not looking good though. I really do wonder what the shaft on that gear case looks like. The surrounding area next to the bleach dispenser and especially the splattered rust spots suggest that the bleach may have been poured straight from the bottle and not measured out. Whether or not that's the case, it is one possibility Maytag may claim as a reason to deny this repair under warranty.

There is also what looks to be a lot of powdered residue in the center of the agitator.

The washer did not look overloaded in the pix to me. The tub and agitator seemed clean.

I've included a link to a post that has some good pictures regarding repairs to the washer showing rusted out shafts on gearcase that came out of this washer or washers were the same or similar gearcase was used because this was what I was thinking as I viewed the condition of the washer. I don't have time to go back through all the posts. However, the common theme seems to be a lot of bleach, overloading, and commercial use by vets, hair salons, etc. While it's not a true commercial washer, overloading and excessive bleach are not within correct use either. This doesn't mean I think the misuse was intentional. A lot of it is because the consumer didn't have the correct information to begin with. Companies want to sell their product and more of it. What worked with older machines doesn't work with the newer ones.

Once I sorted through the biased reviews criticizing this Maytag mvwp575gw, what I did take from them is this isn't your old Maytag. BUT NOTHING TODAY IS! Treat it with care if you want it to last the 5 to 10 years life expectancy most washers have now.

Redirect Notice

 

[ea56]

“In general, THIS rust is NOT a quality issue...”

Very well stated PinkPower4! In post #15 its stated that Whirlpool’s lack of quality is responsible for spilled bleach causing the rust in the photo of post #11, a 2 year old machine.

Well, in post #12 I posted a photo of my 4+ year old Roper, also a Whirlpool product, which is also the BOL model and there is NO rust!. That’s because when I use bleach once a week or more, I, like you CAREFULLY pour the LCB into the dispenser and then pour about 1/4 cup of water into the dispenser afterwords to rinse it and wipe all the adjacent surfaces too, just for good measure. Careful use and maintenance of ANY appliance will assure a longer life. If I’m not mistaken most, if not all owners manuals for washing machines tell the owners to wipe off any spilled LBC too!

Plus, leaving spilled LCB on the top of the washer is just inviting the transfer of LCB to some colored article of clothing thereby ruining it too!

The only washers that commonly have rust around the LCB dispenser belong to careless owners. If the shoe fits, wear it.

Eddie[this post was last edited: 9/17/2023-12:49]

 

[DADoES]

 
I didn't in Reply #11 direct blame for the rusting at the OP.  My unstated thought at the time was toward materials/build quality.

This is one of my machines which is 14 years.  It has the tragedy of plastic for the top deck and lid.  LOL.

Pumice says the "tub won't spin during the wash cycle" (which I interpret as referring to indexing during agitation) and "tub spins during the rinse cycle" (which I interpret to mean extraction between wash and rinse), but no direct statement whether it spins during the Final Spin period (presumably it does and the clothes are not dripping-wet at the end).  Also no mention of fault codes during operation, or clarification whether agitation does/does not occur during the Rinse period (presumably it does not, be really odd if it does!).  The transmission/gear box surely could be bad regards to no agitation.