Maytag Neptune Dryer Not Turning On: Control Board and Seized Motor Replaced in San Francisco

An older couple in San Francisco called because their Maytag Neptune dryer would not turn on. It is about 20 years old, but it had served them well and they really wanted it working again.

The rating label shows model MDE5500AYW, serial 40433128ZS. When we opened the dryer we found that the main control board had failed and the drive motor was seized.

The cause was the vent. It was clogged, so moist air from every load stayed inside the dryer like a cloud of steam. Over the years that moisture got into the motor bearings and slowly wore them out. The motor was also packed with lint and overheated, and finally it seized.

New control boards and motors for this model are no longer available. We explained this to the customers and offered another option: good used original parts.

We install used parts only in very rare cases, as an exception, and only with the customer's permission. Here the customers agreed, because they wanted to keep this dryer.

We chose a used control board and a used motor in very good condition. Because these parts were not new, we covered them with our own 6-month warranty. Dryer motors rarely fail, and control boards usually last for many years, so we expect these parts to keep working for a long time.

We replaced the control board and the motor, then cleaned the inside of the dryer from lint and dust. We lubricated the drum rollers and idler pulley, replaced the worn rollers and installed a new belt.

The vent itself has a complicated route that a regular vacuum cannot clean, so we asked the customers to have a vent cleaning service clean it. A clear vent protects the new parts from the same moisture damage.

The dryer turns on and dries normally again. The total for this job, including parts and labor, was $487.