What Temperature Alarm Means
The Over Temperature feature tells you when the refrigerator compartment has risen above 48F (9C), or the freezer above 15F (-9C), for more than an hour and a half. Maytag notes that the audible alarm stops by itself when the temperature returns to normal, but the indicator keeps flashing until you press Alarm, so that you learn about an over-temperature condition even if it corrected itself while you were out.
Common Causes of Temperature Alarm
- Door left open or not sealing
- Large quantity of warm food added at once
- Condenser coils blocked with dust or pet hair
- Insufficient clearance around the cabinet
- Condenser or evaporator fan failed
- Defrost system fault icing the evaporator
- Sealed system losing refrigerant
🔧 One Safe Check You Can Try
Check the food first with a thermometer rather than by touch: refrigerated food held above 40F for more than two hours should be discarded, and frozen food that has fully thawed is safer thrown away than refrozen. Then find out why it warmed. Was a door left ajar? Was a large batch of warm food put in at once? Are the condenser coils thick with dust, or is the refrigerator pushed so close to the wall that it cannot shed heat? Vacuum the coils and give it clearance, then watch the temperatures over the next day. If it will not hold temperature with the doors properly closed and the coils clean, the sealed system or a fan needs diagnosing.
⚠ Why You Shouldn't Go Further Than That
- Unplug the refrigerator before vacuuming the condenser coils.
- Sealed system work requires refrigerant handling certification and is never a home repair.
Opening a panel to inspect or repair something yourself doesn't automatically cancel your manufacturer's warranty — but it can risk accidental damage, and some manufacturers do have specific service conditions. Check your product's warranty terms, or ask us, before deciding.