Maytag Corporation Neptune Series Consumer Reviews

LEAGUE CITY, TEXAS -- I was given a set of Maytag Neptune washer and dryer for Mother's day probably 18 maybe 19 years ago. The first year, the motherboard went out and then the problem with the molding on the rubber rim and one time it leaked because the filter was clogged... That's it...the only problems I had with it ever in its lifetime. To me, that is a good washer... Now its bearings are worn out after sounding like a freight train in my utility room for about 6 months now. Something else is broken, but my warranty company insists on replacing it with a similar model rather than repair it due to lack of parts on this old baby...

So sad, this machine was part of the family. Good news, the dryer had its first problem a month ago and they were able to replace the motherboard and she works great... I just had to say these are great products and the first efficiencies of their class! Job well done Maytag!

MESA, ARIZONA -- We bought our Maytag Neptune washer and dryer in 2000 or 2001. We had an issue with the spinning dry of the washer. It didn't seem to get much of the water out prior to putting in the dryer. Called the Maytag service people and they came out pronto.

I was pretty forceful since I never thought I would be spending close to $2K on a washer and dryer. I was sold on the water and energy savings I would get and the cleaner and faster the clothes would get dryer. Again, I was pretty upset because of the price I paid. I almost expected them to take the clothes out of the hamper itself. I was forceful, but very respectful because this service guy didn't make the problem. He was out to fix it.

Service guy came out and pulled the machine out and the problem was actually in the water line. The installers bent it and water wouldn't flow properly. He was very professional and didn't make me feel like a dunce. I was pretty handy at fixing things, but this never crossed my mind and it should have.

16 or 17 years later we now need to replace that washer. Having problems with the rinse cycle, but this time you can hear the spinning. It is louder than our landscape tools and my woodworking tools. Our son can't sneak a load in later at night because it will wake us all up.

I am not sure I want a new front loader because of all the computer buttons that can go wrong. Our current one has heat, size and delay. We don't need stream, microwave or oven, just a washer. If they still sold the old Neptune, I would buy it in a heartbeat.

GALLIPOLIS, OHIO -- I purchased my first and last Maytag appliance in June 2006 - a washer. After 2 years I started noticing brownish gray spots on some of my clothes just every once in a while. Over the course of the next year I tried different detergents, quit using HE detergents, would mix detergent with water prior to putting in the machine, quit using fabric softener, etc....many of these recommendations by Maytag. Nothing seemed to help and the spots began to appear more frequently and crazy as it may sound they were always on our good clothes, never on my husband's work clothes or the kid's play clothes.

I called Maytag explained the situation, they sent an A&E repairman ($60). He told me that my washer had build up down under the LG drum-looking things and gave me an est. for $141 to clean it. Can you believe that crap? It's a washing machine, you don't put clean clothes in it - it's going to have dirty crap in it! After speaking with Maytag and expressing my views on it being a major design flaw, they backed the repairman. I declined the offer, took the whole washer apart to clean it - did find some crud (of which I took pics because at the time I was furious at such a horrible design flaw in a washer that has to be taken apart and cleaned < 3 yrs...cleaned it all.

Few loads of laundry later more spots. Just so happens that I'm ranting about the situation at a family gathering and my aunt speaks up and says it's leaking oil. She then explains that my good clothes get washed in cold water so the oil isn't dissolving, but that the work/play clothes get thrown in hot water and the oil is dissolved so it doesn't leave spots - made perfect since. Called Maytag - A&E repairman returned ($60), I explained that it was cleaned and asked about oil leaking and was told no, that it had a "sealed" transmission that didn't have oil. He still felt there was built up that was missed.

Again I took the washer apart, but this time I took everything out - and guess what I found? A transmission with a bunch of oil that wasn't "sealed" enough to keep it from leaving oil on my counter every time I moved it. I called Maytag (asked for different repairman), same repairman returned. I showed him, he was all nicey nice - gave me an est for $717.90 to repair.

After throwing an ever loving fit over the phone with Maytag (and highlighting the warranty page showing the sealed transmission was under warranty for 10 years), Maytag finally decided it wouldn't cost me anything (good thing since I'd already lost a small fortune in good clothes over the last year, not to mention my time taking apart and reassembling their washer - with three small children to tend to. My time is very valuable). Finally..."the part will be in within 2 days, but we can't get back here to put it in for 2 weeks". A family of five, do you know how much laundry we go through in 2 weeks?

Hardly acceptable - I had them mail me the part, I installed it and fixed the spots problem. That has been the worst part so far - we still have the washer, but there's always something screwing up with it...locks won't engage so washer won't run, often it gets stuck on spin cycle and when I go to get my laundry out they're still sopping wet, and today I started a load and it started operating as usual, but kept beeping it beeped through the whole cycle (called Maytag, as usual they don't know why, but offered to SEND REPAIRMAN - $60 lol) - good thing my washer is in the basement. Stay away from Maytag!

Every time I call customer service I hear "CHA-CHING$$$" in my head. Last but not least, the saddest part of this story is that when this washer is working properly it cleans clothes amazingly and I love it that small part of the time; However, I will never never own another Maytag, and I will tell anyone who asks about this experience. By the way this is the only time I've ever put a complaint online, I'm usually very easy to satisfy/work with.

BENTON HARBOR, KENTUCKY -- I will no longer be a valued Maytag/Whirlpool customer. My issue was not resolved to my satisfaction. A control board on as expensive a washer as this Maytag Neptune Washer Front Loader HE should not go out after 3 years of use. You have definitely lost my business for life, and I will tell everyone I know about my horrible experience with your product and customer service in this regard. I will never purchase another of your products or any product in your family of brand names. As a consumer, I too have a bottom line and at some point that has to matter also. As a corporation I understand you have a bottom line, financial profitability goals etc...

You should be ashamed of yourselves for selling a product for 1000-1300$ and banking on the purported reliability of the Maytag brand name. You should be ashamed that after only 3 years of use this product failed in the most expensive way it could and you failed to make that situation right by me. You could have sent the part to me at no cost to me and maybe a 40$ cost to you for a washer I spent so much money on, and maintained me as a loyal and hypothetically valued customer.

Think about it... That part probably cost you about $40 to have made (Control Board Part # 34001498 which number I now have memorized after trying to find one at an affordable price). Maybe more, but not really too much more. So rather than send me the part, which should not have gone out after only 3 years in the first place, and keep me and my household as current and future customers earning you thousands over my lifetime and the lifetimes of my children, family, and friends etc. You have lost me and any future business I will need to do in the range of your products.

And know this... I am only 38. I will need to buy another washer, dryer, refrigerator, stove, microwave, stereo, blender, (insert type of appliance here) over the course of the rest of my life, as will my children, family and friends. YOU and YOUR company will NOT get a dime of my business. It doesn't seem like good consumer relations on your part, not smart future financial planning, but hey... I don't own a multi-million dollar corporation.

I'm just a housewife and I have to take the fact that you will not stand honorably by your products brand, nor reliability and accept that you received thousands of my dollars and I am not receiving the dependability that you claim in your advertisements. When I calculate how many hours I had to work to pay for that washer.

Hours of my life that were bargained in exchange for the dependable use of a product you sell, I am sickened. You have commercials that tout that Maytag service men never have anything to do because your product is so reliable! False advertising! I am no fool. I will research your family line of products and I will not buy from you again. Take that to your bottom line!

DETROIT, MICHIGAN -- We thought we did the right thing when we spent the extra money on a "high quality" washing machine in July of 2005. What a mistake! This machine is a piece of junk. It shakes so violently during the spin cycle that it literally walks 2 to 3 feet across the room. We can't start a load of laundry and leave the house for fear the hose will come loose and we will end up with water all over the floor. The fun part is when I get to push this huge machine back into place after each load. We too have been told that the problem is our floor (Ceramic tile on a plywood sub floor).

I even did the silly "test" the repair people wanted me to do - Place a bowl of water on the floor in front of the washer or on top of the dryer. If the water shakes, your floor is the problem. In my "test" the water did not shake. My floor is NOT the problem! They replaced the control board with a new one that has a motion sensor. This did not fix the problem. When I called back to tell them the new control board did not fix the problem the repair guy told me they get these complaints "every day" about the Maytag Neptune. He said the only thing they can tell people is that their floor is the problem because that's what Maytag tells them when they call for help.

The customer service person I talked to at Maytag told me the machines were designed to be placed on a solid concrete floor. Funny! No one told me that when I bought it and the installation guide only says it has to be a "solid floor". How much more solid does it have to be? How many other people bought these machines for a first floor laundry only to be told "sorry the problem is your floor"? How can Maytag possibly think that telling people to reinforce their floor is an answer to fix their DEFECTIVE MACHINES. There are simply too many complaints about the vibration problem for them to deny they have a huge problem. Do NOT buy a Maytag front load machine!

07860, NEW JERSEY -- We made the decision to purchase a Maytag Neptune Front Loader Washer and Dryer 3 years ago. The price of the washer alone was $1100. It was a lot, but we THOUGHT we were purchasing a quality appliance that would last for a very long time. What fools were we!! After about 1 year our washer starting clanging and spinning extremely loud every time we used it. It was so loud that you cannot be in the same room when it is running. Also there was such a strong "septic" odor in the laundry room every time I used the machine that it made me want to literally throw-up.

Last year it got even worse. At this point we were used to the loudness, smell and moving of the machine, but it started smoking while it was washing. Fortunately we purchased the extended warranty and contacted Maytag Dependability Plus and scheduled a repair. To make a long story very short everything had to be replaced in my machine...motor, drum, gasket, pump, spindle and boot..to the tune of $900. Thank God we purchased the extended coverage because it was covered. However I told Maytag that I did not want it repaired because this machine was a nightmare. I wanted a replacement or refund of sort. They stated it HAD to be repaired.

3 weeks and countless trips to the laundromat later it was repaired. One month later we had to have them come back out because it was literally loud and moving across the floor again. We were concerned that this was the beginning of the end again. Ironically I again stated to the repairman that when it ran there was a horrid smell. He knew exactly what I was talking about. They now sell tablets that you have to put in an empty cycle weekly to help with the odor. It was common with this machine!! He also stated there was nothing that can be done with the machine since this is how this machine is.

He had been on numerous calls for the same thing and nothing can be done. One month later he had to come back again because the machine stopped in cycle, with wet clothes in it and the door LOCKED. Nothing would open it.. on/off, etc. At this point the repairman could not come out for 3 days..and I was livid because my clothes would have been molded. After many calls the repairman agreed to walk my husband through dismantling the machine to unlock the door. Okay we did it!! But when we turned the machine on.. nothing happened. 3 days later the repairman again came out and was able to get the machine working for now.

It turned out a quarter got into the pump (another problem he said he has seen with this machine). I have made numerous calls to Maytag and they just don't care!! I am covered for another 3 years and will call them each and every time there is a problem, but at this point they will NOT replace the machine for me. They are now stating that because I CHOSE to have the machine repaired if at all I would only get the difference between the total repair costs and purchase price. They have spent more $ to repair this machine then we paid for it already. Even the repairman stated he knew I did not CHOSE to have the machine repaired. They did not care.

Now I will call them each and every time ANYTHING goes wrong and hope to get it classified as a lemon. Whatever that will mean. It is obvious though that they DO NOT stand behind their product and couldn't care less about the consumer. Most likely we will have to buy a new washer soon because I cannot depend on this one and it kills me because it is only 3 years old. RUN... STAY FAR AWAY FROM A MAYTAG MACHINE. I WISH SOMEONE TOLD ME THAT 3 YEARS AGO!!

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA -- I have had my Neptune washing machine since mid-January (2007). I waited to purchase a front-loading machine until I felt confident in both the technology and the company behind the equipment. I purchased my matching dryer a few months prior to the washer and was quite satisfied with the quality and appearance of the dryer. This dryer lulled me into a false sense of product/company satisfaction. My experience with this washing machine has been anything but satisfactory.

I purchased stands for both my washer and dryer. Both stands are Maytag's and I assumed that since they are Maytag accessories, designed by and for Maytag machines, they would be the best I could buy. Now, I'm not at all certain that I should have purchased anything Maytag, and I'm not at all certain that I ever will again. The dryer is not my problem; the washer most definitely continues to be a problem. Although I like having a front-loading machine, from the very first, this washer has vibrated so much that it is disturbing. I cannot place anything on top of the washer because it will end up on the floor from strong vibrations.

Even things placed on top of the dryer often end up on the floor and the units are 5 inches apart. I had a Maytag serviceman come to my home twice and he advised me that, in his opinion, my problem had more to do with the stand than with the washer, and suggested that a more substantial flooring be installed under the washer. I was advised to place plywood board under the washer and screw it into the floor. (My home was custom build and is less than 10 years old.) Although I didn't believe it was necessary, I took the serviceman's advice and hired yet another serviceman to handle that issue – a waste of time and effort.

The second time the service man came out, he told me that “in the newer models, they don't have these issues.” The service representative told me that the stand is an accessory and therefore, is not something “covered” by the warranty. He also suggested that I go back to the store where I purchased the machine and ask about any kind of “agreement” between Maytag and the company regarding the stand. I did that too, and the personnel at the store said that he knew nothing about any kind of agreement or kit to make the stands more durable.

As a measure of desperation, I had my washing machine removed from the stand. Although it is still loud, removing the stand made a significant difference in the amount of vibration during the spin cycle; however now the machine is so low to the floor that it makes doing laundry a true “pain.” In order to keep the machine off the stand, I would be required to also remove the one under the dryer for visual balance. A total waste of convenience as well as money paid for both stands! I am very certain that if I lived in a multi-unit complex, my neighbors would complain about the noise generated by this machine.

Surely Maytag is aware that with the amount of vibration generated by this machine, the stands are not sufficiently stable. To be told that the “newer” machines “do much better with vibrations” does nothing for customer loyalty. On the day my washer was delivered, in conversation with my husband, the delivery man even stated that he “couldn't believe that anyone would pay this much for a washing machine.” Now, my very expensive Maytag washer is 8-months old and, I assure you, I am not a happy customer!

FLORIDA -- I purchased this item in Feb 01 to replace a 15-year old Maytag top loader which had performed well. The new Neptune was only 2-3 years old before it started exhibiting control panel malfunctions. I received the lawsuit info and joined the claim in 2004 about the same time I was contemplating calling a repair man since the washer was still under warranty.

The lawsuit claim resulted in Maytag sending a repairman to my home in Nov. of 04 only to tell me the things that were wrong with the machine (moldy door gasket, door latch would not open unless machine was unplugged and every button on control panel was repeatedly pressed until it responded and I could get wet wash out) was not covered by the lawsuit and fixed nothing even though they were on the claim. He then left. I moved the washer to the back shed for a once a month use for animal blankets and rugs. I then purchased a Whirlpool Duet which has been fine and does not lock wet wash in it.

In June of 05 I was called by Maytag (because the lawsuit then forced them to) and they sent a new gasket and motor to my home and the same repairman came and installed them. I told him how the machine was still behaving and he said it was not the control panel but the door latch which was not under warranty and told me where I could get one. He also put on the recite for that day (which I did not check) a door latch and door gasket. But it was the gasket and motor that came in the box from Maytag.

Of course Maytag won't tell me how to get a hold of the repairman to ask for his records and ask him why he kept saying it was the door latch and not the control panel that was broken and why his recite was wrong even though there was no charge on it. The control panel continued to get worse and ceased to function at all, it just goes beep beep beep. Well with a new door latch installed a week ago the control panel still goes beep beep beep. The repairman was wrong and the control panel was under warranty until a few weeks ago after all. He was either very incompetent or a liar. I was a fool for taking his word and not researching every thing.

We were dealing with the damage from Hurricane Charley at the time and I was too busy to doubt the repairman and now Maytag said that since the warranty is up it is my tough luck even though the repairman was here twice and was not competent enough to give the washer a good exam and fix the parts that were covered under warranty. So we have a 1100.00 piece of junk in the shed. I called the lawyer representing Neptune owners today and they are looking into it. So if you love misery and throwing away $1100.00 plus and a lot of precious time on the phone on hold, buy a Maytag.

CHILLICOTHE, ILLINOIS -- We purchased our first Maytag in 1965 and happily wore out three sets until we purchased the Neptune MAH8700 Front Load Washer and MDE9700 Dryer in August 2005. Now, we wish we had never heard of Maytag! We purchased the FL units from the local Chillicothe, Illinois dealer because we expected “hometown” service. After 6 months of trying to get the washer balanced, having the drum and struts replaced, having a riser upgrade kit installed, having a “second opinion” on why the vibration occurs, and countless phone calls to Maytag Customer Disservice, our “hometown” dealer has abandoned us and we are now dealing directly with Maytag.

We are being told that since the unit performs satisfactorily on the dealer's concrete floor and not on our wooden floor, the problem is ours and not Maytag's. Maytag's ** (telephone: **), who stated that she works directly for Maytag's CEO Ralph Hake, stated that she has never heard of a similar customer complaint and would not comment about the washer/dryer being sold and installed for use in our laundry room.

During the “second opinion” visit, the serviceman pointed out that Maytag's Installation Instructions state (page 4) “For best performance the washer must be installed on a solidly constructed floor. Wood floors may need to be reinforced to minimize vibration and/or unbalanced load situations.” He also stated that, in his opinion, there was nothing wrong with our laundry room floor and that nothing could be done with the floor to correct the problem. He stated that Neptunes should never be installed on anything except a solid concrete floor because they spin at 1100 rpm.

We are still contacting Maytag Corporate for either replacement units or a refund. We are also considering legal action with a possible class action suit since most of these high ticket washer/dryer systems will probably end up in an upstairs laundry room and not the basement. In the meantime, our three daughters are now making appliance selections and excluding Maytag because of the poor quality and lousy customer service we have encountered.

NEW JERSEY -- I purchased a Neptune front-loading washer and dryer from Maytag because of their old time commercials about the loneliest repairman in town because of their reliability. Well, he died and you can forget that claim. Last November my washer stopped doing the spin cycle. I called up and they told me it was $130 for a house call. When the technician arrived he immediately told me that there was a class action lawsuit against Maytag which they had settled. Unfortunately, I had missed the cut off by a couple of months so it would cost me $400 for a new circuit board and wax seal for the front door.

I had never even been notified that there was a problem even though I had registered the unit. I told him to leave and refused to pay for the house call. He told me he would never return again to fix it if I didn't pay him for his 5 minute visit in which he admitted he didn't even have the parts to fix it. I went ballistic when I called Maytag. Their customer service was awful. I was about to buy a new washer when I received in the mail an extended warranty for one year for $120. I purchased it as a compromise. I waited the obligatory 30 days before I called for repair service.

They schedule the repair and guess who shows up? Yes, that very same technician who said he was never coming back. Well, he arrives and instead of fixing it, he starts to give me some lip service that they shouldn't have sold me the contract. I asked him if he was in charge of customer service or was he a technician that was going to do his job and fix it. He immediately backed down and fixed the unit. That's what a customer wants to hear - a technician with attitude. The moral of the story is that Maytag is a shell of the great company it once was. Do not do business with Maytag.