425 views
New Reviewer
9 comments
I bought this Magic Chef Stove in about 1995. It replaced a perfectly good stove circa 1920. The old stove just didn't go with the new kitchen. About 2 years later I get the infamous F-1 error message on the panel. With a lot of research my wife and I discover that it is a defective panel. O.K. a little more investigation and we find the part from a parts supplier, part number 7403P331-60. I install it and one year later it goes out again. I install it and three years later another F-1. I install it over and over and over. It is now 2007 and I just installed another one at $90 per and one hour of disassembly and assembly. Why didn't I just buy a Viking??? It would have cost less.

Everytime I speak to Magic Chef/Maytag/now Whirlpool about the problem it is about an hour on hold and a hour talking. The conversation always leads to the same conclusions...there is nothing wrong with the panel, if there were our engineers would have surely fixed it...ugh..."we have never had a complaint!"...double ugh. Did they ever hear of the internet or maybe they think I don't own a PC.

Well, there could be another reason, such as, a short or whatever but if that were the case why does this thing last so long before it burns out?

Very disappointed with this stove and the customer service. Moral of the story, pay the extra few hundred bucks and buy decent appliances if you'll be in your home for more than a couple years.
Do You Have Something To Say ?
Write a review

Comments

chat-icon

Please avoid publishing any personal information and promotional content

You will be automatically registered on our site. Username and password will be sent to you via email.
Post Comment
Guest

Same issue with the part, have to replace it every year.

Guest

I bought my house with a magic chef smooth top range. Since moving in in 2003, I had replaced the part number 4 times between 2003 and 2009.

Finally, in 2009 I bought one from marcone and about a year later, we got the F-1 code again. We have been lifting the stove top up and down every time for the last 2 years.

Today (11/18/12) I finally looked for the part number and came across the old receipt and discovered I bough the lifetime warranty the last time i bought this part. As soon as my wife lets me gut the kitchen, I will proudly burn this pos stove and buy something better.

Guest

I too bought a stove (Maytag) with the infamous 7403P331-60 membrane keypad which goes bad every year or two (starts beeping with the F1 error code). I bought my stove in 1994 and have replaced the keypad about eight or nine times.

Maytag customer service was totally in denial that this is a part which is poorly designed (either by incompetence or on purpose). Remember those commercials with the bored Maytag repair man? What a joke. At least I watched how the repair was done and have done all replacements of this part by myself.

One thing is for sure I will never buy another Maytag appliance on principle and if possible I will avoid electronic controls on my next stove if possible.

Oh, if you think you can stop the annoying beeping by disabling the beeper- good luck it is not in the appliance diagrams. I think it is built into the clock module.

Guest

Old Magic Chef electric stove, same problem. I can't believe that the Touchpad is faulty even after appropriate tests pointed toward it.

You shouldn't have to replace the pad every year or so. I ripped mine out and ohm tested every circuit imaginable. There appears to be NO short. Finally had an idea!

The ribbon connector! Cheap pins oxidize over time (they should have used non-oxidizing material like gold as used in more upscale electronic components). Took an eraser and cleaned the pins thoroughly, then used electronic parts cleaner several times. Put everything back together.

NO MORE F1 CODE! This explains why NEW touchpads fail shortly after install. Your plugging into oxidized female plug.

Doesn't take long before male plug on touchpad oxidizes, returning the problem. Keeps repair services happy, they will replace pad after pad after pad, never really fixing the problem.

Guest

I too have had the same problem for a long time now. will never buy another magic chef.

Guest

I also have a magic Chef Stove with with the defective membrane switch. I have replaced it every year since I purchased it in 1995.

I was getting a discount on the part from a local Maytag parts store, because they felt sorry for me.

They closed down, now I am paying twice as much as before. I have no choice but to buy a new stove.

Guest

I also have the exact same problem (error F1)with the touch pad. I've replaced the pad twice already.

Each replacement lasted between 1 to 2 years. Now, I plugged in the unit only if I'm using the oven. I'm lighting the burners manually when unplugged.

I will be doing this until I can afford a new oven. This is a piece of junk!

Guest

we have the same problem with the pad. the oven has started malfunctioning as well - sometimes the smell of gas is horrible & it doesn't heat.

i'm replacing the pad one more time, i hope it helps.

i plan to replace the whole thing, but need to wait until the right financial moment. the pad is much much cheaper than a new unit.

Guest

I have had exactly the same frustrating experience with this panel part number. Geting up in the middle of the night to pull the range away from the wall to unplug the range to silence incessant beeping that accompanies the F-1 failure code is no fun.

Not to mention that an unplugged oven won't work.

If you do happen to buy this part (and plan on keeping your range for any length of time), buy the Lifetime Warranty (if available from you parts store). After the second panel failed (at almost exaqctly one year after replacement) I finally caught on and paid the extra 10% ($5.87 at Marcone back in 2001) and have replaced it at least three times since then at no addtional cost (other than considerable aggrevation and my labor) by hanging on to my receipt.

Magic Chef Reviews

  1. 5 reviews
  2. 4 reviews
  3. 3 reviews
  4. 2 reviews
  5. 1 review
Magic Chef reviews