<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3/A</documentType>
    <periodOfReport>2003-05-08</periodOfReport>
    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2003-05-08</dateOfOriginalSubmission>
    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000063541</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MAYTAG CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MYG</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001230530</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HUFFER DOUGLAS C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President Dixie Narco</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>
   <nonDerivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock </value>
              <footnoteId id="F1" />
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>362</value>
          </transactionShares>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeSecurity>
   <nonDerivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Maytag 401(k) Plan</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>1476</value>
          </transactionShares>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>I</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <natureOfOwnership>
              <value>By 401(k)</value>
          </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeSecurity>
   <nonDerivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Maytag ESOP Plan</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>1274</value>
          </transactionShares>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>I</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <natureOfOwnership>
              <value>By ESOP</value>
          </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeSecurity>
   <derivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>46</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
          <value>2001-08-28</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>2008-08-27</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Stock</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>2580</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeSecurity>
   <derivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>57</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
          <value>2002-02-12</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>2009-02-12</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Stock</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>1578</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeSecurity>
   <derivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>46</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
          <value>2002-11-12</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>2009-11-11</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Stock</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>5000</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeSecurity>
   <derivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>28</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
          <value>2002-11-10</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>2010-11-09</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Stock</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>5000</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeSecurity>
   <derivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>29</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
          <value>2002-11-08</value>
              <footnoteId id="F2" />
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>2011-11-07</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Stock</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>5000</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeSecurity>
   <derivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>26</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
          <value>2003-11-15</value>
              <footnoteId id="F3" />
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>2012-11-15</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Stock</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>5000</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeSecurity>
   <derivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Deferred Comp Plan (phantom stock units)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>0</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
          <value>1988-08-08</value>
              <footnoteId id="F4" />
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>1988-08-08</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Stock</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>451</value>
              <footnoteId id="F4" />
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>I</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <natureOfOwnership>
              <value>Phantom Units</value>
          </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeSecurity>
   <derivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>43</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
          <value>2001-02-13</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>2008-02-13</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Stock</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>327</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeSecurity>
<footnotes>
   <footnote id="F1">Shares held in joint tenancy with spouse.</footnote>
   <footnote id="F2">1/3 vest 11/08/2002, 1/3 vest 11/08/2003 and final 1/3 vest 11/08/2004.</footnote>
   <footnote id="F3">1/3 vest 11/15/2003, 1/3 vest 11/15/2004 and final 1/3 vest 11/15/2005.</footnote>
   <footnote id="F4">Payable in cash upon retirement or other termination.</footnote>
</footnotes>
    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>Douglas C Huffer</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2003-06-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>Patricia J. Martin, as atty in</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2003-06-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

