Why is My Refrigerator Ice Maker Not Working?

Peerless Appliance Repair provides refrigerator repair in Grand Prairie, including professional services to repair broken ice makers. Learn about common ice maker problems below:

Ice makers are one of the most convenient inventions of all time. This is a small luxury most people not appreciate. Ice makers are relatively simple machines that do not have a lot of components that could go wrong with them.

As with any appliance repair, there are basic things that need to be looked at before assuming the worst. And, it’s good to know, if needed, you are able to replace the ice maker without replacing the entire fridge, depending on the model. First, let’s take a look at a few of the causes for an ice maker breaking.

When the ice maker is making ice but it isn’t dispensing the ice it is usually a mechanical failure versus an electrical problem. This occurs when reorganizing things around in the freezer unit, you could push or pull the control arm up or down. Often the ice maker can get blocked with something, even another chunk of ice. So, check to see if there’s ice or food blocking this part from operating correctly.

Before beginning the steps of clearing out the freezer, check that the ice maker is on. This can be done by moving the control arm down. Sometimes, moving things around in the freezer may put the control in the off position. If the control arm is clear, then there might be ice stuck inside the ice maker or it is not getting a good connection.

Check the Control Arm

When the switch is down and there’s ice but it is not dispensing it, there might be an electrical or mechanical problem. This is going to require some more troubleshooting. Ready to proceed? First, we have to check the electrical connection. This could become unplugged from behind the freezer or refrigerator when moving or shifting the freezer contents.

To check this, first unplug the refrigerator and slide it out from the wall. Turn off the freezer’s water supply valve. Locate the connection on the rear of the inside of the freezer. Basically this is what connects the ice maker into the freezer unit. Ensure that it is plugged in properly.

Then, remove all of the ice that is in the ice maker itself. This can be completed by pouring in a small amount of water to help get any ice that’s in there out.

Once this is done, restore power to the refrigerator and then turn on the ice maker. It might take the solenoid component a few seconds to engage and fill the mold. After the mold is 100% full, wait around 4-5 hours or so to see if you have cleared the issue.

Check for Frozen Lines

Other ice maker problems that could cause your ice maker to not make ice are frozen water lines. The water lines have been clogged with frost. This is a pretty simple fix.

Unplug the refrigerator and locate the shut off valve. Turn the water off and get a hair dryer to warm the water line or just let the freezer sit without being on for a few hours and wait until the water line is thawed.

Some models that feature a water filter that can freeze or ice over. In these situations, locating the filter is the first step. Then repeat the same process that was done for the frozen line.

If an ice maker is not making big enough cubes of ice, there’s a problem with the settings. To adjust the settings, take the top part of the cover of the ice maker off and find a standard dial that has plus and a minus symbols. For this process, you could need a flat head screwdriver.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

• Refrigerator Noisy
• Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working
• Refrigerator Not Cooling
• How Does a Refrigerator Work?