Why is My Refrigerator Ice Maker Not Working?

Ready Appliance Repair is experienced in refrigerator repair in Annandale, including professional services to fix ice makers that aren’t working. Learn about some common ice maker issues below:

Ice makers are perhaps one of the most convenient inventions of all time. An ice maker is a small luxury most people might take for granted. Ice makers are simple machines that do not feature a lot of complicated components that will have issues.

Like with any appliance repair, there are a few basic things that should be reviewed before assuming the worst. And, it’s good to know, if necessary, you are able to replace an ice maker without replacing the entire fridge, dependent on the model. First, let’s review a couple of the causes for an ice maker failure.

When the ice maker is making ice but it is not dispensing it it is usually means there is a mechanical problem versus an electrical issue. This can occur when reorganizing things around in the freezer, you could shift the control lever up or down. Often the ice maker will be jammed with something, including a piece of ice. First, check to see if there’s anything blocking this part from operating correctly.

Before starting the process of clearing out the freezer, ensure your ice maker is on. This is done by flipping the metal control arm down. From time to time, moving food around in the freezer unit may put the switch into the off position. If the control arm is clear, then there might be something stuck inside the ice maker or it is not receiving a good connection.

Check the Control Arm

If the control is down and there is ice but it’s not ejecting it, this could be a mechanical or electrical problem. This will need a bit more diagnosing. Ready to begin? First, we have to check the electrical connection. This could become unplugged from behind the freezer when shifting or moving the food in the freezer.

To inspect this, first unplug the freezer and pull away from the wall. Then, turn off the freezer’s water supply. Locate the connection on the rear of the inside of the freezer. Basically this is what connects the ice maker into the freezer. Be sure that it is actually plugged in correctly.

Then, remove any ice that’s in the ice maker itself. This can be done by adding a bit of water to help get ice that is inside of there out.

Once done, restore power to the refrigerator and then turn on the ice maker. It may take the solenoid a couple of seconds to engage and fill the mold. After the mold is full, wait 4-5 hours to see if you have cleared the problem.

Check for Frozen Lines

Other ice maker failures that can cause your ice maker to not make any ice are frozen lines. The water lines have been clogged with frost. This is an easy fix.

Unplug the freezer and find the shut off valve. Turn the water off and get a hair dryer to heat up the water line or just let the freezer sit shut off for a few hours until the water line is thawed.

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

When your ice maker is not making large enough pieces of ice, there is an issue with the ice maker settings. To adjust the the ice maker settings, take the upper part of the cover off and locate a simple control that has plus and a minus symbols. For this process, you might need a flat head screwdriver.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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