Self Check: Ice Maker Won’t Make Ice
Is your ice maker not making ice? This is a common complaint among owners of refrigerators with built-in ice makers. No ice production can be caused by a variety of issues including your freezer temperature, a clog in your water lines, or solenoid failure. Before calling for service, inspect your ice maker for the following conditions:
Check The Ice Tray
First, check the ice mold tray to see if there is any ice present. If so, the ice is being produced, but it’s not being dumped into the ice bucket. Try raising and lowering the bail wire above the ice bucket. This arm is used to identify when the ice bucket is full so the unit stops producing ice. Lowering the arm should release the ice cubes from the tray. If the bail wire is stuck or broken, the ice will remain in the tray.
If the bail wire appears to be working properly, but the ice still doesn’t dump into the bucket, you may have a problem with the ice maker assembly itself. Issues with the ice maker assembly may include the motor module assembly, which should be diagnosed by a technician.
Freezer Is Too Warm
If the the water in the ice mold tray isn’t frozen after several hours, the issue may be related to ambient heat. Typically, your refrigerator should be set to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the ice has reached a certain point below freezing, a thermostat identifies the cubes as fully frozen and dispenses them into the ice bucket. If the temperature does not reach the desired point, the cubes will not dispense.
Use a thermometer to test the temperature of your freezer. If the freezer is above 0 degree Fahrenheit, try adjusting the freezer’s temperature. If the freezer won’t get cold enough, contact a repair technician for help.
Water Line Is Clogged
If you inspect the ice mold trays and there is little to no water or ice, you may have a clog somewhere in the water line.
Low water pressure can prevent your ice maker from functioning properly as ice makers require pressure between 40-120 psi. Try filling a large measuring cup with your fridge’s water dispenser for 20 seconds. If the cup contains less than 13.5 ounces, the water pressure is insufficient.
If there is little to no pressure from the water dispenser, you can try testing the water supply line. This is connected through the back of the unit. Carefully disconnect the supply line from the water inlet valve and try the measuring cup test above. If the water pressure is still insufficient, you will need to address this as a plumbing issue. If the water pressure here is good, the issue may be with the water inlet valve.
If water and ice from the unit is dirty or smelly, replace the water filter. An old water filter may also affect water pressure.
If the pressure from the dispenser is good, the problem may be in the fill tube located in the freezer. Inspect this tube from the icemaker as far back as possible and look for any sign of freezing, crimping, or contamination. If the line is frozen, you can either remove the ice maker from the fridge entirely and allow it to thaw, or use warm water (in a turkey baster or spray bottle) to thaw it without removal. Just be sure to have some towels on hand to clean up the mess.
Solenoid Failure
If all these systems are functioning, you may have a defective solenoid. This device opens the water line to the ice cube mold tray. If you own a multimeter, you can check the continuity of the solenoid. The solenoid should reflect a 200 to 500 ohm reading. If it produces no reading or has a large displayed value, replace the solenoid.
If you’re unable to repair the ice maker yourself, give us a call for fast service.