Why is My Refrigerator Ice Maker Not Working?

Dunn Appliance Repair performs refrigerator repair service in CITY, including professional services to fix ice makers that are not working. Learn about some common ice maker failures below:

Ice makers are perhaps one of the best inventions ever. An ice maker is a small luxury many people certainly take for granted. Ice makers are simple machines that don’t have a lot of complex components that will have issues.

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

If an ice maker is making ice but it isn’t dispensing it it is usually means there’s a mechanical problem versus an electrical issue. This can happen when reorganizing things around in the freezer unit, you might accidentally push or pull the control lever up or down. Often the ice maker might be blocked with something else, even another chunk of ice. So, check to see if there is ice or food blocking this part from working correctly.

Before beginning the process of clearing out the freezer, check that your ice maker is on. This is done by pulling the control arm in the down position. From time to time, moving things around in the freezer unit can put the switch into the off position. If the control arm is clear, then there may be ice jammed inside the ice maker or it’s not getting a good connection.

Check the Control Arm

If the control is down and there is ice but it is not ejecting it, this could be a mechanical or electrical issue. This is going to require a bit more diagnosing. Ready to begin? First, we need to check the electrical connection. This could be unplugged from behind the freezer when moving or shifting the freezer contents.

To check this, first unplug the fridge and move it out from the kitchen wall. Then, turn off the water supply valve. Locate the connection on the back of the inside of the freezer. Basically this is what plugs the ice maker into the freezer unit. Ensure that it is plugged in correctly.

After that, remove any ice that’s inside of the ice maker. This can be accomplished by pouring in a little water to help get the ice that is inside of there out.

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

Check for Frozen Lines

Other ice maker problems that might cause your ice maker to not produce any ice are frozen lines. The water lines could be clogged with frost. This is an easy fix.

Unplug the freezer and locate the shut off valve. Turn the water off and then get a hair dryer to heat up the water line or let the freezer sit without being on for a couple of hours and wait until the line is thawed.

Some models that have a water filter that can clog or ice up. In these cases, locating the water filter is the first step. Then repeat the same process that was done for the iced 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 settings, take the top part of the cover of the ice maker off and locate a simple dial that has plus and a minus signs. To do this, 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?