Why is My Refrigerator Ice Maker Not Working?

Power Appliance Repair is experienced in refrigerator repair in Reston, including professional services to repair broken ice makers. Learn about some common ice maker problems below:

Ice makers are perhaps one of the best inventions ever. This is a small luxury most people take for granted. Refrigerator ice makers are relatively simple machines that don’t have a lot of complicated parts that could have issues.

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

If an ice maker is making ice but it is not ejecting it it is usually a mechanical problem vs. an electrical issue. This occurs when reorganizing food around in the freezer, you could push or pull the control lever up or down. Often the ice maker can be jammed with something else, possibly a piece of ice. So, check to see if there’s ice or food blocking this from operating the right way.

Before beginning the steps of clearing out the freezer, ensure your ice maker is on. This can be done by moving the metal control arm down. Sometimes, moving things around in the freezer can put it into the off position. If the control arm is free, then there may be ice stuck inside the ice maker or it is not receiving a good connection.

Check the Control Arm

If the control is down and there’s ice but it is not dispensing it, this could be an electrical or mechanical issue. This will need some more troubleshooting. Ready to get started? First, we must check the electrical connection. This can be unplugged from the rear of the freezer when moving or shifting the freezer contents.

To inspect this, first unplug the refrigerator and move it out away from the kitchen wall. Turn off the freezer’s water supply. Locate the connection on the back of the inside of the freezer unit. Basically this is what plugs the ice maker into the freezer. Ensure that it is plugged in the right way.

Next, remove all of the ice that’s in the ice maker. This can be completed by pouring in a little water to help get any ice that’s in there out.

Once this is done, turn on the power to the fridge and turn on the ice maker. It may take the solenoid component a few seconds to engage and fill the mold. When the mold is 100% full, wait around 4-5 hours to see if you’ve cleared the issue.

Check for Frozen Lines

Other ice maker problems that can cause your ice maker to not make ice are frozen lines. The water lines could be blocked with frost. This is a pretty simple issue to fix.

First, unplug the refrigerator and find the shut off valve. Turn the water off and then get a hair dryer to warm the line or let the refrigerator sit turned off for a few hours until the water line is thawed.

There are some models that feature a water filter that can clog or ice over. In these cases, locating the water filter is the first step. Then repeat the same process that was done for the frozen water line.

When your ice maker isn’t making big enough pieces of ice, there is a problem with the ice maker settings. To adjust the settings, take the upper part of the cover of the ice maker off and locate a basic control that displays plus and a minus signs. For this process, you may need a flat head screwdriver.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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