Why is My Refrigerator Ice Maker Not Working?

BC Irving Appliance Repair is experienced in refrigerator repair in Irving, including services to fix ice makers that are not working. Learn about common ice maker problems below:

Ice makers are perhaps one of the most convenient inventions ever. This is a small luxury a lot of people not appreciate. Refrigerator ice makers are relatively simple machines that do not have a lot of parts that could go wrong with them.

Like with any appliance repair, there are a few basic things that need to be reviewed before assuming the worst. And, remember, if needed, you are able to replace the ice maker without replacing an entire refrigerator, dependent on the model. First, let’s take a look at a couple of the reasons for an ice maker breaking.

When the ice maker is making ice but it isn’t dispensing the ice it is usually means there is a mechanical problem versus an electrical issue. This can happen when reorganizing things around in the freezer unit, you could push or pull the control switch up or down. A lot of the time the ice maker will get blocked with something, even another chunk of ice. First, check to see if there’s something blocking this part from operating properly.

Before starting the process of clearing out the freezer, be sure your ice maker is turned on. This can be done by pulling the control arm in the down position. Sometimes, moving food around in the freezer may put the control in the off position. If the the switch is clear, then there may be something stuck inside of the ice maker or it’s not receiving a good connection.

Check the Control Arm

If the control arm is down and there is ice but it’s not ejecting it, this might be an electrical or mechanical failure. This is going to require a bit more troubleshooting. Ready to get started? First, we need to inspect the electrical connection. This could become unplugged from behind the freezer or refrigerator when moving or shifting the food in the freezer.

To inspect this, unplug the freezer and slide it out away from the kitchen wall. Turn off the water supply valve. Locate the valve on the back of the inside of the freezer. Basically this is what connects the ice maker into the freezer. Be sure that it is plugged in properly.

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

Once this is done, turn on the power to the refrigerator and turn on the ice maker. It might take the solenoid a couple of seconds to react and fill the mold. After the mold is full, wait around 4-5 hours to see if you’ve solved the problem.

Check for Frozen Lines

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

First, unplug the fridge and find the shut off valve. Turn the water off and grab a hair dryer to heat up the water line or just let the freezer sit shut off for a few hours and wait until the water line is thawed.

Some models that feature a water filter that can clog or ice over. For these cases, finding the water filter is the first step. Then repeat what was done for the iced water line.

If your ice maker is not making large enough cubes of ice, there is an issue with the settings. To adjust the settings, take the top part of the cover off and locate a basic dial that displays plus and a minus signs. To do this, 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?