Why is My Refrigerator Ice Maker Not Working?

Like-New Appliance Repair performs refrigerator repair in Cincinnati, including professional services to fix ice makers that are not working. Learn about some common ice maker problems below:

Ice makers are perhaps one of the most convenient inventions ever. This is a little luxury most people certainly take for granted. Ice makers are simple machines that don’t feature a lot of complex components that could have problems.

Like with any repair, there are some basic things that should be reviewed before assuming the worst. And, it’s nice to know, if necessary, you can replace an ice maker without replacing the entire refrigerator, depending on the brand and model. First, let’s take a look at some of the causes for an ice maker failure.

When the ice maker is making ice but it isn’t ejecting it it is usually means there is a mechanical issue versus an electrical issue. This can occur when shifting things around in the freezer, you might accidentally push or pull the control lever up or down. A lot of the time the ice maker will get jammed with something else, even another chunk of ice. First, look to see if there’s anything blocking this part from working properly.

Before starting the steps of clearing out the freezer, ensure the ice maker is turned on. This is done by flipping the metal control arm down. From time to time, moving food around in the freezer might put it in the off position. If the the switch is free, then there could be something jammed inside of the ice maker or it is not receiving a good connection.

Check the Control Arm

When the switch is down and there’s ice but it’s not dispensing it, this might be an electrical or mechanical issue. This will need some more diagnosing. Ready to proceed? First, we have to check the electrical connection. This can become unplugged from behind the freezer or refrigerator 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. Locate the connection on the rear of the inside of the freezer unit. Essentially this is what connects the ice maker into the freezer unit. Be sure that it is plugged in the right way.

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

Once complete, restore power to the refrigerator and turn on the ice maker. It may take the solenoid component a few seconds to react and fill the mold. When the mold is completely full, wait 4-5 hours to see if you’ve cleared the problem.

Check for Frozen Lines

Other ice maker issues that will 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.

Unplug the fridge and find the water shut off valve. Shut the water off and get a hair dryer to heat up the line or let the refrigerator sit shut off for a few hours and wait until the water line is thawed.

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

If an ice maker is not making big enough cubes of ice, there is a problem with the ice maker settings. To adjust the the ice maker settings, take the upper part of the cover off and locate a basic control 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?