Why is My Refrigerator Ice Maker Not Working?

Colton Appliance Repair performs refrigerator repair in Colton, including services to fix broken ice makers. Learn about common ice maker failures below:

Refrigerator ice makers are possibly one of the most convenient inventions of all time. An ice maker is a small luxury many people certainly take for granted. Ice makers are relatively simple machines that do not have a lot of complicated parts that will have problems.

Like with any appliance repair, there are basic things that should be reviewed before assuming the worst. And, it’s nice to know, if needed, you can replace an ice maker without replacing an entire fridge, dependent on the model. First, let’s discuss a few of the reasons for an ice maker breaking.

If an ice maker is making ice but it is not dispensing it it is usually a mechanical issue opposed to an electrical failure. This can occur when shifting things around in the freezer unit, you might accidentally jam the control lever up or down. Often the ice maker will get jammed with something else, possibly a chunk of ice. So, check to see if there’s something blocking this part from working the right way.

Before beginning the steps of clearing out the freezer, be sure your ice maker is on. This is done by pulling the control arm down. From time to time, moving things around in the freezer can put the switch into the off position. If the the switch is clear, then there could be something stuck inside the ice maker or it is not getting a good connection.

Check the Control Arm

If the control is down and there’s ice but it is not ejecting it, this could be a mechanical or electrical failure. This will need some more diagnosing. Ready to proceed? First, we must check the electrical connection. This could become unplugged from behind the freezer or refrigerator when moving or shifting the food in the freezer.

To check this, first unplug the fridge and move it out away from the kitchen wall. Then, turn off the water supply valve. 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. Ensure that it’s actually plugged in correctly.

Then, remove any ice that is in the ice maker. This can be done by adding a small amount of water to help get 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 a few seconds to react and fill the mold. After the mold is 100% full, wait 4-5 hours or so to see if you’ve cleared the issue.

Check for Frozen Lines

Other ice maker issues that could cause your ice maker to not make ice are frozen lines. The water lines have been clogged with frost. This is an easy fix.

Unplug the fridge and find the water shut off valve. Shut the water off and then get a hair dryer to warm the water line or just let the fridge sit shut off for a couple of hours and wait until the water line is thawed.

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

When your ice maker is not making large enough pieces of ice, there is a problem with the settings. To adjust the settings, take the upper part of the cover of the ice maker off and find a basic knob that has plus and a minus symbols. To do this, 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?