Why is My Refrigerator Ice Maker Not Working?

Mann Appliance Repair is experienced in refrigerator repair service in Florida, including professional services to repair ice makers that are not working. Learn about some common ice maker problems below:

Ice makers are possibly one of the most convenient inventions ever. This is a small luxury most people certainly not appreciate. Ice makers are relatively simple machines that do not feature a lot of complicated components that will cause issues.

Like with any appliance repair, there are a few basic things that need to be reviewed before assuming the worst. And, it’s good to know, if needed, you are able to replace an ice maker without replacing the entire fridge, depending on the model. First, let’s take a look at a few of the causes for an ice maker not working.

If an ice maker is making ice but it isn’t dispensing the ice cubes it is usually a mechanical failure vs. an electrical failure. This can happen when reorganizing things around in the freezer unit, you might accidentally push or pull the control switch up or down. A lot of the time the ice maker might get jammed with something, possibly a piece of ice. So, check to see if there’s something blocking this part from working correctly.

Before beginning the steps of clearing out the freezer, check that the ice maker is on. This can be done by pulling the metal control arm down. Sometimes, moving food around in the freezer unit might put the switch into the off position. If the the switch is free, then there may be food or ice stuck inside of the ice maker or it’s not receiving a good connection.

Check the Control Arm

When the control is down and there is ice but it is not dispensing it, this could be an electrical or mechanical problem. This is going to need a bit more diagnosing. Ready to proceed? First, we have to check the electrical connection. This can become unplugged from behind the freezer or refrigerator when shifting or moving the food in the freezer.

To check this, unplug the refrigerator and slide it out away from the wall. Turn off the water supply valve. Locate the valve on the back of the inside of the freezer unit. Essentially this is what plugs the ice maker into the freezer. Ensure that it’s actually plugged in the right way.

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

Once done, restore power to the fridge and then turn on the ice maker. It could take the solenoid component a couple of seconds to react and fill the mold. When the mold is completely full, wait 4-5 hours to see if you’ve cleared the issue.

Check for Frozen Lines

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

First, unplug the fridge and find the shut off valve. Turn the water off and then grab a hair dryer to warm the water line or let the refrigerator sit without being on 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 the same process that was done for the frozen water line.

When your ice maker isn’t making large enough cubes of ice, there’s an issue with the settings. To adjust the the ice maker settings, take the upper part of the cover of the ice maker off and locate a basic control that has plus and a minus symbols. 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?