Why is My Refrigerator Ice Maker Not Working?

Dawson’s Appliance Repair is experienced in refrigerator repair service in CITY, including services to repair ice makers that are not working. Learn about some common ice maker issues below:

Ice makers are perhaps one of the greatest inventions ever. An ice maker is a little luxury most people certainly not appreciate. Ice makers are relatively simple machines that do not feature a lot of complicated components that could cause problems.

As with any repair, there are some basic things that should be looked at before thinking the worst. And, remember, if necessary, you can replace your ice maker without replacing an entire fridge, depending on the brand and model. First, let’s take a look at some of the reasons 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 problem versus an electrical problem. This can happen when shifting things around in the freezer, you could jam the control arm up or down. Often the ice maker can be jammed with something, including a chunk of ice. So, check to see if there is something blocking this part from operating properly.

Before starting the process of clearing out the freezer, check that your ice maker is turned on. This can be done by flipping the control arm in the down position. Sometimes, moving things around in the freezer can put the switch in the off position. If the control arm is clear, then there might be something stuck inside of 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 dispensing it, this could be a mechanical or electrical problem. This is going to require a bit more troubleshooting. Ready to proceed? First, we must inspect the electrical connection. This could be unplugged from behind the freezer or refrigerator when shifting or moving the food in the freezer.

To inspect this, first unplug the freezer and slide away from the wall. Then, turn off the water supply. Locate the valve on the rear of the inside of the freezer unit. Basically this is what connects the ice maker into the freezer. Ensure that it is plugged in properly.

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

Once this is done, turn on the power to the refrigerator and turn on the ice maker. It may take the solenoid a few seconds to engage and fill the mold. After the mold is 100% full, wait 4-5 hours or so to see if you have cleared the issue.

Check for Frozen Lines

More ice maker failures that might cause your ice maker to not make any ice are frozen water lines. The water lines might be clogged with frost. This is a pretty simple issue to fix.

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

There are some brands and models that have a water filter that can freeze or ice up. For these situations, locating the filter is the first step. Then repeat what was done for the iced water line.

If an ice maker is not making large enough cubes of ice, there is an issue with the ice maker settings. To adjust the settings, take the upper part of the cover of the ice maker off and find a basic knob that displays plus and a minus symbols. For this process, 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?