Why is My Refrigerator Ice Maker Not Working?

Powell Appliance Repair performs refrigerator repair service in CITY, including services to fix broken ice makers. Learn about some common ice maker problems below:

Ice makers are possibly one of the most convenient inventions of all time. An ice maker is a little luxury most people certainly take for granted. Refrigerator ice makers are relatively simple machines that don’t have a lot of complex parts that might have problems.

Like with any repair, there are some basic things that should be looked at before assuming the worst. And, remember, if necessary, you are able to replace an ice maker without replacing an entire refrigerator, depending on the model. First, let’s discuss a couple of the reasons for an ice maker breaking.

When your ice maker is making ice but it isn’t dispensing it it is usually a mechanical issue opposed to an electrical failure. This occurs when moving food around in the freezer, you might accidentally push or pull the control lever up or down. A lot of the time the ice maker might get blocked with something, including a chunk of ice. First, look to see if there is ice or food blocking this part from working the right way.

Before starting the process of clearing out the freezer, check that your ice maker is turned on. This is done by moving the metal control arm in the down position. From time to time, moving things around in the freezer can put the control in the off position. If the the switch is free, then there could be ice stuck inside the ice maker or it is not receiving a good connection.

Check the Control Arm

When the control arm is down and there’s ice but it is not ejecting it, this could be a mechanical or electrical problem. This is going to require a bit more troubleshooting. Ready to begin? First, we must check the electrical connection. This can become unplugged from the rear of the freezer when shifting or moving the food in the freezer.

To check this, unplug the refrigerator and move it out from the wall. Then, turn off the freezer’s water supply. Locate the valve on the back of the inside of the freezer unit. Basically this is what plugs the ice maker into the freezer. Ensure that it is plugged in properly.

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

Once complete, turn on the power to the fridge and turn on the ice maker. It could take the solenoid a few seconds to engage and fill the mold. Once the mold is completely full, wait around 4-5 hours to see if you’ve solved the issue.

Check for Frozen Lines

More ice maker issues 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.

Unplug the freezer and locate the shut off valve. Turn the water off and grab a hair dryer to heat up the line or let the refrigerator sit shut off for a couple of hours until the line is thawed.

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

If your ice maker isn’t making large enough pieces of ice, there is an issue with the settings. To adjust the the ice maker settings, take the top part of the cover of the ice maker off and locate a basic dial that has 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?