Ice Maker Not Working

Whether you have a freestanding ice maker or one located inside your freezer, the icemaker operates the same way and has the same components. The essential components of every ice-maker are the inlet water pipe, water valve, solenoid vale, ice molder, ejector blades, thermostat, housing, and cover.

Each icemaker has a shut-off arm that turns the unit off when the ice bucket is taken out, or when repairs need to be performed. Water is delivered to the ice cube mold through an inlet tube, then frozen to the shape of the mold. The heater starts to loosens the surface of the ice cubes after it senses that the ice has formed. The ice cubes are then ejected into the outside ice bucket.

If your icemaker is not producing ice or not operating correctly, these are the things to check for:

Make sure that the shutoff arm is not set to the off position. People turn the arm off when removing ice from the bucket, and frequently forget to turn it back on.

Make sure that you have changed your ice maker filter.

If the shutoff arm is turned on but your unit still does not work, check the inlet water system.

Water might not be getting to the unit and the ice maker is therefore unable to make ice cubes.

The inlet water system consists of the cold water supply pipe, saddle valve, filter, and solenoid controlled water inlet valve. The pipe or the filter can clog up with water residue and when this happens, the water supply is disrupted. To check for this problem, always unplug the refrigerator first. Remove the back access panel, and you will come across the cold pipe and the inlet water valve that is connected to icemaker. Turn off the water supply at the saddle valve; disconnect the inlet solenoid valve from the inlet tube; unplug the wires of the solenoid valve and check the resistance. An infinite resistance signals that the valve needs to be replaced. Clean debris from the inside of the valve, check the pipe for blockage), and replace the valve if needed. If your ice maker starts working, you have solved the problem.

If the problem has not been solved, you will need to disassemble the icemaker. To remove and disassemble the icemaker follow the instructions from your owner’s manual. Check the thermostat, heater, ejector blades, and the wiring harness. If there is a problem with any part, clean the entire system, replace the defective part and reassemble the unit. If the icemaker still doesn’t work, you might need to replace the whole unit.

More Ice Maker Parts, Repair Help, Maintenance Information, and more

Tagged as: ejector blades, housing, ice molder, icemaker cover, inlet water pipe, solenoid vale, thermostat, water valve