Why is My Refrigerator Ice Maker Not Working?

Gold Appliance Repair is experienced in refrigerator repair in Glendale, including services to fix ice makers that aren’t working. Learn about some common ice maker failures below:

Ice makers are possibly one of the best inventions ever. This is a small luxury most people certainly take for granted. Refrigerator ice makers are relatively simple machines that don’t feature a lot of complicated parts that can cause problems.

As with any appliance repair, there are a few basic things that should be reviewed before thinking the worst. And, remember, if needed, you are able to replace an ice maker without replacing an entire fridge, depending on the brand and model. First, let’s take a look at a few of the causes for an ice maker breaking.

When your ice maker is making ice but it is not dispensing it it is usually means there is a mechanical issue versus an electrical problem. This occurs when moving things around in the freezer unit, you push or pull the control lever up or down. A lot of the time the ice maker will be blocked with something else, including a piece of ice. So, check to see if there is anything blocking this part from working correctly.

Before beginning the steps of clearing out the freezer, check that your ice maker is turned on. This is done by flipping the control arm in the down position. From time to time, moving things around in the freezer may put it in the off position. If the the switch is clear, then there may be food stuck inside of the ice maker or it’s not getting a good connection.

Check the Control Arm

When the control is down and there is ice but it is not ejecting it, there could be an electrical or mechanical issue. This will need some more diagnosing. Ready to get started? First, we must inspect the electrical connection. This could be unplugged from the rear of the freezer when shifting or moving the freezer contents.

To check this, first unplug the freezer and pull it out from the kitchen wall. Turn off the water supply. Locate the connection on the back of the inside of the freezer unit. Essentially this is what connects the ice maker into the freezer. Be sure that it is actually plugged in correctly.

Then, remove any ice that’s inside of the ice maker itself. This can be done by pouring in a little water to help to get the ice that is in there out.

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

Check for Frozen Lines

Other ice maker failures that will cause your ice maker to not produce any ice are frozen water lines. The water lines could be clogged with frost. This is an easy fix.

First, unplug the fridge and locate the shut off valve. Turn the water off and get a hair dryer to heat up the line or just let the refrigerator sit without being on for a few hours and wait until the line is thawed.

Some models that have a water filter that can freeze or ice up. In these situations, finding the filter is the first step. Then repeat the same process that was done for the iced line.

If an ice maker isn’t making big enough pieces of ice, there is a problem with the ice maker settings. To adjust the settings, take the upper part of the cover of the ice maker off and find a simple knob that displays 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?