CRT Appliance Repair performs refrigerator repair service, including services to fix ice makers that aren’t working. Learn about common ice maker failures below:
Refrigerator ice makers are possibly one of the most convenient inventions of all time. An ice maker is a little luxury most people might not appreciate. Ice makers are simple machines that don’t feature a lot of complex parts that will go wrong with them.
As with any appliance repair, there are basic things that should be looked at before thinking the worst. And, remember, if necessary, you are able to replace an ice maker without replacing an entire refrigerator, dependent on the brand and model. First, let’s review a few of the causes for an ice maker not working.
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 reorganizing things around in the freezer, you shift the control lever up or down. Often the ice maker can get blocked with something else, possibly a chunk of ice. First, check to see if there is anything blocking this from working properly.
Before starting the steps of clearing out the freezer, be sure the ice maker is on. This is done by flipping the control arm in the down position. From time to time, moving things around in the freezer can put the switch in the off position. If the control arm is clear, then there may be food jammed inside the ice maker or it is not receiving a good connection.
Check the Control Arm
When the control is down and there’s ice but it is not ejecting it, this might be a mechanical or electrical failure. This is going to need some more troubleshooting. Ready to get started? First, we must check the electrical connection. This could become unplugged from behind the freezer when shifting or moving the freezer contents.
To check this, first unplug the fridge and pull it out from the kitchen wall. Then, turn off the freezer’s water supply. Locate the valve on the rear of the inside of the freezer unit. Essentially this is what plugs the ice maker into the freezer unit. Ensure that it is plugged in properly.
Next, remove all of the ice that is in the ice maker itself. This can be completed by adding a little water to help get any ice that is inside of there out.
Once complete, turn on the power to the fridge and then turn on the ice maker. It may take the solenoid component a couple of seconds to engage and fill the mold. When the mold is completely full, wait around 4-5 hours to see if you have cleared the problem.
Check for Frozen Lines
Other ice maker problems that may cause your ice maker to not produce ice are frozen lines. The water lines might be blocked with frost. This is an easy fix.
Unplug the fridge and locate the water shut off valve. Turn the water off and then get a hair dryer to heat up the water line or let the fridge sit without being on for a few hours until the line is thawed.
Some models that have a water filter that can freeze or ice up. In these cases, finding the filter is the first step. Then repeat what was done for the iced water line.
When your ice maker is not making big enough cubes of ice, there’s a problem with the ice maker settings. To adjust the the ice maker settings, take the top part of the cover off and locate a basic dial that displays plus and a minus signs. For this process, you could need a flat head screwdriver.
ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES
- Refrigerator Noisy
- Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working
- Refrigerator Not Cooling
- How Does a Refrigerator Work?