· by Michael Blair, Nashville's Appliance Repair
The ice maker in a refrigerator runs a short cycle. It signals a valve to let water into the mold, as GE Appliances’ guide to an ice maker that will not fill describes, the freezer freezes it, and a rake turns the cubes out into the bin; GE’s page on an ice maker that makes no ice notes that a stuck rake keeps the cycle from finishing. When it stops, one of those steps has failed, and the failures sort into water problems, freezing problems and the ice maker itself. We rule out the water first, because those checks cost nothing and need no parts.
Is water getting to it
Check the obvious first. GE says the supply line’s shut-off valve is usually behind the refrigerator, and it may have been closed during other work. Maytag’s ice maker troubleshooting page says to make sure that valve is fully open and the line has no kinks, and warns that pushing the refrigerator too far back against the wall or cabinet can pinch it. The ice maker may also just be off: LG’s guide to a refrigerator that is not making ice puts an on/off switch on the left side of the ice maker on some models and an Ice On/Ice Off option on the control panel on others, and Samsung’s ice maker support page says most of its models light an Ice Off icon when it is off.
Then look at the dispenser. If it runs slowly or not at all, the filter or the supply is the suspect. If it runs normally, the supply is fine but the ice maker can still be starved, since GE points out that the dispenser keeps working when the ice maker’s fill tube has frozen.
Filters come next. Whirlpool and Maytag both recommend replacing theirs every 6 months, when the indicator light comes on, or as needed, and Whirlpool’s page on a side-by-side that is not making ice says a clogged filter can restrict the water going to the ice maker. On a fridge where the filter is past due, a new one is the first thing to try. Models that came with a bypass plug make the test easy: GE’s fill guide checks for a clogged filter by taking the filter out and putting the plug in, and if water flows with the plug and not with the filter, the filter was the restriction.
Water pressure produces the same symptom. Whirlpool says low pressure can mean small or hollow cubes or slow or no ice, and that a reverse osmosis system can reduce the pressure further; Samsung asks for at least 20 psi. GE’s page on self-tapping water valves does not recommend a self-piercing saddle valve on the supply, because its opening is too small for the water to pass through properly, and suggests a valve that needs a 1/4 inch hole drilled in the pipe instead.
What happens when the fill tube freezes?
The fill tube that carries water into the ice mold can freeze, and then no water gets to the ice maker at all. GE’s fill guide calls this rare, and says the ice maker has to be removed to confirm it and that a service technician should check it. We look for it once the filter, the supply valve and the pressure have checked out.
Leave the hair dryer in the drawer. Samsung’s page says not to try to defrost its ice makers yourself, because that can damage them, and that they have an automatic defrost function of their own. Check your model’s manual before thawing anything. If a frozen tube comes back after it has been cleared, we check the water pressure, the inlet valve and the freezer setting next.
- Supply valve fully open and the line free of kinks
- Ice maker switched on, at its own switch or on the control panel
- Water filter replaced, or bypassed where the model has a plug
- Freezer at the setting your manufacturer recommends
- Inlet valve and fill tube checked if water still does not arrive
What does the water inlet valve do?
The water inlet valve at the back of the fridge opens when the ice maker calls for water. A restricted valve is one of the causes GE’s page on slow ice production leaves to a service technician. Samsung’s ice maker test gives a quick read on it, since at the end of the test the valve should hum and pour water into the ice maker. We check whether the valve is getting power when it should and whether it passes water when it does; one that hums and passes nothing is blocked or has failed, and replacing it is part of our refrigerator repair work.
The freezer has to be cold enough as well. GE says the ice maker must be at 15 °F or lower to make ice and gives 0 °F as the normal freezer setting, and Whirlpool says a freezer that is too warm makes cubes slowly or not at all. The recommended setting varies by brand: Samsung says 0 °F or colder, Maytag says 0 to 5 °F, and LG recommends -4 °F or lower. A thermometer tells you what the freezer is really holding, and the FDA’s page on refrigerator thermometers puts a freezer at 0 °F. Whirlpool says to wait at least 24 hours between adjustments before checking again. If the freezer will not hold its setting at all, the ice maker is only a symptom, and our post on a refrigerator that stops cooling covers what we look at then.
When it is the ice maker
Slow and stopped are different complaints. Frigidaire’s owner support article on an ice maker that is not making enough ice says its ice makers should produce 2 to 3 pounds of ice in 24 hours, and points a shortfall back to the filter, a kinked line or a freezer set too warm. If water arrives, the freezer is cold, and the ice maker still does not cycle, the ice maker itself is the suspect. LG’s test mode answers two questions, whether the motor ran and whether water or ice appeared in the tray, and LG says a no to either means the unit most likely needs repair. We usually replace a failed ice maker as a whole assembly, and on models with the ice maker in the door the job takes us longer. That work is part of our ice maker repair service.
Whether that repair makes sense depends on the rest of the refrigerator, and that is a judgment we make on the visit. A new ice maker in a fridge that cools and seals well is usually money well spent. The same repair on a fridge whose compressor is loud and whose door seals are gone may be money better put toward a replacement, and our post on when an appliance is worth repairing sets out how we weigh it. If you would like someone to look at the whole appliance and tell you which side of that line yours is on, ask us for a free estimate.
Sources
- GE Appliances, Refrigerator - Icemaker Does Not Fill With Water — Ice maker signals the water valve to fill; shut-off valve usually behind the fridge; filters changed at least every 6 months; bypass plug test; fill tube freezing is rare, needs the ice maker removed and a technician; dispenser still works when the fill tube is frozen
- GE Appliances, Refrigerator - Icemaker Not Producing Ice — A stuck ejector rake keeps the ice maker from completing its cycle
- Maytag Product Help, Ice Maker Not Working - Troubleshooting — Valve fully open; kinked or pinched line from pushing the fridge back; freezer 0 to 5 °F; filter every 6 months
- LG US Support, Why is my refrigerator not making ice — On/off switch or Ice On/Ice Off option; freezer at -4 °F or lower; test mode: motor run and water in the tray, or repair
- Samsung US Support, Samsung ice maker is not working — Ice Off icon; 20 psi minimum water pressure; freezer at 0 °F or colder; valve should hum and pour water in test; do not defrost the ice maker yourself; old filters reduce pressure
- Whirlpool Product Help, Not Making Ice - Side by Side Refrigerator — Clogged filter restricts water; filter every 6 months; low pressure gives small, hollow or no ice; reverse osmosis lowers pressure; warm freezer slows ice; 24 hours between adjustments
- GE Appliances, Refrigerator - Self-Tapping Water Valve — Self-piercing saddle valves not recommended, opening too small; use a valve needing a 1/4 inch drilled hole
- GE Appliances, Refrigerator - Slow Ice Production — Restriction in the water valve is a service call; ice maker must be at 15 °F or lower; recommended freezer setting 0 °F
- FDA, Refrigerator Thermometers - Cold Facts about Food Safety (content current as of 2024) — Freezer should be at 0 °F; use a thermometer to check
- Frigidaire Owner Support, What should I do if my ice maker is not making enough ice — 2 to 3 pounds of ice per 24 hours; shortfall points to filter, kinked line or a freezer set too warm
FAQ
When the Ice Maker Stops Making Ice — questions
Why did my ice maker stop working?
Start with the water and the freezer: a supply valve that is closed or only partly open, a kinked line, an overdue filter, low water pressure, an ice maker that has been switched off, or a freezer set too warm. If water reaches the ice maker and the freezer holds the setting your manufacturer recommends, the inlet valve, a frozen fill tube or the ice maker itself is next, and those are jobs for a technician.
Can a clogged water filter stop the ice maker?
Yes. Whirlpool and Samsung both say an old or clogged filter can restrict the water reaching the ice maker, and Whirlpool and Maytag recommend replacing theirs every 6 months or when the indicator light comes on. Replace the filter, or install the bypass plug if your model came with one, and see whether ice production returns.
Is it worth repairing an ice maker?
Usually, on a refrigerator that is otherwise cooling and sealing well, since the ice maker can be replaced as one assembly. On an older refrigerator with other problems, the money may be better put toward a new one. A technician can look at both in the same visit.
Why is my ice maker not making ice but the water works?
A working dispenser shows water reaches the fridge, but the ice maker can still be starved. GE notes the dispenser keeps running when the ice maker’s fill tube has frozen. A restricted inlet valve, an ice maker switched off, or a freezer too warm for the ice maker to reach 15 °F are the other usual reasons.