When it comes to issues with worn-out ice makers, there are two things that come to mind: either the machine produces poor-quality ice cubes or it is not making them at all. In cases such as this, it is vital that you learn how to fix ice makers.
Having your ice maker give up on you, especially during a lazy day in or a house party is a host’s worst nightmare. To help you with your dilemma, those are exactly what we’re going to talk about today. We’d list down common ice maker problems together with their corresponding solution.
Learning the Basics
While there will be times when you will have no choice but to call an appliance engineer, often, you can fix common ice maker issues yourself. Sometimes, these issues are far simpler than you can think. Hence, we decided to start off talking about fixing ice makers with the basics such as cleaning it and resetting it.
Resetting the Ice Maker
You will find that every single ice maker comes with its own method of resetting it. More often than not, doing this will resolve whatever issue it is the ice maker is having, such as making too many or too little ice cubes.
The only downside to resetting an ice maker is that this process differs from one model to another. You will often find that in older ice makers, the resetting feature tends to be less intuitive. It will often need you to unplug the refrigerator for about half a minute and then press the feeler paddle in the ice maker for about three times.
Newer ice makers have a more specific set of instructions on how you can reset it. Some newer models, such as Samsung ones, have a separate button in order to reset the ice maker. If the issue needs to be sorted by resetting the ice maker, then we highly recommend that you refer to the user manual for your specific model on how you can effectively reset the ice maker.
Cleaning the Ice Maker
Cleaning the ice maker is an obvious solution to several issues. In fact, many malfunctions due to their lack of cleanliness and maintenance. If your ice maker is having defrost issues, cleaning it is a great way to try and fix it.
Ice or frost tends to build up inside the machine, including all the crucial mechanical parts of it such as the feeler arm. When this happens, the ice maker will not function as it needs to. If you find that there is a moderate frost buildup in your ice maker, then you can also try just letting the machine thaw out to see whether it returns to functioning properly again.
If it does not return it to its regular functioning, what you will have to address is why the defrost in the ice maker is not functioning anymore. In old ice maker models, there isn’t an in-built defrost, but the newer models tend to have them.
If this functions properly, then there should not be any visible frost buildup. In any case, if this does occur, simply switch off the ice maker and thoroughly clean it, including all of its parts and accessories. Hopefully, this will solve the issue.
How to Fix Ice Makers
In most cases, you will find that cleaning or resetting an ice maker will be able to fix a number of issues. However, if a part on the machine is malfunctioning, then doing either one of those two to the machine will make no difference to it as it will not magically repair the part that is malfunctioning.
If you are looking for a more specific solution to your ice maker issues, then don’t worry; we have got you covered there as well. We will be listing some highly common issues that tend to occur with ice makers, and give you a quick and easy fix to them.
Issue #1: Ice Maker Excessively Producing Ice Cubes
There are times that the ice maker excessively produces ice cubes. If this is an issue with your ice maker as well, we recommend you try out the following solutions.
Cause #1: Broken Shut-Off Arm
In all honesty, unless you are able to see the shut-off arm being visibly damaged in some way, it is quite unlikely that this is the culprit. The shut-off arm functions in a way to turn the ice maker on and off when needed. Hence, this becomes an obvious culprit for almost everyone.
If you turn this arm in an off position, but the machine still continues to produce ice cubes, then it is possible that the shut-off arm is indeed malfunctioning.
Solution: Thankfully, replacing this part is extremely easy as all you need to do is push the part back and then pop it out of its alcove. After this, you can simply replace it with a new part.
Cause #2: Broken Feeler Paddle
If the shut-off arm is working just fine, but the ice maker still continues to produce ice cubes when the shut-off arm is switched on, then the issue may not be the shut-off arm, but it could possibly be the feeler paddle.
Inside any ice maker machine, you will find a plastic paddle. This paddle’s sole purpose is to discontinue the production of the ice flow once the bin is completely full. If you have a feeler paddle that is malfunctioning, then it will continue the production of ice cubes even when the bin is full. This will result in the ice cubes spilling out into the freezer.
Solution: The solution to this issue is fairly simple. All you need to do is locate the feeler paddle. You will find this underneath the ice maker. In some cases, due to lack of lubrication, it may not function properly, or it may be frozen. That said, there is no obvious reason as to why the feeler paddle is malfunctioning. This paddle can also be replaced by simply loosening the bolt holding it on and securing the replacement.
Cause #3: Broken Water Valve
If the feeler paddle and the shut-off arm are working perfectly fine and yet the ice maker continues to produce ice cubes, then the last possible reason for this issue could be with the actual water inlet valve to the freezer.
In most cases, you will be able to figure out if the machine is creating an issue with this water valve, as the ice cubes produced will not be as clean-looking as it typically is. With a water valve issue, the valve will not close and will continue to distribute water, which results in a frozen puddle or frozen drips on the ice maker.
Solution: Unlike the other two issues we mentioned above, replacing the water inlet valve is not as simple as those. To fix this, you will first need to switch off the water and the power to the ice maker. Make sure that before you disconnect the water inlet valve, you have placed a bucket or a towel below it to catch the excess water.
You could possibly test for continuity. However, if the valve isn’t closing, then it is only wise to have it replaced. This part is located in the back of the machine, and you could possibly replace this yourself. However, as mentioned earlier, this is quite a complex process, and we would recommend that you seek professional help to do so.
Issue #2: No ice ejecting from the machine.
If you find ice present inside the mold, that means that the ice maker machine is getting its water supply, so the issue is most likely not due to that. Instead, it will most probably be due to an electrical or a mechanical issue.
Cause #1: Control Arm
This can happen quite often and pretty randomly, even by doing something as simple as moving the things around in the freezer. It is not uncommon to nudge the control arm accidentally into an off position, which will stop the production of the ice cubes.
Solution: As simple as the cause is, even its fix is equally simple. All you need to do is find the metal control arm and then move it to the on or off position.
Cause #2: Gearbox, Motor, or Electrical
If you find the control arm placed in an on position and the mold is filled with ice, the issue is most likely due to the gearbox, motor, or electrical connection.
Solution: To get this fixed, you will need to start this process by ensuring that every electrical connection is seated correctly. Slide your refrigerator out from the wall, switch off the connection of the water supply, and then unplug the power.
Now, you will need to look for the quick-release plug, which is located on the back wall inside the freezer. Unplug this connection and then reconnect it to make sure that it is fully connected.
You also need to remove any remaining ice from the mold manually by adding some warm water and letting it sit there for a few minutes. Once the ice begins to melt, it will become much easier to remove.
Switch the power to the refrigerator back on and lift the control arm to the off position. Lower it back down and wait for about 10 seconds for the solenoid to engage and fill the mold with water. Wait for a few hours for the ice to freeze and check if the ice maker ejects ice now. If it does not, then it is likely that you will have to replace the gearbox or the motor.
Issue #3: Not producing any ice whatsoever
If the ice maker is producing ice cubes that are not its regular size, or it is not producing any ice cubes at all, then it is most likely due to a clog present somewhere along the supply line.
Cause: Clog
One of the most common causes of this issue is due to frozen water in the supply line.
Solution: To get the frozen line fixed, you will first need to unplug the refrigerator and then slide it out. Search for the shut-off valve. This will be located either behind the refrigerator or underneath the sink.
Turn the shut-off valve in an off or closed position. Take a turkey baster and fill it with warm water. Pour this water over the waterline. You can also defrost the supply line with the help of a blow dryer or by leaving the machine unplugged for at least a couple of hours.
Switch the power to the refrigerator back on and carefully listen for the water supply, whether it is filling the ice mold or not. If the clog is anything but translucent, then you will have to get in touch with an appliance engineer to help remove it.
Issue #4: Ice cubes are either too big or too small
There are cases when an ice maker produces ice cubes that are too big or too small as what you’d expect, considering that you know the size of the mold. Thankfully, there’s an easy to fix to this.
Cause: Wrong settings
If the ice cubes produced by the machine are irregular in size and there isn’t any clog present, then it is likely that the ice maker requires a bit of adjustment.
Fix: In order to adjust how much water the ice mold gets filled with every cycle, you will need to remove the cover from the ice maker. This is a white plate and is located in the frontmost part of the machine assembly. It will be fairly easy to pull off. In case it isn’t, then just use a flat head screwdriver to pry it away from the housing gently.
Once you have pulled out the cover, you will find a spring and screw assembly, and with that, a plus and minus indicator. This is what controls the dosing for the water. Simply adjust this correctly to get the regular-sized ice cubes.
Conclusion
So, do you now know how to fix ice makers? A majority of the issues that occur are fairly simple to fix. However, if some issues are too complex for you to solve, do not try and fix it yourself. Instead, call a professional to help you out. This is so as to prevent any further damage to the machine.