Fridge Ice Maker Problems

There are a number of problems that are associated with fridge ice makers. As an appliance service man for almost 15 years now, I have seen my share of those problems. I would like to point out in this article a few of the more common issues that I see with refrigerator ice makers. Briefly, the three areas that I usually look at first are water supply problems, electrical problems, and mechanical failures. Inspecting these three areas of an ice maker first will usually lead me to the problem 90% of the time.

Your fridge ice maker may not be working because of a problem with the water supply. There are several things that can go wrong with a water supply on your fridge and you should check each one of these to ensure that the water is flowing correctly to your icemaker. Probably the most common problem that I see with the water supply is that the water pressure is too low coming to the fridge. With low water pressure, the ice maker does not fill completely with water during the fill part of the cycle. This will lead to issues with the icemaker jamming while trying to eject the ice, oddly shaped ice cubes which cannot be pushed out of the mold properly and, the most obvious thing, no water in the mold to make ice with. A second issue that I often see with the water supply to the ice maker is frozen fill tubes. Most often this is just a visual inspection to see that the tube itself is not full of ice, and that the water can flow properly when called for. Once I've checked that the water is being supplied to the fridge ice maker properly, the next thing that I will often look for is an electrical problem.

There are a number of things that can be designated as electrical problems with an ice maker. The most common problem is that the power is not getting to the icemaker itself. This can be checked in a number of ways but the easiest way is simply with a voltmeter at the wires where they attach to the icemaker itself. If you have power there, then your ice maker is getting power. If, however, there is no power there, then you will need to start tracing back to find out where the power supply has been interrupted. Most ice makers have a in-line fuse which will open up if there is a problem with the mold heater overheating. This is the first place that I would check for an ice maker power supply problem. If you've checked that, then the next thing to look at is the way the power is supplied to the ice maker. There are a number of ways that fridge manufactures control the electricity coming to the icemaker. You will have to follow the wiring diagram to discover that fridge manufacturers particular way of powering the icemaker. Most ice makers have some sort of shut off device. This will prevent the icemaker from making ice after the ice bucket is filled. These devices can range from a optical eye to just a simple wire bail arm that lifts up as the ice fills the bucket. Both of these types of devices can shut the icemaker off and prevent it from advancing in its cycle. You will need to ensure that your icemaker shutoff device is operating normally. Again, you will need to use the wiring diagram to discover how your fridge controls the amount of ice that it manufactures. The third and final area that I normally look for is mechanical failures.

Mechanical failures can be usually diagnosed with a visual inspection. The most common mechanical failure is broken parts on the icemaker itself. This can include broken stripper fingers, broken stripper arm advance gears and other usually readily obvious failures. Sometimes knowing what to look for is the hardest part of diagnosing fridge ice maker problems.

Knowing what to look for, comes with experience. Sometimes, if you are not an appliance repairman, you will need to compare your icemaker to one that is working properly to find the obvious failures. However, inspecting the three areas, water supply problems, electrical problems, and mechanical failures will usually lead you to the cause of your fridge ice maker problem.