Ice Maker Not Making Ice? Samsung, Whirlpool, LG and Frigidaire

Most of the time an ice maker not making ice has not failed. It has been switched off, the freezer is not cold enough, or water is not reaching it, and all three cost nothing to fix. When those check out, the usual causes are a frozen fill tube, a failed water inlet valve or a worn-out ice maker, and each is a standard repair.

Keep your fingers away from the ice maker's ejector arm and the dispenser auger, and unplug the refrigerator before you remove any panel. Do not use a hair dryer or heat gun on a frozen ice maker; Samsung warns that trying to defrost the ice maker yourself can damage it.

Ice maker not making ice? Checks to try first

1. Make sure it is turned on. On ice makers with a wire bail arm, the arm must be down; up means off. Other models have an on/off switch on the ice maker or an Ice On/Ice Off setting on the display, which may not respond while the display is locked.
2. Check the freezer temperature. Put an appliance thermometer in the freezer overnight. Samsung says the freezer must be at 0°F or colder to make ice, even when the ice maker is in the fridge door, and Whirlpool recommends 0 to 5°F. Wait 24 hours after changing a setting before you judge the result.
3. Give a new refrigerator time. Frigidaire says a new installation can make ice within 24 hours once it has cooled, that air in new lines can cause a few empty cycles, and that the first 24 hours of ice should be thrown out.
4. Check the water supply. Make sure the shut-off valve is fully open and the line is not kinked; Frigidaire notes a line can kink when the fridge is pushed too far back against the wall.
5. Replace an old filter. Samsung, Whirlpool and Frigidaire all recommend a new filter about every six months, since a clogged or loose filter cuts the flow. If you have a water dispenser, time it: Samsung's guideline is 6 ounces (3/4 cup) in under 10 seconds.
6. Seat the ice bin. Samsung notes that a bucket inserted the wrong way blocks the ice maker.
7. Run the test or reset. The brand sections below cover the procedures we could confirm. If yours has no button, Whirlpool's advice is to unplug the refrigerator for one minute and check for ice after a couple of hours.

Ice maker not filling with water

If the ice maker cycles but the tray stays empty, or the cubes come out small and hollow, water is not getting through:

• A frozen fill tube. Look where the small tube enters the back of the ice maker; a plug of ice there blocks every fill. It usually freezes because water trickles in slowly, from low pressure or a valve that does not close fully, so thawing it without fixing the cause only buys a few days.
• The water filter or supply line, from checks 4 and 5 above.
• The water inlet valve. This valve at the bottom back of the refrigerator opens when the ice maker calls for water. If you hear it buzz during a fill but no water arrives, or you hear nothing at all, the valve has likely failed.

If your refrigerator has no water line, turn the ice maker off; Frigidaire notes the fill valve can chatter loudly otherwise.

Ice maker not dispensing ice

When there is ice in the bin but nothing comes out of the door, the problem is the dispenser, not the ice maker. LG notes that unused ice shrinks and clumps together; remove the bin and shake it apart. Frigidaire notes that ice can melt and refreeze around the auger after infrequent use or a power outage; remove the bin, thaw and empty it, clean and dry it, and put it back. A locked display also blocks the dispenser. If the auger motor hums but does not turn, or the chute door stays shut, a part has failed.

Ice maker not working on a Samsung fridge

On most Samsung models the display has an Ice Off icon that lights when the ice maker is off. Samsung's test: remove the ice bucket if needed to reach the Test button on the ice maker, then press and hold it until you hear a chime, which can take up to 10 seconds. The cycle takes about 6 minutes on a fridge-compartment ice maker and about 30 seconds on a freezer ice maker, and at the end the water valve should hum and fill the tray. Do not press Test again once the tray is full, or it can overflow or jam. If there is no chime and no movement, turn off the power for two minutes and try again. Samsung says ice should start within about 3 hours.

Samsung's in-door ice makers can also freeze up. Samsung traces frost in the ice compartment to warm air getting in: a gap between the ice bucket and the chute gasket, a dispenser flap held open by ice or debris, or doors out of alignment because the fridge is not level. Correct those and clear the frost; if it comes back, Samsung recommends service.

Whirlpool ice maker not working

Whirlpool says a common reason for no ice is simply that the ice maker was accidentally turned off. It recommends a freezer setting of 0 to 5°F and at least 24 hours between temperature adjustments. Some Whirlpool ice makers have a reset button that you press and hold for a few seconds; your manual shows where it is. Without one, unplug the refrigerator for one minute.

LG ice maker not working

Many LG ice makers have an on/off switch on the left side of the ice maker; others use an Ice On/Ice Off button on the control panel that you press and hold for 3 to 5 seconds. LG's test mode: lay a towel down, then press and hold the test button on the ice maker (a paper clip on some models) for about three seconds until it begins to turn. In the first two hours after the refrigerator is plugged in, the test runs only once; unplug for about 30 seconds to run it again. The test answers two questions: did the motor run, and was there water or ice in the tray? If the answer to either is no, LG says the refrigerator most likely needs service. LG also recommends lowering the freezer to -4°F and allowing 24 hours for ice production to begin.

Frigidaire ice maker not working

On Frigidaire top-freezer models, lowering the wire signal arm turns the ice maker on, and lifting it until it clicks turns it off. On models with a display, the ice maker light should be lit. Frigidaire puts normal output for its top-freezer ice makers at about 2.5 to 3 pounds every 24 hours. If the dispenser is stuck, use the thaw-and-clean fix above, and check that the filter is not frozen or cracked.

What usually fails

• Water inlet valve. No water reaches the ice maker, or the valve buzzes without filling. One that sticks open overflows the ice maker instead; see why is my fridge leaking water.
• Frozen fill tube. Usually a symptom; we thaw it and fix the low pressure or weak valve behind it.
• Ice maker assembly. The test cycle does not turn, or the arm stops partway through.
• Auger motor or dispenser parts. Ice in the bin but nothing at the door.
• A freezer that runs warm. If the ice slowed down just as the ice cream went soft, see freezer not freezing.

What it costs in Jacksonville

The diagnostic visit is 79 (119 for built-in refrigerators), and it is waived when you approve the repair. Repairs start at 179 labor plus parts, quoted in writing before any work begins. Inlet valves sit at the lower end, and a complete ice maker assembly costs more. We carry common parts on the van, so most repairs are finished on the first visit, and every repair carries our 90-day parts-and-labor warranty. See our pricing.

Schedule refrigerator repair or call (904) 561-4790 for same-day service across Jacksonville & the First Coast.