If your ice maker giving you trouble, you’re certainly not alone. Ice makers are complex machines made up of many parts, so there’s a number of possibilities as to why yours is malfunctioning. However, knowing the most common ice maker failures and their likely causes can help you diagnose and perhaps fix the issue. Without further ado, here they are:
5 Most Common Ice Maker Failures
- Freezer Temperature Is Too High
When the freezer is running above 10 degrees F, it will not produce ice cubes efficiently (or possibly at all). Use a thermometer to measure the temperature of your freezer. If it is warmer than 0 degrees F, adjust the temperature controls to lower the freezer’s temperature. Wait several hours to see if this resolves your ice maker issue. (Note: if the freezer won’t cool down to 0 degrees F, call for an appliance diagnosis.)
- Faulty Water Inlet Valve
The water inlet valve controls the water sent to the ice maker tray. If there is no ice in your ice maker tray, it is likely because water isn’t getting to the ice maker. A possible cause is low water pressure (coming from your home) or a faulty water inlet valve. One of the possible reasons for this valve to fail is mineral deposit build-up, which doesn’t allow it to release like it should. It could also be an electrical failure, which can be tested using a multimeter.
- Ice maker Module Failure
The ice maker module has multiple purposes. Its motor powers the ice ejector arms and also sends a signal to the water inlet valve when the ice maker tray is empty. Therefore, it’s possible that an ice maker module failure will cause no ice production.
- Ice maker Assembly Failure
If all of the previous possibilities have been ruled out, it could be an ice maker assembly failure. While it may only be one component of your assembly that’s failing, your whole assembly would probably need to be replaced. Individual components of the assembly aren’t typically sold separately.
Other Common Ice Maker Failures
Other ice maker parts that could be malfunctioning include your ice maker mold thermostat, your ice maker switch, and your ice level control board. If you believe that your ice maker is experiencing any of these failures, don’t hesitate to contact us! We would be happy to get your ice maker back up and running.
Lloyd Bronson
October 9, 2019 12:34 pmI hadn’t taken into account that the freezer’s temperature being too high could lead to issues. My father runs a fast food restaurant and recently informed me of his issues with his ice machine. I’ll look into repair services to try and determine what the issue could be.
Royce
October 7, 2020 2:18 amI have a couple of G.E. WR30X10093 ice makers that died that I replaced. I have disassembled both and found out that the Ice maker Modules are different. I always like to tinker with things, so I would love to know if you have just the modules. It seems that someone should have replacement parts instead of always replacing the complete ice maker every two years.
If I remember right, the older of the two tat has been collecting dust in my garage had two nylon gears and one of the gears was missing teeth, causing it to not function.
I’m just really curious about this
Thanks
Royce