You go to grab a glass of ice and the bin is empty, or there’s a small clump of old cubes at the bottom and nothing new coming in. An ice maker not making ice is one of the most common refrigerator complaints, and the good news is that a lot of the causes are simple: a switch that got bumped off, a freezer that isn’t cold enough, a clogged filter, or a fill tube that froze solid.
This guide walks you through eight checks in the order a technician would do them, starting with the free ones. It also covers the reset steps for Samsung, LG and Whirlpool ice makers, and the signs that a part has failed and it’s time to book a repair.
Before You Start: A Quick Safety Note
Most of these checks only involve looking, pressing a button or changing a setting. If you need to pull the fridge out from the wall, unplug it first or switch it off at the breaker, and don’t tug on the water line behind it. Never chip at ice inside the freezer with a knife or screwdriver: you can puncture the liner or a refrigerant line, and that turns a small problem into an expensive one. If you see water pooling under the fridge, shut off the water supply valve before doing anything else.
1. Is the Ice Maker Actually Turned On?
It sounds too simple, but an ice maker that was switched off by accident is one of the most common reasons for no ice. Where the switch is depends on the model:
- Wire shut-off arm (many Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid and Frigidaire models): a metal bar on the side of the ice maker. Arm down means on, arm up means off. It lifts itself when the bin is full, and it can also get pushed up by a bag of frozen peas. Lower it gently until it clicks, and don’t force it.
- Rocker switch on the ice maker: some models have a small on/off switch on the side or front of the ice maker housing.
- Control panel or display (many Samsung and LG models): look for an “Ice Off”, “Ice Maker On/Off” or ice icon on the panel. If the panel is locked, you’ll need to unlock it first. LG’s support guide says to hold the Lock button for three seconds, then press Ice On/Off.
Once it’s on, give it time. Manufacturers generally say to allow up to 24 hours for ice production to start again.
2. Check the Freezer Temperature
Ice makers need a properly cold freezer. Most will slow down or stop if the freezer is running warm, because the ice maker waits for the tray to reach a set temperature before it harvests the cubes.
Whirlpool’s owner’s manuals describe a recommended setting that keeps the freezer at or near 0°F (about -18°C). LG’s guide to a fridge not making ice recommends -4°F (-20°C) or colder for ice production. Put a fridge thermometer in the freezer for a few hours to check what it’s really doing, not just what the display says.
If the freezer is warm, check the door seals, make sure the vents inside aren’t blocked by food, and clean the condenser coils if they’re dusty. If the fresh food side is also warm, the ice maker is a symptom, not the cause. Our guide to a fridge not cooling while the freezer still works explains how airflow and defrost problems show up.
3. Look at the Water Filter
An old or clogged water filter restricts flow, and the ice maker may only get a trickle, which gives you small, hollow or no cubes. If your water dispenser is slow too, the filter is a strong suspect.
Replace it if it’s past its date or the filter light is on. Samsung’s troubleshooting guide suggests a simple test for models with a dispenser: dispense into a measuring cup, and you should get about 6 ounces (3/4 cup) in under 10 seconds. If it passes with the filter removed but fails with it in, the filter is the problem. Use the filter made for your model, and after installing a new one, run a few glasses of water through to clear the air.
4. Make Sure Water Is Reaching the Fridge
If you recently moved the fridge, renovated, or had plumbing work done, check the supply line behind the fridge:
- Is the shut-off valve fully open? A half-closed valve is a common cause after a move.
- Is the line kinked or crushed where the fridge was pushed back against the wall?
- Is there low water pressure in the house? Samsung’s guide says the ice maker needs at least 20 psi.
5. Check for a Frozen Fill Tube
The fill tube is the short tube that carries water into the ice maker tray. If water drips slowly into it, or the freezer runs too cold around it, the water can freeze inside and block it completely. You’ll often hear the fridge’s water valve buzz or hum, but no water reaches the tray.
To clear it, turn off the ice maker, then warm the tube gently with a hair dryer on a low setting, held a safe distance away and never pointed at plastic for long. Don’t use boiling water, a heat gun or anything sharp. If the fill tube keeps refreezing, the underlying cause is usually a leaking inlet valve, low water pressure or a door seal letting in warm, moist air, and that’s worth having checked.
6. Clear Ice Jams in the Bucket or Auger
If the ice maker is making ice but nothing comes out of the dispenser, the problem may be a jam rather than production. Cubes that partly melt and refreeze form a solid clump that blocks the auger (the spiral that pushes ice to the chute).
- Remove the ice bin and empty it. Break up clumps in the sink, not with a tool inside the fridge.
- Check the chute and the opening in the door for a plug of ice. Let it thaw naturally or use warm air from a hair dryer.
- Look at the ice maker itself for a cube stuck in the ejector arm or tray. Whirlpool’s manuals list a blocked ejector arm as a reason for no ice.
- Keep only ice in the bin. Samsung notes that an ice scoop or food left in the bucket can make the ice maker think the bin is full.
Ice that clumps every time often points to a door that isn’t sealing, a door-mounted ice compartment that is running warm, or not using the ice often enough. If you’re deciding on a new fridge, we wrote about the pros and cons of an ice maker in the fridge door.
7. Reset the Ice Maker (Samsung, LG and Whirlpool)
Once you’ve confirmed the ice maker is on, the freezer is cold and water is available, a reset is the next step. Only run the test once: every brand warns that pressing it repeatedly can overfill the tray and cause the ice to jam. Put a towel underneath in case water spills.
Samsung
According to Samsung’s reset guide, remove the ice bucket and find the Test button on the ice maker (often on the side or underneath). Press and hold it until you hear a chime. The ice maker should rotate and then refill with water at the end. One chime at the end means it passed. If there’s no chime and no movement, switch the fridge off at the breaker or unplug it for two minutes, then try again. Several chimes, or no response at all after a power cycle, mean it needs service. Samsung says to allow up to 24 hours for normal ice production afterwards.
LG
LG uses a few different ice maker designs. On many, there’s a test button under the tray or a small hole you press with a paper clip for about three seconds until the ice maker starts to turn. LG’s reset steps also include removing the bin, firmly but gently shaking the ice maker up and down a couple of times, putting the bin back, and powering the fridge off for 30 seconds. LG says that if there’s still no ice after 4 to 6 hours, the unit needs repair.
Whirlpool (and Maytag, KitchenAid)
On models with a wire arm, make sure it’s down in the on position. Some Whirlpool ice makers have a reset or test button; Whirlpool’s help page says to press and hold it for a few seconds, or, if there’s no button, unplug the fridge for one minute and plug it back in. Whirlpool’s manuals also say to allow 24 hours for the first batch and to throw out the first few batches after a reset or new install.
8. Inlet Valve or Ice Maker Module Failure
If you’ve done everything above and there’s still no ice, the fault is most likely one of these parts:
- Water inlet valve: the electric valve at the back of the fridge that opens to let water in. When it fails, you may hear a hum with no water, or get no sound at all. A valve that leaks can also cause the frozen fill tube problem above.
- Ice maker module or motor: if the test cycle doesn’t move the tray or ejector at all, the motor or control in the ice maker itself has likely failed.
- Thermostat or sensor: the ice maker uses a sensor to know when the cubes are frozen. If it fails, the ice maker never starts a harvest even though the tray is full of ice.
Testing these parts usually involves a multimeter and removing panels with live wiring behind them, so this is where we recommend calling a technician.
Repair or Replace the Ice Maker?
On most fridges, the ice maker can be repaired by replacing the faulty part, such as the inlet valve or the ice maker assembly, without replacing the fridge. Whether it’s worth it depends on a few things:
- The age and condition of the fridge. If the fridge is cooling well and has years left, fixing the ice maker usually makes sense.
- Whether the real problem is cooling. If the freezer can’t hold temperature, the ice maker is just the first thing you noticed. Fix the cooling problem first.
- Part availability for your model. Door-mounted ice makers on some French door models are more involved than a simple freezer ice maker.
When to Call a Pro
It’s time to book a repair if:
- The test cycle does nothing, or the ice maker chimes repeatedly or shows an error code.
- You hear the water valve hum but no water reaches the tray, and the fill tube isn’t frozen.
- The fill tube or bin keeps freezing up again after you clear it.
- You see water leaking inside the freezer, behind the fridge or onto the floor.
- The freezer or fridge isn’t holding temperature.
Our technicians repair ice makers and every other part of the fridge, including Samsung, LG, Whirlpool and most other major brands. You can read more about our refrigerator repair service. We serve homes in Toronto, North York, Scarborough and Etobicoke.
Tried the checks above and still no ice? Give I-Fix Appliance Repair a call or book online, and we’ll find the cause and get the cubes coming again.