Has your refrigerator ice maker has stopped producing or dispensing ice cubes? Most automatic ice makers on all refrigerators work using the same principles. Fixing the ice maker on your fridge is not usually a difficult task. Most of the problems can be fixed and repaired by you instead of calling a professional. There are a few obvious things you need to check first and foremost. These fix-it solutions apply to side-by-side and top and bottom new and old style refrigerators. The ice maker repair tips will work on all Kenmore, GE, LG, Samsung, Frigidaire, Whirlpool and Kitchen Aide Refrigerators and Freezers.
This Ice Maker Parts Identification Illustration can be used with the old and new style ice makers.
Both side-by-side and top and bottom refrigerators use the same ice making principles.
Is the ice maker in the “ON” position? On some ice makers there is an on/off switch located on the ice maker itself. Make sure this is in the on position.
Is the water filter clogged? There is a water filter in or behind your refrigerator that all water going to the ice maker passes through. If this filter is clogged then your ice maker will stop making ice cubes. Consult your refrigerator user manual or see how to change your refrigerator water filter.
Is the ice maker “shutoff arm’ in the up position? There is a plastic or metal arm the senses when your ice cube canister is full. When full the arm moves in the “up” position and shuts off the ice maker. Make sure the “feeler arm” is in the DOWN position and nothing is blocking it.
Are the water lines behind your refrigerator pinched? Sometimes moving your refrigerator around can pinch or crimp the water lines in the rear of the fridge. Pull the refrigerator out about 12 inches and using a flashlight, check the water line for crimps or being pinched.
Is the ice bin completely full? If the ice bin is completely full then your ice maker won’t keep making ice. This is because the ice arm is in the up position therefore pressing a micro-switch that turn the ice maker fully off.
Is your freezer not getting cold enough? If your freezer is not at freezing temperature, the ice maker cannot work properly to make ice cubes. Check using a temperature gauge and or turn the temp for the freezer down meaning to get it colder as close to 32 degrees as you can or colder. Usually an ice maker won’t function if the temp is 4 to 6 degrees above freezing. This means the temperature is too warm in the freezer to make ice cubes.
Is the ice maker paddle or ejector blades blocked? There is a spinning ice paddle inside of your ice maker that turns to push the ice cubes out. Make sure this paddle is not stuck or blocked thus preventing ice from being dispensed.
Is the water pressure too low? Sometimes the water pressure is so low it cannot be fed into the ice maker to make ice. This could be from a blocked water line or blocked filter. Check to be sure there are no blocked lines by removing them and blowing air through them. The only way to test the water filter is to just replace it.
Is the water valve behind your refrigerator turned off? The water valve behind your fridge can be turned off when replacing the water filter. It is possible you just changed the water filter and someone has forgotten to turn the water back on. Turn the valve on so water can flow to the ice maker.
Is the ice maker solenoid valve (water inlet valve) disconnected or has failed? The ice maker has a small solenoid valve that controls water flow. This solenoid is usually located in the back bottom of the refrigerator. It is possible an electrical connector has fallen off or the solenoid valve is faulty. Safely test the valve with a multimeter and confirm it is working properly.
This ice maker installed in a side-by-side works exactly the same as the old style ice makers.
If none of the above suggestions has solved your problem, type your refrigerator manufacturer and model number into a search engine for more specific help and solutions.
Thank you for everything.
James Coker,
The ice maker should have a small control board built into it. If the control board is bad, it could be replaced separately or just replace the complete ice maker. Replacing the complete ice maker assembly should solve the issue and prevent you from having to troubleshoot all the smaller parts within the ice maker. You should be able to find the ice maker online for around $90 US dollars. Cheapest Samsung ice maker DA97-11092B we can find is here.
NOTE: Due to Samsung using different ice makers depending on the build date of certain model refrigerators, you must look at the blue tag on the bottom of your ice maker and read the part number starting with DA97-XXXXXX of that tag to ensure you are ordering the correct ice maker.
-RR
Is the tray moving to “dump” the ice out? No, the tray has arms that sweep the ice out.
Is the ice maker getting an excessive amount of water? No
Have you made sure the wire harnesses are not pinched or damaged? I removed the entire ice maker and did not notice any damage to the wire.
Is there just one control board for the entire frig? Or is there a separate control board for the ice maker? Is the heat element going out due to the control board a common problem? If not, should I just replace the whole ice maker? (part DA97-11092B). Could it just be the motor is struggling to push the ice out?
James Coker,
It may be the heat element is bad in the ice maker. You can test it with a meter. The control board that applies power to the heat element may not be working properly. You can try testing each component and troubleshoot which is causing your issue. A new ice maker may fix the issue but if the ice maker is not receiving the proper power, you will have the same issue. Further troubleshooting is needed to find why the ice stays frozen in the tray.
Is the tray moving to “dump” the ice out?
Is the ice maker getting an excessive amount of water?
Have you made sure the wire harnesses are not pinched or damaged?
-RR
I have a Samsung RS265TDRS side by side refrigerator I’ve had for 4 years. Recently my ice maker will make ice, but not dump it into the bin. I tried to reset to no avail. So I removed the ice maker, defrosted the ice, cleaned it up, and plugged it back in. I then hit reset and the trays filled with water. Came back a few hours later and there was ice and it sounded like the motor was struggling to push the ice out. The ice was frozen solid to the trays. So after doing more research I read of other people that bought a new ice maker and continued to have the same issue. How can I check if it’s a bad control board not turning on the heat element under the tray? Is there a separate board that controls the ice making function? Or is the most common solution to buy a new ice maker?
I got the part that you suggested and I installed it (5 minutes max) you are great and I thank you for your advice. Now I have ice!
Thank You,
Ed
Ed,
Probably a bad board in the ice maker. Replace the complete ice maker as the part you are referring too may or may not fix your issue. You can find the complete ice maker for around 150 US dollars. You want Part# DA97-14253A Samsung RS25H5111SR/AA Refrigerator ice maker.
-RR
I have a Samsung 2014 Model RS25H5111SR/AA the ice maker stopped working. It does not dispense water in the ice tray. I noticed a strange noise and the arm was acting like if it was stuck sort like jerking, I checked and there was nothing blocking the arm. There was not water in the ice tray. I checked the water line and filter everything okay. Could it be that the arm motor is broke and I need to replace the ice maker part DA97-13415B?
I press the reset button and it cycles the arm is in the up position should it be on the down position? Your help will be appreciated.
I have a Kenmore Elite side-by-side with ice maker in the door. model 106.41163310
Originally (14 months ago) when delivered, t had a broken connector part in the water filter housing. It caused leaking when water was dispensed or ice maker filled. Repair tech replaced the complete unit where the filter installs. Water dispensed slowly so tech calibrated the water meter that shows how much has been dispensed. Water got slower over time. (We have good well water and 65psi going in. I wish I could bypass filter.) A few weeks ago, both water and ice quit and I believed it to be a pressure problem. I ordered a new filter. Meanwhile, both ice and water worked intermittently. I installed new filter. All seemed well; water dispensed with more pressure and I think it was making ice. Then both quit again. I read that water line can freeze, I raised freezer temp to 5-degrees. Now water dispenses, but still no ice. I read that temp can be too high, so I have changed temp to 2-degrees. I really don’t want to take it apart, but my next step will be to trace the water line.
I’ll look into testing the defrost thermostat. Because the ice maker is inside the fridge section, will there be a dedicated defrost thermostat for the ice maker.
This is the only issue I’m having with the refrigerator – the fridge and freezer both work OK – it’s just the ice maker that keeps freezing up…