Whirlpool Refrigerator Ice Maker Problems

I would like your opinion on Whirlpool refrigerator ice maker problems. The fridge’s ice maker starts making ice when it senses that the ice bin has space. If the switch is up so that it stops the ice production, that’s not a failure but by design. If only flipping the switch down actually started it back up.

If the fridge cannot get water because there’s a leak in the water intake hose, it cannot make ice. If I had a water puddle on my floor, I would not be asking about the ice maker. If the fridge has a water leak in the freezer, it won’t be making ice. Oh it would, in one big block in my freezer.

If the water filter is clogged, the ice maker may not run because it cannot get water either. That’s at least an easy fix – change the water filter. But I do not think that’s it. The water inlet valve might be stuck shut. That would prevent water from getting through to the ice maker. How can I tell that that is the problem, without taking the fridge apart to look at the part?

You cannot really, though pulling the fridge out and looking at the part might make a kink in the water connection obvious. Or fix it. If the ice maker is in the door, it could be creating an ice block in the fridge door. No, ice makers in the door tend to make smaller ice pieces because the door insulation does not keep it cold enough to make big ice cubes. The downside of that design is that it will leak into the door too.

If the freezer ice maker has a bin full of water, I’d say check the freezer temperature is low enough. If the door ice maker is not dispensing ice, see if the ice maker assembly hasn’t jammed. I cannot imagine what could jam it. Ice makers are failure prone, and all you need is one piece coming out or plastic breaking off to make it stop working.

That’s probably why ice maker modules are sold as replacement units. It has its own motor, which moves the ice ejector arms. Fancy name for what spits out the ice. If the ice maker thermostat is defective, it will dispense cold water or freeze up the components literally. If the ice maker mold heater stays on, you’ll get lukewarm water for no obvious reason. Here are some of the best ice makers of 2020.

The only way the mold heater in the ice maker stays on is if the contacts are bad. True, but if the motor’s overheating because it is about to fail, the end result is the same. Yeah, ice trays in the freezer until the repair man comes.