Ice Maker Not Working? How to Fix It

An ice maker not working usually comes down to something simple: the ice maker is switched off, the freezer is too warm, or water isn’t reaching the mold. Most of these causes take minutes to check and need no tools.

TL;DR

Make sure the ice maker is on: the wire bail arm should be down, or the Ice On setting should be lit on the control panel.
A newly installed or newly plugged-in fridge can take up to 24 hours to make its first ice.
Check the freezer with a thermometer. It should read about 0°F; a warm freezer slows or stops ice production.
Little or no ice with small, hollow cubes points to water supply: an old filter, a kinked line, a partly closed valve, or low pressure.
Unplug the fridge before clearing jammed cubes or a frozen fill tube, and use only plastic or wooden tools.

Why Your Ice Maker Is Not Working
Symptoms and Likely Causes
How to Fix an Ice Maker That Won’t Make Ice
What Not to Do
When to Call a Professional
How to Prevent It
FAQ

Why Your Ice Maker Is Not Working

An ice maker needs an “on” signal, a cold enough freezer, and steady water. Lose any one and ice slows or stops.

The Ice Maker Is Switched Off or the Bail Arm Is Raised

Many ice makers have a thin wire shutoff arm (also called a bail arm or feeler arm) beside the mold. When the arm is lifted up, the ice maker stops, which Whirlpool lists as the OFF position. Piled ice or frozen food can push it up unnoticed.

Newer models use an on/off rocker switch on the ice maker itself or an Ice On / Ice Off button on the control panel. GE notes that ice makers often ship switched off.

The Fridge Was Just Installed

Both GE and LG say a new installation can take up to 24 hours before the ice maker is cold enough to start. GE adds that the ice maker cycles several times to push air out of the new water line, so the first fill may be small and the second a little too full.

The Freezer Is Too Warm

GE says its ice makers won’t begin a cycle until the mold reaches 15°F, and it recommends a 0°F freezer setting. LG says its freezers need to stay below 19°F for ice production and suggests a colder setting of -4°F for its models. If the freezer drifts warmer, you get fewer cubes or none at all.

If your fresh-food side is also warm, see our guide on what to do when your refrigerator is not cooling before focusing on the ice maker.

A Clogged or Expired Water Filter

The fridge’s built-in filter sits between your home’s plumbing and the ice maker, so a clogged one starves the mold of water. Whirlpool recommends replacing it about every 6 months or when the indicator light comes on. Samsung rates its filters at 300 gallons, which it estimates is about 6 months for an average household.

A Kinked Supply Line

The water line behind the fridge is usually 1/4-inch plastic, PEX, or soft copper tubing. If the fridge was pushed too far back or recently moved, the tubing can fold and choke off flow. Whirlpool recommends leaving a coiled service loop so the fridge can roll out without stressing the line.

A Closed or Partly Closed Supply Valve

The fridge line connects to a cold water pipe through a small shutoff valve, often under the kitchen sink or in the basement below the fridge. Older installations may use a saddle valve, which clamps onto the pipe and pierces it. These valves get bumped closed or left half-open after a repair.

Low Water Pressure

Pressure requirements vary by brand. Whirlpool calls for 30 to 120 psi at the fridge, with best results between 40 and 80 psi, while Samsung lists 20 psi as its minimum. Below that, cubes come out small or hollow, and production slows or stops.

Reverse osmosis systems under the sink are a common culprit, because they lower the pressure reaching the fridge. If your whole house has weak flow, our guide on fixing low water pressure in a shower covers household causes such as a partly closed main valve.

A Frozen Fill Tube

The fill tube is the short spout that carries water from the inlet valve into the mold. Sears PartsDirect calls a frozen fill tube the most common reason an ice maker won’t fill. Low pressure, a dripping valve, or warm air leaking in can leave an ice plug there.

Jammed Ice in the Mold or Bucket

Sometimes the ice maker works but can’t finish the job. A cube stuck halfway out of the mold, or a bridge of ice that forms when water refreezes on the ejector, can lock up the harvest arms. Repeated clicking or buzzing is a common sign.

Symptoms and Likely Causes

Symptom	Likely cause	DIY or pro?
No ice at all, mold is empty and dry	Ice maker off, bail arm raised, or closed supply valve	DIY
No ice on a fridge installed in the last day	Still cooling down and purging air	DIY: wait 24 hours
Fewer cubes than usual	Freezer too warm, old filter, or low water pressure	DIY
Small, thin, or hollow cubes	Clogged filter, kinked line, or low pressure	DIY; plumber if house pressure is low
Mold empty but ice built up around the fill spout	Frozen fill tube	DIY; pro if it keeps refreezing
Clicking or buzzing, cubes stuck in the mold	Jammed ice or ice bridge	DIY
Neither the water dispenser nor the ice maker gets water	Supply problem or failed water inlet valve	DIY check, then pro
Fresh-food side and freezer both warm	Cooling system problem	Pro
Mold fills and freezes but never ejects, even after a reset	Failed ice maker motor or control	Pro or replacement ice maker

How to Fix an Ice Maker That Won’t Make Ice

Tools and parts you may need: a freezer or appliance thermometer, a flashlight, a towel, a plastic or wooden utensil, a hair dryer with a low setting, a measuring cup, a bucket, a replacement filter that matches your model, and your owner’s manual.

Safety first: Unplug the refrigerator before you put your hands in the ice maker or remove jammed ice. The harvest arms can start moving without warning. Keep water away from the outlet, and never use a knife, screwdriver, or ice pick on the mold.

Step 1: Confirm the Ice Maker Is On

Open the freezer and find the wire arm, rocker switch, or panel button. Lower the arm, flip the switch to on, or turn on the ice setting. On some LG models, you press and hold the Ice On/Off button for 3 to 5 seconds until it lights.

Step 2: Check the Freezer Temperature

Don’t trust the dial alone. The USDA recommends placing a thermometer between frozen packages and reading it after 5 to 8 hours; adjust the control if it isn’t between 0 and 2°F.

If it reads warm, go one step colder. Whirlpool advises waiting at least 24 hours between adjustments.

Step 3: Clear Jammed Ice

Unplug the refrigerator first. Remove the ice bucket and break up or dump any clumped ice. Look at the mold: if cubes are stuck halfway out, ease them free with a plastic utensil or the handle of a wooden spoon.

If ice is frozen to the mold, use a hair dryer on low, held several inches away, to loosen it. Wipe up meltwater with a towel, replace the bucket, and plug the fridge back in.

Step 4: Thaw a Frozen Fill Tube

With the fridge unplugged, look at the spout where water enters the mold, usually at the back. If you see ice there, Sears PartsDirect suggests gently squeezing a flexible plastic tube to crack the plug, or warming it with a hair dryer on low.

If you can’t reach the tube, move your food to a cooler and unplug the fridge for about 8 hours so the plug melts.

Step 5: Replace the Water Filter

If the filter is near or past 6 months old, replace it with one made for your model. Make sure it twists or clicks fully into place.

Flush it per your manual, and toss the first batch or two of ice.

Step 6: Check the Supply Line and Valve

Unplug the fridge and roll it out slowly so you don’t pinch or tear the line. Straighten any kinks and leave a loose coil behind the fridge when you push it back.

Trace the line to its shutoff valve and turn the handle counterclockwise until it’s fully open. If the valve or fittings drip, shut the valve and call a plumber.

Step 7: Test Water Flow

If your fridge has a door dispenser, Samsung offers a quick test: it should fill 6 ounces (3/4 cup) in under 10 seconds. If it falls short, remove the filter (or install the bypass plug if your model has one) and test again.

Step 8: Reset the Ice Maker

Reset steps differ by brand, so check your owner’s manual. Common methods from manufacturer support pages include:

Whirlpool: press and hold the reset button for a few seconds if there is one; otherwise unplug the fridge for 1 minute.
Samsung: unplug the fridge for 2 minutes, then hold the Test button until it chimes (up to 10 seconds). The test runs about 6 minutes.
LG: remove the bin, place a towel underneath, and hold the test button for about 3 seconds until the tray or arms move.

If your fridge is plugged into a kitchen GFCI outlet that has tripped, the ice maker will look dead along with everything else. Our guide on a GFCI outlet that won’t reset walks through that check.

Step 9: Give It Time

After a reset or a fix, Samsung says ice should appear within 8 hours, with normal production taking up to 24 hours. LG suggests calling for service if a reset doesn’t bring ice within 4 to 6 hours.

What Not to Do

Don’t reach into the ice maker while the fridge is plugged in. The ejector can cycle at any time.
Don’t chip at the mold with a knife, screwdriver, or ice pick. You can damage the mold’s coating and heater.
Don’t pour hot water into the mold or aim a heat gun at the ice maker. Use a hair dryer on low only, and keep it away from standing water.
Don’t leave the ice maker on with the water disconnected. Whirlpool warns this can cause buzzing and make the fridge run too cold.
Don’t buy a new ice maker before checking the filter, valve, line, and temperature. Most no-ice problems are on the supply side.

When to Call a Professional

Call an appliance repair technician, or the manufacturer’s service line if you’re under warranty, when you see any of these:

The fill tube keeps freezing after you thaw it.
Neither the water dispenser nor the ice maker gets water, even with good flow at the supply line. That often means a failed water inlet valve.
The test cycle doesn’t move the arms or tray, or the mold never fills during the test. LG says either result likely means service is needed.
The freezer won’t hold 0°F even after you adjust the control and check the door gaskets.
You see water leaking inside the freezer, under the fridge, or at the supply valve.

Call a licensed plumber instead if your home’s water pressure is low, if you need a saddle valve replaced, or if a reverse osmosis system needs to be rerouted. If the fridge’s circuit keeps shutting off, see why your circuit breaker keeps tripping and leave any panel work to an electrician.

How to Prevent It

Replace the water filter about every 6 months, or sooner if your water is hard or your household uses a lot of ice.
Keep an appliance thermometer in the freezer and check that it stays near 0°F.
Use ice regularly. Cubes that sit for weeks fuse together and jam the bucket.
Leave a loose coil of tubing behind the fridge and don’t push it tight against the wall.
Check the door gaskets for tears and close the freezer firmly; warm, moist air causes frost and frozen fill tubes.

FAQ

Why is my ice maker not making ice but the water dispenser works?

If the dispenser works, water is reaching the fridge, so the issue is between the inlet valve and the mold. The most common causes are a frozen fill tube, a raised bail arm, a freezer that’s too warm, or jammed ice.

How long does it take a new refrigerator to make ice?

GE and LG both say to allow up to 24 hours after installation. The first few fills may be uneven while air purges from the line. Throw out the first batches of ice, especially after a new filter.

How do I reset my refrigerator ice maker?

It depends on the brand. Some models have a reset or test button you hold for a few seconds, while others reset when you unplug the fridge for 1 to 2 minutes. Your owner’s manual lists the exact steps.

Why is my ice maker making small or hollow ice cubes?

Small or hollow cubes mean the mold isn’t getting enough water. A clogged filter, kinked line, partly closed valve, or low household water pressure are the usual causes. Start with the filter.

What temperature should my freezer be for the ice maker to work?

Aim for 0°F, which is what GE recommends and what the USDA advises for frozen food. Some brands, like LG, suggest an even colder setting for best ice production. Check with a thermometer rather than relying on the control dial.

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