Troubleshooting Whirlpool Ice Maker

**NOTICE**
Due the danger and complexity of electronic equipment repair, the following shared technical tips are intended for professional reference only. Please refer to manufacturer’s recommendations as Encompass does not guarantee the accuracy, reliability or safety of this information. 

If your ice machine suddenly goes silent with none of its usual rumblings, or you notice that the ice levels in your tray are decreasing, something in your ice machine isn’t working right. One of the most common problems is a broken connection point that stops ice from breaking free of the machine and landing in your tray, which signals the machine to keep making new ice.

How to Troubleshoot Your Whirlpool Ice Maker for Common Problems and Repairs:

• Is the connection to the heating element broken? Ice machines work by pouring chilled water through the inlet valve into the machine, and the water starts to freeze in the pan. Depending on your ice machine model, it will either sense when the ice is frozen or operate on a timer. When the ice is considered complete by either mechanism, the floor of the ice machine will start to warm up through a heating element with just enough of the tines of your machine to push cubes free into the waiting tray. The two most common ways the heating element can start to break down and not function as well is if mechanisms within it freeze over or if water gets inside to the electrical components of the motor and heating element. Check over the heating element and any moving parts for bits of ice, which can be carefully chipped away to free those parts of the machine. You can also remove the ice machine from the freezer for a more thorough investigation, and some of the icy obstructions will just melt away. If it doesn’t look like unwanted ice is preventing the heating element from turning on, dismantle and inspect the heating element. Be sure to unplug the refrigerator prior to working on it.  If the metal is corroded and starting to break down, water is probably getting in through one of the connection points. If you see rust, carefully sand it away and solder on a copper contact point to ensure a new, strong connection.
• Is the inlet valve hose frozen over?Look for a tub above your ice machine that pours water into the machine — it can often be found in the corner of the freezer. If the hose is full of frozen water, it will form an obstruction that prevents water from falling into the ice machine. Because it’s typically made of pliable material, squeeze the hose to break off or loosen any ice without detaching it from the valve.

If you think your Whirlpool ice machine might be experiencing different issues, try addressing the easiest solutions first that require the least amount of dismantling. This makes troubleshooting less of a potential headache, and also lets you determine trends in how your ice machine malfunctions if it frequently stops working. Once you can isolate the core problem, you can decide if a part needs to be replaced; if you would rather replace the whole machine; or if it’s simple enough to regularly maintain. When you have to dismantle the entire machine and inspect it outside of the freezer, make a list of any damage you see so you can systemically diagnose the problem. With ice machines, you often have to wait between each adjustment so the machine can try to complete a test cycle.

If your ice machine needs more than a soldered connection point to kickstart the heating element and it’s not just a frozen inlet hose blocking up your machine, be sure to contact Fred’s Appliance for more advice about how to fix your specific appliance.

Special thanks to Fred’s Appliance Academy for this valuable tip!