The flapper door to dispense ice is flopping on my Kenmore #56939 S/S. How do I open the front of the control panel to rehook the spring?

Would need brand and model # to answer your question.

Here is a kit of the most likely parts that you are talking about=> 12001991 Ice Dispenser Solenoid and Door Kit Just disconnect the power and turn water off before beginning to ddisassemble the fispenser components seen here=> JCD2389GES Dispenser Components
1. Unplug the refrigerator power cord.
2. Remove the overflow grille from the housing.
3. Unsnap front cover at the bottom of the housing.
(using a flat blade screwdriver, and tape or pad, twist the screw driver, or pry out the bottom trim using the molded slots in the bottom of the trim panel).
4. Disconnect the front cover switch harness connector and set the cover aside.
5. Disconnect the power wire harness connector (BL/BK and W wires)
6. Disconnect the flapper door heater wire harness connector (if one is present).
7. Release the dispenser microswitch retainers and slide the switches off of their locator pins. Carefully handle the switches so they do not come apart.
8. Disconnect the wires from the terminals of the lamp holder.
9. Remove the two 1/4. hex head screws from the control bracket and remove the control bracket.
10. Remove the 1/4. hex head screw to remove the water fitting (fill spout) from the water dispenser lever.
11. Unsnap the ice guide and remove it from the ice dispenser lever.
12. Remove the air pot by sliding the rear of the air pot out of the slot molded to the dispenser housing and slip the linkage out of the flapper door mechanism assembly.
13. Unsnap the flapper door and remove it from the ice dispenser lever. While you remove the flapper door, carefully guide the flapper door heater wire and connector over the door mechanism assembly.
14. Remove the 1/4. hex head screw securing the dispenser levers pivot retainer to the dispenser housing and remove the retainer.
15. Remove the water dispenser lever.
16. Remove the ice dispenser lever by maneuvering it around the door mechanism assembly.
17. Pull the pin from the door mechanism assembly and remove the spring and mechanism assembly.
18. Reassemble in reverse order.
Need Help let me know, Thanks Sea Breeze

See if you can run the ice dispenser while the door is open. The auger may be turning but not the "drive blade" that delivers the ice.

Hello David ,

Their are a few possible reason the ice is not being dispensed,

1) the door switch is bad...the door must be closed for the ice to dispense and perhaps the switch thinks the door is open

2) the switch that is activated when pushing the lever on the dispenser is bad

3) the dispenser motor is bad

4) the control board is bad


GENE

Without knowing the brand and model # I can offer the most common solution.

On most "pass the ice through the door" models there is a flapper door where the ice dispenses. The spring which holds this door closed when you are not dispensing ice becomes weak allowing the flap to stay open jsut a bit. This open space will create an ice dam in teh dispenser thus not allowing the ice to dispense. The repair is generally made by replacing the flap assembly.

All the best.

the plastic arms that move the flapper door open and closed are broken. I had this happen to me some months back. You will need to buy a repair kit from your local dealer. Explain what is broken and they can look up their part/kit number. You can't buy just the plastic door. Mine cost about $30 but was worth the price of getting my ice maker dispenser operating again. Very minor mechanics required to open this portion of the mechanism. Mostly some removal of screws and a spring or two. Good luck.

The flapper door is controlled by a solenoid that electically magnetizes to open and close the door... perhaps it is buzzing? There's really not much you can do to fix a solenoid, besides replace it.

Check the pin that holds the flapper in place.
I'll bet the plastic is broke that holds spring and flap inplace
I have same problem

It is possible that the solenoid wire connections may have come loose.  You will have to pop off the front cover of the display panel to gain access to the solenoid.  To remove the panel, look below the bottom of the panel to find 2 screwdriver holes.  Slide a screwdriver in one of them and gently pry open the panel.  

Look up through the ice despencer on the front door of the freezer. Is the flapper door open? If so it needs to be fixed. If its not then try leaving the freezer door open for 3+ hours to defrost the frozen line in the door. If that doesnt work, the water valve must be changed.(located behind fridge, take off back cord board panel at bottom, the valve is blue)... GOODLUCK!