Whirlpool ice cube maker not functioning

Bonjour,
Ice makers can clog. The water valve can stick open or closed or even not work at all. The water fill nozzle can clog with ice or food. If the unit has been moved the water line could be kinked or the water filter may be clogged. Maybe the water valve for the ice maker water line is turned off. Is there one under the sink? Inside most ice makers there is a thermostat that tells the ice maker that the water is frozen and it's time to dump the ice cubes. That starts a geared motor running to dump out the cubes. And in some cases a mold heater is turned on to help break the ice cubes loose. A lot of ice makers have a cam attached to the motor that turns with the shaft. When the ice cubes are gone the cam starts a timer to refill the ice maker with fresh water to make some more ice cubes. Most "fill" cycles of ice makers are "timed fill". The fill cycle has to start and stop to get fresh water into the ice maker. There may be another thermostat that monitors the air temperature where the ice maker is mounted. If that thermostat thinks the air is not cold enough to freeze water nothing happens. If all the steps don't happen at the right time no ice cubes are made.

try a full unit defrost clean out vents/drains.

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The water inlet valve on the back of unit opens when the ice maker needs water. If the valve doesn't seal good because of sediment or wear it will continue to drip and when the water reaches the ice maker supply tube it will freeze. You can take the water line off the valve and watch to see if it drips.

A strainer before the inlet valve can also get stopped up restricting flow.

Hi
Many top-freezer ice makers have very similar ice makers that are pretty easy to diagnose. Side by side refrigerators have a variety of ice makers so I’ll start with the more common top freezer units. If yours makes crescent shaped ice cubes this will probably be relevant to your unit.
These ice makers have a metal wire bail or wand that senses if the ice level is too high. This sensor stops the ice maker from making ice that would overflow the catch bin. Check to make sure this sensor isn’t obstructed or locked at the far end of its travel. In normal operation the sensor wand should be resting against the ice maker. As it begins a cycle the wand sweeps across the catch bin and will be stopped if ice has risen too high. The same wand can be locked in a position at the far end of its travel to disable the ice maker. This is the most common cause of no ice. This may be what you meant by "made sure the tray was set right and arm was done"
If you have a different type of ice maker just spend a few minutes watching it operate or examine the non-operating unit. If you have a neighbor with a similar unit take a look at theirs. Many have a front cover that easily pops off giving access to the internal works. Listen as you watch to hear solenoid valves open, water flow, etc.
Make sure you look for any other interlock switches that would stop ice making if the tray were removed, the door was opened, etc.
You’ve already checked the water line, I’ll assume you disconnected it and tested for water flow or it was a translucent line and that you saw water in it. While you could do further tests on the water inlet valve, it’s probably easier just to verify that water is making it into the ice mold. If no water or ice is in the mold then you need to check the inlet valve or check the timer’s water switch. If there’s water or ice in the mold then your water supply is working and we need to look elsewhere. If there’s ice in the mold the most likely cause is the heater or ejector. If there's water it could be several things from the freezer temperature to the heater switch.
It's easier to figure out the problem if you have a simplified idea of how the ice making process works. An electromechanical timer controls the sequence of events for the entire process and acitivates valves and switches at the proper stage of the process. An ice mold receives water through an inlet valve. The mold is usually cooled just by the freezer air and relies on it's mass to retain the cold. Once the water has been in the mold for the correct time the cubes are given a brief shot of heat from a heating element in the mold. This loosens things up so a mechanical ejector can push the cubes from the mold. More water is added and the process continues.
please chek this link,for further help..
http://www.acmehowto.com/howto/appliance/icemaker/diagicemaker.php

Thanks for contacting Fixya.com

Hi
Many top-freezer ice makers have very similar ice makers that are pretty easy to diagnose. Side by side refrigerators have a variety of ice makers so I’ll start with the more common top freezer units. If yours makes crescent shaped ice cubes this will probably be relevant to your unit.
These ice makers have a metal wire bail or wand that senses if the ice level is too high. This sensor stops the ice maker from making ice that would overflow the catch bin. Check to make sure this sensor isn’t obstructed or locked at the far end of its travel. In normal operation the sensor wand should be resting against the ice maker. As it begins a cycle the wand sweeps across the catch bin and will be stopped if ice has risen too high. The same wand can be locked in a position at the far end of its travel to disable the ice maker. This is the most common cause of no ice. This may be what you meant by "made sure the tray was set right and arm was done"
If you have a different type of ice maker just spend a few minutes watching it operate or examine the non-operating unit. If you have a neighbor with a similar unit take a look at theirs. Many have a front cover that easily pops off giving access to the internal works. Listen as you watch to hear solenoid valves open, water flow, etc.
Make sure you look for any other interlock switches that would stop ice making if the tray were removed, the door was opened, etc.
You’ve already checked the water line, I’ll assume you disconnected it and tested for water flow or it was a translucent line and that you saw water in it. While you could do further tests on the water inlet valve, it’s probably easier just to verify that water is making it into the ice mold. If no water or ice is in the mold then you need to check the inlet valve or check the timer’s water switch. If there’s water or ice in the mold then your water supply is working and we need to look elsewhere. If there’s ice in the mold the most likely cause is the heater or ejector. If there's water it could be several things from the freezer temperature to the heater switch.
It's easier to figure out the problem if you have a simplified idea of how the ice making process works. An electromechanical timer controls the sequence of events for the entire process and acitivates valves and switches at the proper stage of the process. An ice mold receives water through an inlet valve. The mold is usually cooled just by the freezer air and relies on it's mass to retain the cold. Once the water has been in the mold for the correct time the cubes are given a brief shot of heat from a heating element in the mold. This loosens things up so a mechanical ejector can push the cubes from the mold. More water is added and the process continues.
please chek this link,for further help..
http://www.acmehowto.com/howto/appliance/icemaker/diagicemaker.php

Thanks for contacting Fixya.com

Try swapping the wires on the dual water inlet valve. Then try the water dispenser. The water should go to the ice maker. This will tell you weather or not the ice maker valve is working and if the line is clear.

The water inlet valve on the back of unit opens when the ice maker needs water. If the valve doesn't seal good because of sediment or wear it will continue to drip and when the water reaches the ice maker supply tube it will freeze. You can take the water line off the valve and watch to see if it drips.

The mold heater is bad on this unit.

That means that the evaporator fan system that releases the the ice cubes is not working as it should.

The heater, or evaporator fan and heating system must be checked, and fan, or solenoid, or element must be replaced.

Use the number listed on the owner manual if you want to call a technician.

Enter model number on this website to find schematics and replacement parts.

I lifted the switch to turn ice maker off, left it like that for a couple of hours, then turned it back on. I checked it a couple of hours later....Making ice now....


Thanks pete5runner!!!

Have you checked if water is comming out the tubing before hookup? A valve may be close...