Ice Maker Making A Clicking Noise? (Possible Causes & Fixes)

Ice makers provide homeowners with a super useful function. They enable us to keep our drinks cool and refreshing without having to remember to either purchase or make ice ourselves.

However, ice makers don’t always work properly. There are times when you may have to take action to fix yours. One example of this is when an ice maker is consistently making a clicking noise.

If your ice maker is making a clicking noise, it’s possible that its water valve has frozen. This prevents water from filling the ice trays. You need to defrost the water valve to fix the problem. This can be done by simply unplugging the freezer, removing your food, and leaving the door open for a few hours.

If you’ve been having some trouble with your ice maker, then it’s worth taking the time needed to understand how they actually work. Doing so might be just what you need to solve the problems you’ve been experiencing once and for all.

An ice maker is essentially an ice-cube assembly line. This is made possible by the ice maker’s electric motor. When the motor is powered on, the ice maker automatically begins its ice manufacturing cycle.

The cycle starts when the ice maker’s water valve pulls water in from the plumbing line it’s attached to. The valve only lets enough water in to fill the ice maker’s ice mold.

When the mold is filled, the machine waits automatically for the cubes to freeze. When that happens, a heating coil begins to send an electrical current to the ice tray. This loosens the ice cubes from the mold they froze in.

Next, the ice maker activates its motor to power a series of ejector blades. These scoop the ice cubes out of the mold and push them to the front of the ice maker for you and your family to enjoy.

There are a few different reasons why your ice maker could be making a repetitive clicking noise. The first is that it may not be connecting to a functional water supply.

As discussed in the section above, the first step in the ice creation cycle is water being drawn into the ice maker. When this happens, there’s typically a clicking sound that happens along with it. This is totally normal and not something to worry about.

The issues arise when that clicking doesn’t stop. This could happen if your ice maker is repeatedly attempting to pull water in through its valve but is incapable of doing so because it’s not connected to your home’s water supply.

If your ice maker isn’t connecting to a water supply, then you may be able to fix the clicking issue by simply turning it off. Make sure that you try this solution first as it’s the easiest fix to your clicking issue.

You want your freezer to be capable of keeping the food it holds frozen for long periods of time. However, if you run your freezer at too cold of a temperature, it may cause your water valve to freeze.

When your water valve freezer, it’s unable to pull water into the ice maker. This causes the ice maker to react in the same way it would if the ice maker wasn’t plugged into a valid water supply line. The machine will repeatedly click as it continuously tries and fails to get the water it needs to create ice.

Fixing this is a bit more involved than the solution described above. To do so, you’ll need to remove all of the food from your freezer. Then, turn off the unit and leave the freezer door open for a few hours.

Your goal is to give the freezer time to defrost completely. You may need to remove the food from your refrigerator as you do this if its source of cooling is your freezer.

Give your freezer enough thawing time to get close to room temperature. Then, power everything back on and see if your ice maker is back to functioning properly.

While the two scenarios discussed above are the most common reasons for ice makers that click, they aren’t the only ones. If you’ve tried those solutions and still hear the clicking, then your issue could be related to one of these problems.

It’s possible that your ice maker isn’t getting the water it needs to function even if the water valve is working properly. Instead, your pump motor may not be generating the power it needs to pull in water. If that’s the case, you’ll probably need to replace the part.

It’s also possible that some kind of debris has clogged the water valve. This is most common with cheap connectors that are made out of plastic. You may be able to solve your issue by replacing a plastic connector with a copper one.

Finally, your ice maker could also be clicking because ice has frozen over its gearbox or ejector arms. You might be able to fix this issue by using a hairdryer to melt the ice, allowing your unit to function properly once again.

Most of the causes for ice makers that click can be fixed without professional assistance. However, there are certainly scenarios when homeowners will need to call a repair person to fix the issue.

Before calling for professional assistance, make sure that you try all of the fixes listed above. If none of those worked for you, then the issue likely lies with a part of your ice maker that needs to be replaced.

The culprit could be either your compressor or your water pump. For example, your compressor may be either lacking in its refrigerant fluids or completely faulty.

If your water pump is broken, your ice maker will be incapable of drawing the water that it needs to complete the ice-making process. Replacing this requires some complicated work with wiring, which is best handled by a professional.

If your ice maker continuously clicks, it’s possible that the problem lies with a faulty manufacturing process. Refrigerator companies make hundreds of thousands of products daily. At this scale, it’s likely that a few have been created with inherent imperfections.

If you’ve recently purchased your refrigerator, then chances are you still have an active warranty on the device. You should look into the details of that warranty before hiring a repair person.

Chances are, your warranty will cover the costs of repair. You may even be able to get a brand new refrigerator with it.

Related Questions

How much do ice maker repairs cost?

The average cost to have your ice maker repaired is around $330. However, you may be able to get all or a portion of those costs covered if you still have an active warranty on your machine.

How much do replacement ice makers cost?

Your costs for purchasing a replacement ice maker will depend on the kind of refrigerator you have. Some replacements can be purchased for as little as $100. Others may cost upwards of $300.This means that it’s sometimes possible to purchase a completely new ice maker for less than it would cost you to repair your old one. Be sure to consider each of these costs before making a decision about what to do with your faulty ice maker.