Whirlpool Ice Maker Not Working, But Water Dispenser Is?

Having ice when we need it, is something that we have come to rely on, but what happens when the ice maker stops working? Don’t call the service repairman just yet, we’re going to show you how to troubleshoot an ice maker that is not working, even when the water dispenser is.

Your Whirlpool ice maker may not work when the water dispenser does if the shut-off arm is in the wrong position. Switch the shut-off arm to the ON position and inspect the water filter for debris. A bad door switch or water inlet valve can also cause a Whirlpool ice maker to not work.

We expect our appliances to work when we need them, however, sometimes things break, and an ice maker is no exception. If you’re having trouble with your Whirlpool ice maker not working, but water is dispensing, then most likely there is an easy fix.

You will need to troubleshoot your unit to find out exactly what is going on. Chances are you will be able to get it working again without having to call in a professional.

To troubleshoot your ice maker, you are going to want to start with the easiest thing to fix first. Several things could cause your ice maker to stop working, even if the water dispenser works. The most common problem is that it just needs to be reset.

Another common problem is that the control arm is turned to the off position. You will want to start with these two first, then work your way down through the more difficult problems. Chances are you will find that it is something easy, and this method will keep you from replacing parts that are expensive, or hard to work with.

Every refrigerator works a little bit differently, but one thing most of them have in common is that they have a reset mode. Whirlpool ice makers have an easy to follow process for resetting them. Just follow these steps.

Step 1: First, you will need to locate the reset button. If you have trouble finding it, check your user’s manual for the location.

Step 2: Once you find the reset button, hold it down for 10 seconds, until you hear a chime noise, or you hear the ice maker turn on and start working.

Step 3: Some ice makers will not have a reset button but will have an on and off switch. Remove the ice maker cover and tray, and turn the switch off. Then unplug your refrigerator for 10 minutes, now you can plug it back in and turn the switch back on.

Step 4: Old Whirlpool ice makers do not have a reset button or an on-off switch. In this case, you will need to unplug your refrigerator for 30 seconds. Then, plug it back in and press the feeler arm of your ice maker 3 times in a row.

If none of these steps work to fix the problem with your ice maker, you will need to move on to the next possible issue.

Sometimes when your ice maker is not working, it is something as simple as the control arm being accidentally turned to the off position. This happens quite often when you reach in for something and bump the control arm.

Locate the control arm, and make sure it is in the down position. If you are unsure of which position is on or off, check your user’s manual. You would be surprised how often this happens, and turning it back to the on position can save you on some costly repairs, that were never needed in the first place.

Your water filter could have become clogged, or worse, it has gone bad. Don’t worry, this is an easy fix. If the water filter goes bad or clogs, it restricts the water going to the ice maker. Your water dispenser will still dispense water but at a lower flow.

If your water dispenser works but the flow is weak, then there is a good chance that your ice maker is not getting enough water. Locate your water filter and either clean it or replace it. Check your user’s manual for its location, and how to clean it. You may also need to look for the correct part number for the filter.

The next issue on the list is the temperature of the freezer. You may not have it set low enough for it to properly freeze the ice. You could also have a bad thermostat. First, check to make sure that the temperature of your freezer is set to 0 degrees or 5 degrees.

A sign that your freezer is not set low enough, could be that the food is not all the way frozen. You can test this by feeling the food inside of your freezer to make sure it is frozen solid. Food needs to be completely frozen for it to be safe to store and to eat.

Sometimes the water line to the ice maker will freeze. Check to make sure there is no blockage in the water line leading up to the ice maker. This will happen sometimes when there is ice in the ice mold, but it won’t release. The ice builds up past the ice mold, and into the waterline.

If this happens you will need to defrost your freezer, by unplugging it and letting the ice melt. To do this, you will need to put any food that you have in the freezer or refrigerator in a cooler with ice temporarily.

The water line could have also gotten a kink in it, leading up the ice maker. Inspect your ice maker’s water line to make sure there are no kinks or obstructions. If you find a kink, use a pair of plyers to straighten the water line out.

Freezers and refrigerators have a door switch. The door switch turns off the ice maker when the door is open. If the switch fails, the ice maker will not work. If you think your door switch may not be working properly, you will need to test it.

Use a multimeter to check that the door switch has continuity. If you check it, and it does not have continuity, you will need to replace the door switch. Check your user’s manual for the part number, and replace it yourself, or have someone else replace it.

The water inlet valve could have gone bad. The water inlet valve opens up to let the water dispense into the ice maker. These valves are electronic and will go out. When these go bad, the water will not be filled into the ice mold. Not having the right amount of water pressure can also cause this to happen.

The water pressure to the valve should be at least 20 psi to be able to open the water inlet valve and let water flow. If you have the correct water pressure, then you will need to test the inlet valve with a multimeter to make sure that it is getting power.

If the water inlet valve is getting power and has the correct psi, then you may need to replace the valve. You may need to have a professional do this.

If you have done the troubleshooting and worked through all of the above issues, and nothing has fixed it, you may need to consider that it could be something more serious. The motor of the ice maker could have gone bad. In this case, you will need a new motor or a whole new ice maker.

Some ice makers have a laser that detects when the tray is empty, and these can sometimes go bad. You will need to test the laser to make sure it is working properly. There is also a module on some Whirpool ice makers. The icemaker module sends power to the water inlet valve, if this goes bad you will need to have it replaced.

Related Questions

What happens if you don’t change the water filter?

Not changing the water filter, or letting it get clogged up, can cause your ice maker not to work properly. It causes scaling, and deposit build-ups, that could damage not only your ice maker but your whole refrigerator. If your water flow is weak, that could be a sign that the filter is bad.

How long before the new icemaker fills with water?

If you have to install a new ice maker, then you will need to wait 24 hours for the ice maker to get to a low enough temperature to start making ice. If after 24 hours the ice maker is still not making ice, then there must be some other issue in the system.