Most common causes
- Ice maker turned off. Many ice makers have a wire shutoff arm, a switch, or a setting on the control panel. If the arm is up or the setting is off, no ice is made.
- Water supply valve closed or line kinked. The valve behind the refrigerator or under the sink may be partly closed, or the line may be kinked when the fridge was pushed back.
- Clogged water filter. An old filter slows water flow. The ice maker may make small, hollow, or no cubes, and the dispenser may run slowly too.
- Freezer not cold enough. Most ice makers need the freezer around 0F. If the freezer is warmer, the ice maker will not cycle.
- Frozen fill tube. Low water pressure or a leaking valve can let water freeze in the fill tube, so no water reaches the mold.
- Failed water inlet valve. The inlet valve opens to let water into the ice maker. If it fails, the ice maker runs but never fills.
- Ice maker assembly failure. The motor, sensor, or control inside the ice maker can fail and stop the harvest cycle.
What you can safely check
- Make sure the ice maker is turned on: lower the wire arm or check the switch or control panel setting.
- Check that the freezer is set to about 0F and that a thermometer in the freezer agrees.
- Replace the water filter if it is older than about 6 months or the dispenser flow is slow.
- Make sure the water supply valve is fully open and the line behind the fridge is not kinked.
- Look at the fill tube at the back of the ice maker for ice. If it is blocked, unplug the refrigerator and let it thaw, or use the ice maker's own reset or test option if your manual describes one.
- Empty the ice bin and break up any clumps that could be jamming the ejector.
Call a technician if
- The dispenser has no water either and the supply valve is open
- The fill tube freezes again after you thaw it
- The ice maker runs or clicks but never fills with water
- Water leaks into the ice bin or freezer
What affects the repair cost
A water inlet valve or ice maker assembly is a common repair, and the price depends on the model and part. A frozen fill tube from low water pressure may only need a filter or valve fix. We confirm the cause before quoting.
