Frigidaire is a very popular appliance manufacturer that produces everything from refrigerators, washers and dryers, air conditioners, and of course, their famous ice makers.
These ice makers are a popular choice thanks to their reliability and energy-saving features helping you keep your electricity costs low.
Ice makers are the perfect thing to keep your drinks cool on a hot summer’s day, so it can be a real problem when they stop working.
In this article, we will cover all the main reasons why your Frigidaire Ice Maker will stop working, plus some easy-to-follow tips on how to get it back in working order.
Why is your Frigidaire Ice Maker not working?
There are several potential culprits behind this problem. Still, generally, it’s caused by something failing, which has resulted in the ice maker not being able to hold its temperature.
Often these are benign user issues such as the door not being closed or the temperature being set incorrectly. But sometimes, it can be due to a component failure, such as the door seal failing.
Whatever the issue is, it’s usually not too difficult to fix. So let’s go through all the primary reasons why your ice maker will stop working so you can better understand what’s happening with yours.
1. It’s not turned on
While this sounds obvious to check, you’d be surprised how easy it is to overlook. If you are not using a standalone unit and the ice maker is built into the fridge, there is actually a separate power toggle for the ice maker.
This is for those who wish to use the Frigidaire refrigerator but don’t care about the ice maker and don’t want to waste electricity on a feature they won’t use.
Sometimes this may have been turned off by accident. But if it’s already in the on position, then it should be tested with an Ohm meter for continuity to ensure the switch is functional. If it’s not working, then it will need to be replaced.
2. The temperature setting is incorrect
In order for the ice maker to operate, the temperature needs to be below 10 degrees F (-12c). If the temperature rises above this level for any reason, then the ice maker will not work.
Frigidaire recommends keeping the temperature between 0 and 5 degrees for optimal performance.
Find your freezer temperature is too high despite having the temperature set correctly. It may be that the condenser coil is dirty, which can lower the freezer’s ability to dissipate heat.
You also should check the evaporator coil to make sure too much frost hasn’t built up, which harms the ice maker’s ability to cool itself down because it acts as an insulator.
3. The door seal is faulty
That rubber gasket surrounding the fridge’s door is critical to how well the ice maker can keep itself cool. It’s designed to create a solid seal where the internal temperature can be managed easily and kept stable.
A faulty door seal will let in fresh, warm air from the outside, causing the compressor to have a much harder time managing the temperature of the ice maker.
Now counter, intuitively, this doesn’t mean that the temperature of the ice machine becomes too hot; it becomes too cold and ends up freezing its tubes.
This is because the compressor has to work overtime to keep the Frigidaire refrigerator at that pleasant stable 37 degrees to keep the food fresh. But by working overtime, it inadvertently over-cools the ice maker, causing it to freeze up.
4. The water filter is clogged up
Fridges use water filters to keep bacteria, minerals, and other dirt types out of the machine’s water
Over time these filters can clog up, restricting water flow through the fridge. This results in the ice maker not getting enough water to function properly and will stop working.
Cleaning or replacing the filter can restore the ice machine’s functionality
5. Ice is stuck in the mold
Sometimes ice makers incorrectly pour water into the ice mold, resulting in misshapen ice cubes that get stuck either in the ice mold itself or down the ice chute. This clogs things up and renders the ice maker unable to produce new, fresh ice cubes as it cannot pass new water into the fill tray.
This is an easy issue to solve as we need to defrost the clogged ice to clean the system out and allow it to start filling the molds correctly.
6. The ice maker is not even
Ice makers are engineered under the assumption they will be perfectly level. This is because it relies on gravity to fill out the ice cube molds evenly.
So if, for any reason, the fridge/ice maker is uneven, the molds will not fill correctly, and residual water that hasn’t been able to be removed from the line might freeze up, which then clogs up the system.
Most ice makers and fridges have adjustable feet, allowing you to control each corner’s level. So by adjusting these and getting the fridge perfectly level, you can restore the ice maker to standard functionality.
7. The water valve is faulty
The water valve is a small device that connects the fridge to your household’s water supply. It receives an electronic signal to open and allows more water to flow into the refrigerator ice maker when it needs more water.
Sometimes this component can fail, meaning it either opens too much, allowing excess water in, which then freezes and clogs the refrigerator ice maker up. Or it may not open at all, stopping the ice production.
This valve should be tested with a multimeter to see whether it’s working; if it’s not working, it will need to be replaced.
8. Ejector assembly/heater problem
Ice makers use a small heater and ice maker assembly, which ever so slightly heats the ice cubes up, free them from the molds, and then deposits the cubes into the ice bucket.
If this heater fails, the ice cubes won’t be able to eject from the molds and will clog up the system. Check the heater is functional, as it may need to be replaced if it’s not working.
How to fix a Frigidaire Ice Maker Not Working
As you can see, many of the causes of the ice maker not working are not catastrophic component failures but simple things like the door not being closed or the ice maker’s just freezing up and needing frosting.
1. Power on/reset the ice maker
As mentioned, the ice maker often has an independent power switch from the main fridge. So, just because the fridge is on, that doesn’t necessarily mean the ice maker is switched on.
So the first thing to do is locate the power switch and flick it back to the on position.
If this has no effect, or if it’s already switched to the on position, often performing a ‘power cycle’ to reset it will kick it back into working order.
To perform a power cycle, you just need to turn the ice maker off, then turn it off at the plug and completely unplug it for about 30 seconds. Then plug it back in and click it to the on position.
This performs a reset and restores it to the factory settings, often allowing it to work again.
2. Clean out the condenser coil and evaporator coil
For optimal performance, the ice maker needs to be below 10 degrees F to function and ideally between 0-5 degrees F. If you have checked and the temperature on the fridge/ice maker is set correctly, you may have an issue with the condenser coil.
The condenser coil uses the surface area to dissipate heat from the fridge, which allows it to cool; if this has built up dirt, it may be causing the fridge to get too hot.
Clean out the condenser coils using a brush or a rag, removing any built-up dust or hair, so the warm air has enough room to escape.
You should also check the evaporator coil, which can sometimes build up too much frost, which acts as an insulator. You can use warm water and pour it over the coil to help it defrost.
3. Fix the door seal
A faulty door seal may be letting in too much hot air, which causes the condenser to work extra hard, which in turn causes the ice maker to freeze up.
Check to see if the fridge makes a solid vacuum when closed; if you notice the door can open easily and it seems to be letting in warm air, then the seal will need to be either repaired or replaced.
4. Clean the water filter
When the water filter has clogged, the flow of water to the fridge and ice maker will be inhibited.
The easiest way to clean out a water filter is to use a simple water and vinegar mixture and let the filter soak in it for 30 minutes. Once finished, rinse it under a gentle stream of water until it runs clear, then reinstall it in the fridge.
5. Unstick the ice from the mold
If your ice tray becomes clogged with frozen or misshapen ice cubes, it will likely not function well.
In this scenario, you should completely clear the ice tray of ice by using a pitcher of warm water to loosen it. Then pick it out by hand, and now the fresh ice can properly fall into the ice bucket.
6. Even out the fridge
In order for the ice maker to function properly the icemaker must be level.
Use a spirit level to check how level the fridge is. Then you can adjust the individual legs on each corner of the fridge to level it out correctly.
7. Replace the water inlet valve
Locate the water inlet valve and test it for continuity using a multimeter. If it fails, it means the component needs to be replaced.
The easiest way to do this is to contact Frigidaire customer support, who will help arrange a replacement component and have someone come and fix it for you.
8. Replace the heater
If the small heater which frees the ice cubes up from the molds is not functioning, then the ice cubes will remain stuck inside the ice maker and cannot be ejected.
In this scenario, the heater and ejector assembly may need to be replaced which again is best handled by a trained technician and you should contact Frigidaire support for further assistance.
Adrian is an ISCET licensed professional that has completed the National Appliance Service Technician Certification Exam and has the expertise to diagnose and repair any appliance. He is well-versed in the latest technologies and techniques and is always up-to-date on the latest industry standards.
