The Ice Marker in LG refrigerators is one of their best features. Conveniently located right in the doorway, giving you easy access to ice anytime you wish. This is especially convenient during those hot summer months when cooling your drink is important.
So it can be a real problem when the ice maker stops working suddenly. Finding out where the problem lies and fixing it yourself can be challenging if you don’t know what you’re doing.
To help you get this fixed, we’ll share with you why this ice maker problem occurs and how to repair it so you can get back to having fresh and easily accessible ice anytime you wish.
Why is your LG Ice Maker Not Working?
There are quite a few components that need to work together to produce ice. From the power and electricity supply, water flow and the temperature needs to be correct.
If any of these elements get thrown off, the ice maker will stop working.
Let’s first look at what causes the LG refrigerator ice maker to stop working so you can better diagnose what exactly is wrong with your LG refrigerator.
1. New Installation or Freshly Started
If your fridge is either brand new or it’s been off for a while and has just been re-started back up, it can take far longer than you think to reach the desired temperature.
LG estimates that in certain conditions, it can take up to 24 hours for the fridge to be completely functional and for ice production to begin.
So you may need to be patient for far longer than expected before the LG refrigerator ice machine will work.
2. The Temperature isn’t Set Correctly
It’s quite common to adjust the temperature of the LG fridge based on the weather; for example, if it’s wintertime, you might increase the freezer’s internal temperature as the ambient temperature is that much colder.
However, one thing to keep in mind is the hotter the fridge is running, the slower the ice production will be. LG recommends ensuring the internal temperature of the LG fridge portion is at or below 19 degrees F and -4 degrees F for the freezer.
We’ll need to adjust the settings to ensure these temperatures are hit for optimal ice production.
3. A Water Supply Problem
Sometimes the valve which supplies the water has been shut off.
Additionally, it’s quite common that when the fridge is pushed back into place, the water line becomes pinched or kinked, which will restrict the flow of water to the fridge.
If there are no kinks in the line, you should also check for damaged or stretched water lines.
4. The Ice Maker is Turned Off
Most ice makers have a simple on/off switch, the idea being that during winter time, when you wouldn’t want ice cubes as frequently, you can turn the entire mechanism off to prevent components from freezing.
Whether you have a new or older fridge, you may have a simple mechanical button or lever arm located on the ice maker itself, or it may be a menu item accessible through the fridge’s front panel.
By enabling the ice maker, we can restore it to working order.
5. Test Mode Needs to be Run
One of the functions unique to LG fridges is that they have a ‘test mode’ which can be activated by holding down the power button.
This will auto-expel ice or water that may be clogging up the ice maker.
6. The Water Filter is Clogged Up
LG fridges utilize a water filter to remove any debris or particulate flowing through the water system before it can make it into the fridge.
It’s recommended that you change this filter every six months; otherwise, it can become so clogged up that it restricts the water flow into the ice maker.
You may also find that re-seating the filter allows it to work again, as sometimes, during installation, they are not seated correctly.
7. The Water Inlet Valve is Defective
The water inlet valve is a small valve that opens and closes upon instruction from the fridge to allow water to flow into the ice maker.
Sometimes this valve can fail, which will cut off the water supply.
We will need to test the valve using a multimeter, and if it has failed, then it will just need to be replaced with a new one.
8. A Control Board Problem
The control board acts as the brain of the fridge, sending out instructions to the various components, which allows them to turn on or off as needed.
Sometimes the control board can develop a glitch which can be solved by power cycling the machine.
However, it may also become faulty and stop sending instructions to the water inlet valve or the ice maker, in which case a trained technician will need to replace it with a new one.
9. An Excessive Ice Buildup
Sometimes there can be a buildup of ice in the dispenser chute, or the water line may freeze if the temperature is too cold.
When this happens, it will restrict new water from flowing into the ice machine to create fresh ice.
We will need to remove all of the built-up ice, then defrost the ice maker and water line to ensure new water can adequately flow into the ice maker.
How to Fix an LG Ice Maker Not Working
As we can see, most of the issues are fairly minor and can be rectified with some tweaking and defrosting.
In a few particular cases, a component-level failure may require a bit more work. So let’s walk through how to fix this ice maker problem and get your LG Ice Maker back to working order.
1. Allow Time for the Ice Maker to Start Up
If your fridge has been turned off for a long time (for example, through the winter), the mechanism requires time to come up to temperature.
This can take far longer than you might think. Please allow at least 24 hours for everything to come up to temperature before diagnosing further.
2. Set the Temperature
For correct ice maker functionality, the Ice Maker needs an internal temperature of 19 degrees F in the fridge and -4 degrees F in the freezer.
Anything lower than this runs a high risk of freezing, anything higher means the water will not correctly freeze or maintain its cube shape.
For older fridges, you can adjust the temperature using the internal rotary thermostat inside the machine, usually situated by the fridge light.
For modern fridges, you can easily access the temperature control from the front panel screen.
3. Repair the Water Supply
For proper ice maker functionality, the water supply needs to be unimpeded.
- Start by making sure your home’s water valve is open all the way.
- Check that the water line is secured to the valve and fridge with no leaks or gaps.
- When pushing the fridge back into place, ensure the line doesn’t get kinked or pinched by anything.
- Check for damaged or stretched water lines that may need replacing.
4. Turn the Ice Maker On
Now that the water supply has been restored, we must ensure the ice machine’s turned on.
For older machines, this is a button located on the ice maker itself and should be a simple on/off toggle switch; flip it to on.
If your machine uses a front control panel, you should locate the ice maker button and hold it down for 3 seconds; you will hear an audible beep indicating the ice maker’s been switched back on.
5. Run Test Mode
Test mode will help to flush out any stuck ice and ‘reset’ the ice maker.
- Start by opening the ice maker and removing the ice bin.
- The test button is usually located underneath the ice maker, but on newer models, it may be a tiny pinhole that you need to insert a paper clip into. If you are unsure, refer to your user manual to ascertain its exact location for your particular model.
- Prepare a towel and place it underneath the ice dispenser, as some water and ice may come out while running the test.
- Press the test button and hold it there for about 3 seconds; you will hear the mechanism start to turn.
- Catch any water or ice expelled from the ice maker and discard it.
6. Replace the Water Filter
If it’s been 6 months or more, it’s time to replace the water filter. You can source these from LG directly, and all you need to do is remove the old one, then push in the new one and make sure you twist it so it makes a solid connection with the refrigerator.
7. Replace the Water Inlet Valve
If you have tested the water inlet valve and found it to be defective, it will need to be replaced.
The easiest thing to do here is contact LG customer support for assistance as this is quite difficult to replace on your own.
8. Replace the Control Board
The control board is a very complicated component to replace, and you need to source the correct one for your particular model.
Once again, the easiest solution is to contact LG support, who will help you with this process.
9. Defrost the Refrigerator
You need to defrost the LG refrigerator if there is an excessive ice buildup.
Here you can use something like a dishcloth soaked in warm water or a hairdryer to loosen the ice stuck in the ice chute or water line.
Remember to keep the hairdryer moving and not overheat the ice maker, as there are some delicate plastic components we don’t want to get too hot!
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.
