Having instant access to ice at any moment to cool your drinks down during those hot summer months is a really great option to have. However, Maytag refrigerator ice makers can sometimes break down and stop working, leaving you with no easy access to ice.
The good news is this problem is a fairly common occurrence as it is usually pretty easy to solve. So in this article, I will explain why your ice maker may stop working and give you all the methods you need to get it back up and running as quickly as possible.
Why is your Maytag Ice Maker Not Working?
Usually, when your ice maker stops producing ice, it means that something has frozen over or blocked, and now the ice cubes can’t dispense into the ice bucket.
In some rarer cases, a small leak may need addressing, or a particular component may have become damaged and require replacing.
1. The Temperature is Too High
Maytag recommends keeping the freezer temperature between 0 and 5 degrees for optimal ice production. If your freezer gets too warm, then the ice maker won’t be able to properly freeze the water to create the ice.
There are a few things that might cause this, such as the thermostat temperature not being set correctly or the condenser coils may have been blocked, causing things to run hot.
Steps must be taken to ensure the fridge can cool to the desired temperature before the ice maker starts working again.
2. The Ice Maker isn’t Turned On
While this might seem obvious, it’s a very easy point to overlook. Most modern Maytag fridges have the option to disable the ice maker completely.
This is particularly handy during the winter months when there’s no need to use the ice maker, and having it running in cold weather usually just results in something freezing over. Not only that, but it also saves on electricity too.
So you’ll need to re-enable the ice maker from the fridge’s front control panel before it will work again.
3. There’s a Problem with the Water Inlet Valve
The water inlet valve is designed to open and allow water to flow into the ice maker, producing ice. This is a one-way valve that lets water in but not out.
It requires around 20psi of water pressure to open, meaning the valve will not open if the water being supplied by your home doesn’t have enough pressure.
However, sometimes the water inlet valve may have become defective. If you suspect this is the case, you can test the valve using a multimeter to determine if it’s working.
If it’s found to be non-functional, then it should be replaced with a new one.
4. The Ice Maker Thermostat isn’t Working
To help ensure the ice molds are kept at the correct temperature, an icemaker thermostat is used to monitor the internal temperature of the ice maker and ensure that things aren’t too hot (or cold) to allow for optimal ice production.
If the ice thermostat runs into a problem, then it’s possible the ice molds aren’t being held at the correct temperature, which will prevent the ice maker from working.
This should also be tested for continuity using a multimeter, and if found to be non-functional, then it should be replaced.
5. The Water Line has Become Frozen
Under certain circumstances, the water line may have frozen over, preventing water flow to the ice machine. This can be caused by a number of different problems, such as the condenser coils being clogged up, which causes the condenser to work extra hard to cool the fridge, which in turn causes certain components to freeze up.
This may also occur because there are too few items in the fridge, so not enough objects are absorbing the cold, which causes it to cool the water line too much.
When this happens, the water line will need to be defrosted so water can be supplied to the ice dispenser properly.
6. The Door Switch is Defective
For safety reasons and so that water doesn’t leak everywhere, the ice machine will only dispense ice to the ice tray once the door is completely closed.
The fridge uses two door sensors to check that the door is fully closed, and if these sensors run into problems, the fridge will think the door is still open when it’s actually closed.
So once again, you should use a multimeter to check for continuity between the two door sensors, and if they are found to be defective, they should be replaced.
7. The Water Filter is Clogged Up
All water supplied to the ice machine has to run through a water filter which helps remove unwanted minerals and ensure the water is as clean as possible as you’ll be consuming the ice cubes. As the filter extracts the minerals and other items, it will eventually become clogged up.
Maytag recommends replacing the water filter every 6 months. So if it’s about time, the best option is to replace the filter with a new one.
How to Fix a Maytag Ice Maker Not Working?
Now that you have a better idea of what issues will cause your ice machine to stop operating let’s look at how to fix these problems and restore the fridge to working order.
1. Restore the Freezer Temperature
If the freezer isn’t at the right temperature, the ice maker components may freeze over and restrict the flow of water heading into the ice maker assembly. The first thing to do is check the fridge’s thermostat to ensure the temperature isn’t set too warm; this is especially important during hot weather as the fridge may be running hot.
Another common reason the temperature might not be correct is due to the condenser coils becoming blocked up with dust and debris, which restricts its ability to expel heat. Fortunately, cleaning out these coils is pretty easy; you just need to unplug the fridge from the power supply and pull it out from the wall to access the coils on the back.
Then using a brush, you can dislodge all the built-up dust and hair so the hot air can be blown away properly. It’s a good idea to keep a vacuum with a hose attachment nearby to stop the dust from getting all over your kitchen.
2. Turn the Ice Maker Back On
If the ice maker has been turned off through the winter months when ice isn’t needed, you may have forgotten to turn it back on. To turn the ice maker back on, you just need to locate the ice maker button on the front display panel and press it down for a few seconds.
You should hear an audible beep which confirms that the ice maker has now been switched back on. You’ll need to wait 15-20 minutes for the ice to be prepared.
3. Fix the Water Inlet Valve
If water can’t make it through the water inlet valve, the first thing to do is test your home’s water pressure and ensure it can supply at least 20 psi. If your pressure is lower than this, you must first increase your home’s water pressure.
Then you should test the valve using a multimeter; if it’s not working, it should be replaced with a new one. Here’s how to install it:
- Start by unplugging the fridge from the power supply and pulling it away from the wall, so you have full access to it.
- Remove the back cover of the fridge to reveal the inlet valve.
- Unscrew the old water inlet valve and remove the two wires and hoses connected to it.
- Now is a good time to wash the water line out if you think it might be dirty.
- Then mount the wire harness and tubes onto the replacement inlet valve.
- Screw the new inlet valve back into place, and you’re done!
4. Replace the Ice Maker Thermostat
If the fridge cannot monitor the entire ice maker assembly’s internal temperature, it will struggle to keep it at the right temperature for optimal operation. So the ice maker thermostat will need to be replaced.
Here we recommend contacting Maytag customer support, who will help arrange for a trained technician to install this for you, as it’s quite a challenging component to install.
5. Unfreeze the Water Line
If the water line becomes frozen, then there will be no water supply coming into the ice maker, which will halt the ice production. Two easy methods to unfreeze a water line are to run some warm water down the line while the fridge is unplugged to help thaw out the built-up ice.
An easier method is to take a hairdryer and slowly heat up the line to defrost it. Just be sure to keep the hairdryer moving constantly, and don’t hold it in one spot for too long, as it may melt the line.
6. Replace the Defective Door Switch
If the door switch is not working, the ice machine won’t work as it still believes the door is open.
So the faulty switch will need to be replaced. Once again, the best solution is to contact Maytag support, who will help you source replacement switches for your specific refrigerator model and have a technician assist you with installing them.
7. Replace the Water Filter
Once the filter is clogged up or is at least 6 months old, it’s time to install a new one.
- Start by ordering the correct water filter from Maytag for your specific fridge type.
- The water filter is located inside the fridge in the upper right-hand corner.
- Lift the filter door up and remove the clogged water filter. This can just be discarded.
- Take your new filter and remove the protective cover, be sure not to move the location of the O-rings, as these are needed to give it a water-tight seal.
- Gently push the water filter in; you’ll hear and feel it when it clicks into place.
- Once the new filter is installed, Maytag recommends flushing 4 gallons of water through the water line to prepare the filter for regular use.
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.
