The ice maker is truly one of the best features of a good refrigerator. An ice-cold drink on a hot summer’s day can be just the thing to keep you cool.
Most of Samsung’s modern refrigerators come with this feature and give you easy access to fresh ice cubes anytime you want.
However, many owners of this refrigerator have reported that their ice maker keeps freezing up. Forcing them to drink awful warm drinks on those hot days is not exactly ideal.
But don’t worry! This is an easy issue to fix, and in this article, we’re going to share with you both what causes this problem and how to fix it so you can get back to drinking those ice-cold drinks as soon as possible.
Why is your Samsung ice maker freezing up?
There are quite a lot of potential problems that will cause your ice maker to freeze up. Most of the time, it’s due to some warm air getting inside the ice-making mechanism, which then causes condensation to occur.
This condensation will manifest as water droplets inside the machine, which will freeze, causing a slow buildup of ice to accrue within the Samsung refrigerator ice maker housing or ice chute.
Eventually, this buildup will become so large that it impedes the ice maker’s functionality.
Many other problems can contribute to this issue, so let’s go through all the potential causes to understand better what makes your ice maker freeze up.
1. Leaking in the ice maker compartment
Within the ice production mechanism, tubes and buckets carry the water to the ice maker and then deliver the ice to the tray.
Any leak in the mechanism runs the risk of turning into ice due to the inherent low temperature within the ice maker.
An easy way to check for this problem is to use a light and examine the interior of the ice maker to see if any water is reflecting the light. If you detect the presence of water, it may indicate a crack in the ice maker compartment, which needs to be fixed up.
2. Damaged ice bucket gasket
The ice bucket is where the ice cubes are stored and wait to be delivered at the user’s request. To keep the ice cubes fresh and up to temperature, the edge of the ice bucket lit is lined with a rubber gasket.
This gasket creates an air-tight seal that protects the ice cubes inside from air from the outside to keep them fresh and ensure they hold their temperature.
When this gasket fails, it can cause warmer air from the outside to come in, negatively affecting the temperature, which can lead to the accumulation of condensation, which turns into more ice – freezing the whole thing up.
3. Damaged or nonfunctional ice chute flap
The ice chute flap is a small door that opens to deliver the ice cubes to the tray. It needs to create a flush seal to protect the ice chute from temperature changes and contaminants from the outside.
So when this flap becomes damaged or cannot completely close, it will allow warmer air to get inside the ice chute, easily turning into ice and blocking the whole thing up.
You should be able to open it and visually inspect the flap and the chute to see if anything is blocking it. If there is, we will need to defrost it or replace the flap.
4. The freezer is set to the incorrect temperature
When it comes to having an ice maker perform optimally, you need to ensure it’s set at the exact right temperature. If it’s too hot, the ice won’t form, and everything will freeze if it’s too cold.
Samsung recommends the ideal freezing temperature for ice production is between -2 and 0 degrees F.
If your fridge is not at this temperature for some reason, you can try to adjust the temperature setting, or it may need servicing if the temperature is going haywire, regardless of how you set it.
5. The water filter is dirty or blocked
Samsung ice makers utilize a water filter to help remove any contaminants, particulates, or impurities in the water so that the ice cubes are as clean and fit for human consumption as possible.
Over time these filters will accumulate dirt and eventually become clogged up, which prevents the ice maker from working correctly.
Samsung recommends replacing the filter every six months to keep things running smoothly.
6. A water supply problem
A water line passes fresh liquid water to the ice maker to be frozen and turned into ice cubes. Sometimes this line will freeze up (usually do the temperature being too high, so ice ends up backing up into the line).
If this happens, you will need to defrost the line and ensure the temperature is managed moving forward to prevent it from freezing again.
7. Faulty water inlet valve
The water inlet valve is an electronically operated switch that turns the water supply on or off depending on whether the ice maker needs to make fresh ice.
Sometimes this inlet valve can break or develop a fault which causes the ice tray molds to overfill and freeze, which breaks the operation of the ice maker.
Replacing the faulty valve should fix the issue.
8. The ice maker is turned off
Sometimes it may appear like the ice maker has frozen up when the ice-making feature has just been disabled.
Just a single button usually operates this on the front menu of the fridge. So it’s very easy or a child or spouse to accidentally press the button and turn the feature off.
This will make it seem like the ice maker is frozen when it needs re-enabling.
9. Ice is stuck in the mold
The inlet valve will let in water which then flows down the water tube and into the mold. Once the mold is filled with water, it gets frozen. Then the frozen ice cubes will be dispensed down the chute and into the ice bucket.
Sometimes the ice cubes can stick inside the molds, causing the next batch of ice to overfill it with water, which then freezes again, resulting in a big frozen mess.
You will have to employ a mixture of defrosting and removing the ice chunks by hand to clear out the molds before the ice maker works again.
10. Dirty condenser coils
The condenser coils are part of the refrigerator cooling system, and when they get dirty, your fridge needs to work overtime to keep the refrigerator cool.
This results in your ice maker being colder than usual, making it freeze.
Cleaning out the condenser coils can ease the pressure on the machine and let the ice maker function normally.
How to fix a Samsung ice maker freezing up
Despite there being many points of failure where the Samsung refrigerator ice maker can freeze up, the general root cause of it is usually some breach which results in the formation of condensation that freezes.
So the solution usually is a 2-part solution which involves firstly defrosting the built-up ice and then solving the leak, breach, or failure which caused the ice to build up in the first place.
1. Seal leaks in the Ice Storage Compartment
If a breach or leak is discovered in this compartment, it must be sealed with an epoxy resin or equivalent sealer.
- Remove the ice bucket and ice maker from the refrigerator
- Next, remove the auger motor assembly
- Seal up all breaches, cracks, or points of failure with the epoxy
- Give it 24 hours to dry before re-seating the components
2. Replace the ice bucket gasket
If the rubber gasket lining the ice bucket edge has failed, it will be tough to repair.
Fortunately, they’re very cheap to buy new and easy to install. So purchase a replacement from Samsung, rip the old one out, and replace it with the new one, and the problem is fixed.
3. Defrost the ice chute and repair the ice flap
When the ice flap is defective, it will cause ice to accumulate down the ice chute. The easiest way to defrost the ice chute is to pour some warm water down it to help it clear out.
If the flap is compromised, it may need to be replaced. Inspect it visually to ensure it’s sitting flush against the ice chute entrance.
4. Set the correct temperature
If the temperature in the fridge is too hot or cool, it should be adjusted to roughly -0 to -2 degrees F.
This is the optimal setting for producing the best ice cube with the most consistency.
If for some reason, your fridge is unable to reach this temperature, it may indicate a fault that will need to be serviced by a trained technician.
5. Clean or replace the water filter
If the water filter becomes bunged up to the point where it’s causing problems with freezing the ice maker, you can try to clean it.
There are products specifically made for cleaning water filters so you can easily clean them at home.
However, if the filter is already pretty old, sometimes it’s easier to purchase a new filter and replace it entirely.
6. Defrost the water supply line
If the water supply line has frozen, you can defrost it by applying heat.
The most convenient way to do this is by using a hairdryer. However, be aware that the water line is often made from plastic tubing, so if your hairdryer is too hot, it’s possible to warp or even melt the plastic.
Use the hairdryer on a low heat setting and continually move it up and down the water line to let it defrost slowly.
7. Replace the water inlet valve
If the water inlet valve has become faulty, causing the ice molds to overfill and freeze, it will need to be replaced with a new one.
Once a new water inlet valve has been installed, you can defrost the ice molds by turning the refrigerator off. Once the water has drained away, turn it back on again.
8. Enable the ice maker function
If you’ve unintentionally turned off the ice maker, you can turn it back on from the front digital display. Look for the ice maker option and press it in. You should be greeted with a confirmation beep and a lit LED light that lets you know the function has been restored.
9. Defrost the ice mold
The easiest way to defrost the ice molds is by using a large tub of warm water and just slowly pouring it over them. Once the ice has detached from the molds, you can use a spoon or your hand to pull out the big chunks and throw them away.
10. Clean the condenser coils
Remove the bottom access panel to the fridge, which conceals the condenser coils. Use a vacuum and press it against the edge while using a bush or broom to dislodge the built-up dust and dirt while the vacuum sucks it up.
This will ease the pressure on the fridge and allow the ice maker to function normally.
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.
