Ice saves us from scorching summers, and makes for a good pain-reliever on aching muscles. Who doesn’t love a cold drink on a hot day?
But unfortunately, electronic appliances can stop us from executing our beloved plans. There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to get some ice to refresh ourselves, and receiving a fat middle finger from our ice maker instead.
Luckily, almost all of Samsung’s fridges use the same type of refrigerator, called Ice Master. This makes troubleshooting way easier, because you can use the same steps for all of them.
If your ice maker is refusing to make any ice, the first step is—as usual—figuring out what’s actually wrong with it. There is also a difference between it not making any ice at all, or making ice that doesn’t look like ice at all.
This article will get you up to speed on how to fix your Samsung ice maker. If you’re willing to perform some DIY wizardry, you’ll find it easy and rewarding. If you’re not willing to, then contacting Samsung support is your best option. Or, if you prefer, call a professional you trust to come and check what’s up with your appliance.
Warning: If your ice maker is still in warranty, there is no reason to not make use of it. Call Samsung’s customer support and tell them about your issue. It’s the easiest and safest way of getting the issue fixed.
Figuring out Why Your Samsung Ice Maker is Malfunctioning
There are several things that could be going wrong with your ice maker, and it’s not always easy to diagnose the problem without taking a closer look.
Start by checking your freezer’s temperature: if it’s not below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, your ice maker will be unable to produce ice.
To check this, open up your freezer and locate the switch right next to the ice maker. If it’s in the “off” position, move it to the “on” position. You might also want to make sure that there isn’t any ice blocking the exit of the ice maker.
If you’ve done these preliminary checks and your ice maker is still refusing to work, it’s time to do a more thorough check.
Check the Ice Bucket
Is there any ice in the bucket? If yes, you might have a dispenser issue. If there’s no ice in the bucket, you might have an issue with the ice maker itself.
The Water Line Might be Clogged
One of the most common reasons for an ice maker not working is because the water line is clogged. This can happen if there’s too much debris in your water or if the water pressure is too low.
Shut off your house’s main supply, locate the valve that leads to your refrigerator and turn it on. If there’s no water coming out of the valve, then the problem is most likely the water line.
Check if the Water Pressure is too Low
Low water pressure causes your ice maker to either not make any ice, or to make ice cubes that are too tiny. Low water pressure means that not enough water is getting to the ice maker, which results in small and weak ice cubes.
Checking for water pressure is simple: just use a pressure gauge. If the reading is below 20 PSI, you’ll need to increase the water pressure or find a different way to make ice.
Your Water Filter might be Faulty
If you’ve recently changed your water filter, it might be the reason your ice maker isn’t working. When you change your filter, make sure that you flush out the old one by running water for about two minutes.
The Ice Maker Might be Broken
If all the other steps fail, then the problem might be with the ice maker itself.
To determine if the ice maker is broken, you’ll need to take it apart. There are usually two screws on the back that hold it in place. Once you’ve removed them, you can lift it out and take a look at the electrical connectors. Damaged connectors are a bad omen. Your ice maker is probably gone for good if that’s the case.
But, if everything looks okay, try plugging it back in and turning on the freezer.
It’s important to keep your ice maker in top shape. These things consume a lot of electricity (about 8% of total energy expenditure by Americans in 2011). Saving money on your power bill is always desirable, as well as reducing waste.
Fixing Your Ice Maker
Once you have determined what’s causing the issue, it’s time to fix it. There are several tutorials available online that can walk you through the process. We are going to link to them when applicable.
If you don’t feel comfortable fixing it yourself, or if the problem is too complex, you can always call a professional for help. Ice makers are a common appliance, and there’s a good chance that someone in your area can help you out.
This video contains much of the advice we are giving you in the article:
Defrost the Ice Maker
This is easily the most common cause of an ice maker not working. If ice is warping around your ice maker, then you owe it a defrost.
To defrost it, you’ll need to locate the two screws on the back and remove them. Once they’re gone, you can lift it out and unplug it from the freezer. You should see a small metal plate on the front of the ice maker. And you’ll notice that it’s completely encapsuled in ice in this case.
The fastest way to fix the issue is by using a hair dryer to blow hot air on the ice. This will make it melt and restore your ice maker to its original conditions.
Once the ice is gone, plug it back in and put it back in the freezer. It should start working again.
Editor’s note: Modern Samsung refrigerators have a forced defrost feature. If your refrigerator has this feature, you can skip the previous step.
Unclog the Water Line
The water line is located behind your refrigerator. It’s pretty easy to stop: it’s a white plastic tub on the back of your refrigerator that connects to the water valve.
If the water line is clogged, you can try to unclog it yourself using a plunger. Alternatively, you can try to unclog it by using a vacuum cleaner. Attach the vacuum cleaner to the end of the tube and turn it on. This will suck up any debris that’s clogging the water line.
If that doesn’t work, you can also try using a plumbing snake. This is a metal wire that’s inserted into the tube to remove any debris.
Increase the Water Pressure
Water pressure issues will cause you more issues than simply making your ice maker go rogue. If you’ve ever taken a shower with low water pressure you know what I’m talking about.
There is a very elegant and simple solution to the issue. If your water pressure has been fine until now, and it’s suddenly dropped, then look into replacing the regulator.
Alternatively, you can use a water booster pressure pump to fix pressure issues in your water line. But…there’s a but. This is a VERY expensive solution.
Replace the Water Filter
The water filter is located in the front of your refrigerator, and it’s usually a square or rectangular box. As the name suggests, it filters the water by catching water debris and other dirt before it gets into the refrigerator.
Eventually, the filter will wear down and stops water from reaching the refrigerator. If there’s one thing we suggest learning on your DIY journey, is how to replace your ice filter. This is something that will improve your appliance’s efficiency for the rest of your lifetime.
Demonstrative video on how to replace a Samsung refrigerator’s water filter:
Remove Dirt from Condenser Coils
Those funny coils on the back of your refrigerator perform a key function: they keep your refrigerator cool. Yes, refrigerators generate a lot of heat.
Dirty condenser coils block the hot air from leaving your refrigerator. They trap the air inside, stopping your refrigerator from cooling off.
To clean them, you’ll need to remove the access panel on the back of the refrigerator. A vacuum cleaner is more than enough to clean the coils. Alternatively, you can use a brush, or even a piece of cloth.
Replace the Defrost Heater
The defrost heater melts the ice inside the freezer.
To replace it, you’ll need to remove the back panel of the freezer and locate the heater. It’s a small metal coil that’s located in the upper-left corner. Unplug it and remove it from the refrigerator.
Replace the Ice Bucket
If the ice bucket is broken, you can replace it with a new one. To do this, remove it from the freezer and take a look at it. If you see any cracks or damage, you’ll need to replace it.
Replace the Ice Maker
Obviously, a broken ice maker won’t make any ice. Inspect yours, and if you see any cracks or damage, you’ll need to replace it.
If everything looks okay, try plugging it back in and turning on the freezer.
Power Cycle the Refrigerator
If the ice maker isn’t working, go for a power cycle. To do this, unplug it from the wall and wait for a few minutes. Sometimes the internal firmware has some glitch or bug that stops it from working properly.
Conclusions
A broken ice maker is cause for frustration. Especially since it’s something that most people don’t really think about. You take it for granted that you will have ice at your disposal whenever you wish.
But, if you’re experiencing problems with your ice maker, don’t worry. Unless you’re in dire need of ice right now, you can fix any issue given a couple of days to troubleshoot and deal with the problem.
However, if you are scared you’ll break something, or you don’t have time to look after your refrigerator, call a professional to get it fixed. It’s the more expensive solution, but it’s also teh safest one.