Nothing can be worse on hot summer days than having your whirlpool ice maker not make ice. So why is the whirlpool refrigerator not making ice but water?
The most likely reason a whirlpool refrigerator is not making ice is because of broken wires or problems with the ice maker itself. However, there can also be other reasons like clogged filters; run diagnostics tests to investigate the issues.
Keep reading till the end to discover all possible reasons and solutions regarding the whirlpool refrigerator’s ice maker not making ice.
Whirlpool Refrigerator Not Making Ice But Water: Reasons And Solution
Fill the ice maker tray by hand with a cup of water and wait a few hours to see if the cubes fall out. If they do, the ice maker is fine, and the water inlet valve or the black rubber tube may be clogged with ice.
Also, ensure that you have given all the prerequisite settings for the ice maker to run effectively.
If you set the refrigerator or freezer temperature too high, the ice maker may not be able to keep up with the demand, producing ice slowly, in inadequate cube sizes, or not at all.
Ensure the freezer is at 0° Fahrenheit, and the fridge is between 33° and 40° Fahrenheit.
Also, some ice makers include a wide plastic or metal handle attached to the side or top of the ice bin that serves as a control arm and monitors ice levels in the bin. It halts ice production when the bin is full.
There is a risk of halting ice production if the control arm becomes dislodged, broken, or accidentally switched to the off position.
So, verify that the control arm is in the “on” position, and tighten it if necessary.
Since the water is working in your case, the valve is probably not likely the issue. Nevertheless, it’s a good idea to check that as well.
Reason-1: Broken Connecting Wires Not Supplying Power
If you have tried the basic troubleshooting and the problem persists – broken wires could be the problem. Look all the way down at the bottom of the refrigerator and check for broken wires.
Solution:
Reattach and splice the wires, and it should solve your problem.
Restore the connection manually and electrically splice the wire back together. Then insulate the junction.
Always turn off the power when you’re working on wiring.
You still don’t want the item to turn on while you’re working on it, even if the wiring is low voltage. Wiring in the home poses a double threat. The last thing you want is for the whirlpool refrigerator to turn on and shock you.
Here are some tools that can come in handy when you would connect the broken wires:
| Tools | Links (To Amazon) |
| Wire Cutter | Click Here |
| Nose Pliers | Click Here |
| Wire Stripper | Click Here |
| Electric Tape | Click Here |
Reason-2: Terminal Inside The Ice Maker Is Burnt
Sometimes, a particular terminal inside the ice maker could be burnt. So to check that first, you must take out the ice maker slot outside the refrigerator. You can follow this video:
Then, remove the front portion cover, and you’ll see different ports the internal parts are now bare open. Here, you need to investigate the issue, and if you see a particular terminal burnt – that could be the issue.
Solution:
Replace that faulty part with a new one, and you are good to go! Click here to check the Ice Maker Replacement Kit (available on Amazon).
Reason-3: Water Pressure Not Ideal or Faulty Valve
The ice maker receives water through a valve that opens and closes in response to water pressure. But when the pressure at the water inlet valve is not ideal, the ice maker won’t function properly.
Solution:
Whirlpool recommends having a water pressure between 30-120 psi for operating the ice maker and the water dispenser properly.
And if the water pressure is ideal but still you find issues, then changing the water inlet valve can solve the issue.
Reason-4: Water Filter Related Problem
Sometimes, an incorrectly installed filter can also be the cause. Or it can also get clogged with usage over time. A blocked filter can stop ice production by sending less water to the ice maker.
Solution
Ensure the filter is correctly installed and fits properly in its location. And if the filter clogging is the main culprit, replacing it would be a good decision.
Reason-5: Water Line Related Problem
If the freezer or refrigerator compartment is too cold or the water line isn’t insulated, you may have a frozen water line.
And sometimes, if there is a kink in the water line – issues can occur in the proper water supply to the ice maker.
Solution:
You can unfreeze the waterline using warm water or air. And you can also take help from professionals in this regard.
But if the problem is simple, like a kink, try straightening the water line and see if that works.
Run The Diagnostics Tests To Identify The Cause
Has an error message shown on your Whirlpool fridge’s display? You can narrow the problem to a specific component using the error codes.
Whirlpool makes a wide variety of refrigerators (side-by-side, bottom-freezer, french doors) with digital displays, so jot down the specific fault code if you notice it flashing or showing on your appliance.
How to see the error code? First, you need to put your refrigerator in diagnostic mode. To enter into the Diagnostics mode, follow these steps:
- Before entering the diagnostics mode ensure that the unit is not locked out.
- Press the first and second switch on the control board simultaneously and hold it for around three seconds.
- Then, release the switches once you hear the Chime sound, and you will see 01 code, indicating successfully entering the first step of the diagnostics process.
On the control board of the refrigerator, there will be around six switches.
- To proceed to the next procedure, press the fifth switch.
- To go back to one stage in the process, press the fourth switch.
- Diagnostics will commence in Step 1.
- The two-digit dispenser interface shows each stage as it is completed.
- The dispenser’s user interface will show the step results in two figures
- just two seconds after the step number is shown.
- When the step number is presented, an amber order filter light will illuminate, and a red replace filter light will illuminate when the step’s status is displayed.
- Except as specified in each action, all button and pad inputs will be disregarded, and all inputs will be off.
Now you need to run the tests. There are different test numbers given for various purposes. For example, for testing ice makers, we need to do test 56. So type that number and see what error code is displayed.
| Error Codes | Description |
| E0 | No error, and the ice maker works fine |
| E1 | There is no cooling. The icemaker automatically turned off after a certain amount of time. Unable to get the ice compartment cold enough. And there can be problems with the fan or cooling. |
| E2 | The motor seems to have gotten out of place. Ice maker failed to find a home during the harvest and surpassed the maximum number of attempts. Verify that the ice maker is free of any blockages. If nothing is found, ensure the ice maker is functioning properly. |
| E3 | Heating system timeout. The ice mold heater remained on longer than the maximum time allowed. The ice maker’s heater is turned up to a specific level. A time delay turns it down if the temperature is not attained. Overall, heater issue. |
| E4 | Dry Cycle. The number of dry cycles observed by the unit was above the baseline. It might be the fill tube or the frozen valve. |
| E5 | Damaged ice maker thermistor. Temperature requirements for ice storage are met; however, ice mold remains frozen for longer. The issue with the ice mold’s thermistor is possible. |
Running these tests, you can know the cause and apply the fix accordingly. If the issue seems too complicated, you can contact whirlpool.
Let’s say you tried the test. But now what? It is also essential to know how to end the diagnostics mode. So choose one of the following three actions to end service diagnostics mode:
- Holding down the first and the second switches for three seconds.
- Turning off the power going to the refrigerator.
- Waiting for around twenty minutes.
When you end the diagnostic mode, the controls will return to normal.
How Does The Ice Maker In Refrigerator Work?
When troubleshooting a device like an ice maker, it is important to know how it works so that you determine the cause and apply the fixes in a better way.
Preceding the modern household ice maker was the plastic ice tray. The operation of this gadget is rather straightforward: Water is poured into a mold, and the ice cubes are removed after some time in the freezer.
The only difference is that an icemaker handles it all automatically, from adding water to removing the frozen cubes. So your home ice maker is like a mini factory for ice cubes.
Modern ice makers often use electric motors, water valves controlled by electricity, and heating elements powered by electricity. Connecting the icemaker to the electrical circuit that powers your refrigerator is necessary for all these components to function.
If you want to utilize the icemaker, you’ll need to connect it to a water supply line in your home. This is because there’s a hole in the rear of the fridge where the power cord and water supply tube enter.
Once the icemaker’s components are in place, the ice-making process may begin. In most cases, the cycle is managed by a basic electrical circuit and a set of switches.
A solenoid water valve receives short power from a circuit’s timed switch at the beginning of the cycle. The water valve is often hidden beneath the fridge and is wired into the main system.
Valve opening occurs when an electrical current flows through these wires and moves a solenoid (an electromagnet). As little as seven seconds are needed to fill the ice mold; the valve remains open.
The ice tray is an interconnected network of plastic wells. In most cases, the cavities take on a semicircular form with a curvature. Each hollow wall features a tiny notch that allows the ice cubes to stick to one another.
The machine then waits for the mold’s water to freeze once it has been filled. The refrigerator’s cooling system, not the icemaker, freezes water. The ice maker has an internal thermostat that regulates the temperature of the water inside the molds.
The thermostat shuts off the power as soon as the temperature drops below a certain threshold, say 9° Fahrenheit.
When the switch is closed, electricity may flow via the heating coil that sits beneath the ice maker to melt the ice.
By gradually increasing its temperature, the coil warms the base of the ice mold, allowing the ice cubes to break free. The electrical circuit powers the icemaker’s motor. A gear linked to a long plastic shaft is turned by the motor, which turns another gear.
An array of ejector blades fan out from the shaft. The rotating blades remove the ice cubes from the mold and push toward the front of the icemaker. Because of their interconnected nature, the cubes may be moved as one solid object.
The icemaker’s ejector blades are designed to slot into plastic grooves at the front of the machine. Ice cubes are forced out through the slots in the blades into a storage bin below the ice maker.
A plastic cam with notches is attached to the rotating shaft. Just as the cubes are about to be pushed out of the icemaker, the cam grabs hold of the shut-off arm and lift it. The arm returns to its original position after ejecting the cubes.
When the arm is at its resting position, it triggers a switch to start a new cycle. The cycle stops if the arm can’t descend to its lowest point because of a buildup of ice crystals.
The ice maker will only produce further ice cubes if there is sufficient space in the storage bin, preventing it from completely overwhelming your freezer.
