7 Reasons Your GE Ice Maker Isn’t Working

So, your GE ice maker has stopped working and you want to know why. Well, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll list the 7 most likely reasons why your GE ice maker isn’t working and provide possible fixes.

You likely feel frustrated by the inability to create refreshing ice cubes, especially in the hotter months, and you may even feel stressed over how much the repairs could potentially cost. Fortunately, many of the causes can be fixed by you at minimal expense.

1. The temperature is incorrect

For your ice maker to work properly, the refrigerator and freezer must be at the right temperature. The fridge should be set to 37°F, and the freezer should be 0°F. If they’re not, you could run into problems.

You can check the temperature by placing a thermometer inside your fridge and freezer compartments. If the thermometer reading deviates significantly from the desired temperature, especially if the freezer is warmer than 10°F, it’s likely the cause of your ice maker not working.

If the temperature settings on your appliance are set correctly, you’ll need to investigate further to see what’s causing your refrigerator to be too warm. Some common culprits include a faulty door seal, dirty condenser coils, a sparsely stocked freezer, or the refrigerator doors being opened too frequently.

2. The ice maker is turned off

This seems obvious, but sometimes there’s an on/off switch on the ice maker itself as well as on the digital display if your model has one. Then there’s also the control arm that shuts off ice production when the ice bin is full—which can sometimes get accidentally knocked or stuck in the off position.

That’s up to three potential ways to accidentally turn a GE ice maker on and off, so it’s worth double-checking each to be sure that isn’t the reason for the ice maker not working.

3. The water filter is old

Water filters should be replaced every six months or you run the risk of the filter becoming clogged and restricting the supply of water to the ice maker and water dispenser. If you’re experiencing reduced flow from the water dispenser, it’s worth replacing the water filter to see if that fixes the issue.

4. Ice cubes are stuck in the mold

Sometimes, the rake that pushes the ice cubes out from the mold into the bin can get stuck. This means the ice maker is unable to complete its cycle, and ice production is halted. Check for and remove any lodged ice cubes that may be obstructing the rake or defrost any ice buildup around the rake that could be preventing it from moving freely.

5. Ice is stuck together in the bin

If the temperature fluctuates in your freezer, the ice cubes in the ice bin can partially melt and then stick together when they refreeze, forming a large clump of ice. This solid lump is difficult for the ice maker to break up and dispense, causing it to stop working.

You can check this by looking for large clumps of ice in your ice maker’s ice bin. If you find any, discard the entire batch of ice cubes and allow the ice maker to create a fresh new batch, which hopefully shouldn’t be stuck together.

6. The water supply is restricted

If the water supply to the refrigerator is interrupted, then the ice maker will be affected. Simply put, no water equals no ice.

The water supply can be affected in a few ways, but they’re all fairly simple to check and fix. Follow these steps to check for issues with the water supply:

1. Pull the refrigerator away from the wall so you can access the area behind it.
2. Inspect the water line that supplies the refrigerator, checking for kinks, damage, pinching, or clogs.
3. Next, ensure the water supply valve is turned on. It’s usually located on the wall behind the refrigerator or near the kitchen sink. The water supply valve should be fully open, not partially open.
4. Finally, check the water pressure. To do this, first, close the water supply valve. Next, disconnect the water line from the refrigerator and attach a pressure gauge to the end of the water line. Then, open the water supply valve and check the pressure reading. The pressure should be at least 20 psi.

7. The ice maker assembly is frozen

Various parts of the ice maker unit can occasionally freeze and put an end to normal ice production. Frost and ice can gradually build up over time, or ice cubes can get lodged in places they shouldn’t be. The most common areas that can freeze over and cause problems include:

• Auger motor: The auger motor drives the auger, which pushes the ice cubes in the ice bin forward for dispensing.
• Ice chute: The ice chute is what the ice cubes exit through when being dispensed into your glass.
• Water inlet tube: The internal water line that feeds water to the ice maker.

Inspecting all areas of the ice maker assembly will require you to remove or disassemble it. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, another option is to unplug your refrigerator, open the freezer door, and allow the ice maker to thaw out gradually.

If you come across any visibly frozen areas, you can carefully defrost them using a hair dryer set to a gentle setting. If you suspect the water inlet tube is frozen, you can buy a frozen water line tool to help you defrost it.  

Final considerations

Hopefully, the tips outlined above have helped you get to the bottom of what’s causing your GE ice maker not to work. If you’re still unable to fix or even identify the cause of the problem after reading this, it may be time to call in an expert to inspect your appliance.

The entire ice maker assembly may need replacing, or there could be an issue with the refrigerator’s control board—both of which are issues best handled with the help of a professional.