5 Most Common Lg Refrigerator Ice Maker Problems

It was working just fine, but now your ice maker is not making ice! In this article, we will show you the most common LG Refrigerator Ice Maker Problems, the reasons why it’s not working, and how to test and fix it.

Also Read: How to fix: When an ice maker is not making ice

TLDR: Common Ice Maker problems are usually caused by:1. Temperature fluctuations (in the ice maker compartment) 2. Faulty water inlet valve 3. Broken ice maker or malfunctioning control board 4. Faulty ice maker fan in the freezer compartment.

Let’s start with a simple diagnostic test you can run that may provide some insight into what that problem could be.

If you have a Maytag or Whirlpool refrigerator, see here.

LG Refrigerator Ice Maker Problems: How To Reset And test An Ice Maker

Table of Contents

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• LG Refrigerator Ice Maker Problems: How To Reset And test An Ice Maker
• If The Ice Maker Is Not Filling With Water
  • A New water Filter was Installed Incorrectly
  • The water Inlet Valve Is Broken
  • Water Hose Kinked
  • ice Maker malfunctioned
  • Control board Malfunction
• the Ice maker Is not producing Or Dumping ice
• What should my LG freezer be set at to produce ice?
  • Other Ways To Reset The Ice Maker
• What Does “Ice Plus” Mean On My LG Refrigerator?
• How long does it take to make ice?
• How Do I Test The Ice-Detecting Optical Sensor?
• LG Fridge Service Manual

If your ice maker is not making ice, you’ll want to first run the test mode. To run the ice maker test mode, first of all, pull the handle to open the ice room and remove the ice bucket.

There are two styles of LG refrigerator ice makers. On the first model below, find the POWER button.

Make sure it is turned ON. The TEST button is underneath.

Before pressing the TEST button, put a towel underneath to catch water or ice that may fall while testing.

Press and hold the Test button for about 3 seconds and the ice maker will begin to turn. The tray only holds about 4 or 5 oz of water. The towel should minimize any spillage.

Here’s another style of ice maker on this model above. There’s no POWER switch and no tray. Even though there’s no tray you should still place a towel below the ice maker before running the tests.

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On this type of ice maker, there is a tiny hole on the left side. This is a Test Button. Use a paperclip or piece of wire to press and hold the button for about 3 seconds until the arm starts to turn.

For the first 2 hours the refrigerator has been plugged in, the ice maker test can only be run once. If you wish to run the test mode a second time, unplug the unit for about 30 seconds to reset the ice maker.

This RESET procedure is also applied to the ice maker located in the bottom freezer.

Read: 3 ways how to reset a Samsung ice maker

Read: 3 common problems with Samsung french-door ice maker

If The Ice Maker Is Not Filling With Water

A New water Filter was Installed Incorrectly

If during the test mode, your ice maker didn’t fill with water, then check your

water filter.

Without a filter or when the filter is installed improperly in the filter housing, water will not flow to the ice maker and water dispenser.

You just need to slide the filter into the housing, PUSH and TWIST to lock it.

Read: How to fix Amana ice maker not filling with water

IF YOU DISCOVER A LEAK AFTER CHANGING THE FILTER:

If you recently changed the

water filter and you noticed the ice maker has now started to leak, the problem might be with water pressure.

With a new filter, water will flow more freely and when it reached ice maker, the extra pressure may create a splash.

A small amount of water can leak from the ice maker compartment, and eventually end up on the floor.

Read: Why is my ice maker leaking water onto the floor?

Read: How to fix GE ice maker leaking water into bin

If you have a ball-typewater valve behind the fridge, try to decrease incoming water pressure to the fridge by turning it at 45 or fewer degrees. You may need to play with it in order to reach a reasonable amount of water pressure.

To do this adjustment, turn the water valve to 45 degrees. Now push the water dispenser (with a cup underneath!) to check the flow rate. It might be nice to have someone else adjust the valve while you watch the pressure change.

This way you will be able to increase/decrease water pressure to a desirable level.

Another problem that may cause the ice maker to leak, is when ice cubes get stuck in the tray. Then, when fresh water fills the ice maker, it can overfill and some water will spill over the tray. Check for lodged cubes at the dispenser.

One more possibility is calcium buildup. Pull the ice maker out and clean the inner side of the tray and filler. You may find calcium buildup that is affecting the water fill mechanism.

Read: How to clean a GE ice maker

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The water Inlet Valve Is Broken

A second reason you may not be getting water, is because the water inlet valve has failed. In order to check the inlet valve, you just need a Multimeter.

But keep in mind, that many LG fridges have 2 inlet valves. The main valve is on the back of the fridge, while the secondary valve (for the ice maker only) is on the left door.

You need to check them both. The secondary valve gets water from the main valve. But from my experience as an appliance technician, the secondary valve causes most of the problems with the ice maker.

That’s why your LG ice maker is not making ice, but at the same time, the water dispenser works.

Need a Part? Click HERE

Water Hose Kinked

Behind your

fridge, there is a water hose connected to the inlet valve. If the water hose is kinked, it will restrict water flow to the inlet valve.

It’s a simple thing to check, but very important, in order to figure out why ice-maker is not working.

ice Maker malfunctioned

If the ice maker failed to perform the diagnostic test and you are not able to run it, then most likely the ice maker motor has failed.

Need a Part? Click HERE

Read: Why is your ice maker making a grinding noise?

Control board Malfunction

Every LG refrigerator has a control board. If the control board is not sending power to the ice maker, or one of the relays on the control board has failed, then the ice maker will not run.

Important: If all components mentioned above in the article are ok and the ice maker works ONLY when you press the RESET button (the ice maker should make a full turn and not make ice in automatic after that), then there is a possible problem with the main control board or ice level optical sensors on the ice maker itself.

Read: How to know if your refrigerator control board is bad

Need a Part? Click HERE

Make sure the control board fits the refrigerator model you have !!!

the Ice maker Is not producing Or Dumping ice

Another possible reason your ice maker is not making ice is due to a malfunctioning ice maker fan, which is located in the freezer compartment.

This fan blows cold air into the ice maker compartment and freezes the water.

If the temp in the ice maker compartment higher than -12C, ice will not be produced.

In order to check if this fan is working, you need to apply a magnet to simulate a closed door ( see the top side of the door where the magnet is located)

If you feel cold air coming out from the vents, the fan is good.

This is a picture of the back panel in the freezer compartment with the evaporator and ice maker fans.

Ice maker fan part# ADJ72911303

What should my LG freezer be set at to produce ice?

-2°F or -20°C is the recommended temperature setting for normal ice production. In order to adjust the temperature, press the FREEZER button to cycle through the range of available settings and set it to the desired temperature.

Other Ways To Reset The Ice Maker

In order to do a simple reset of the ice maker, unplug your refrigerator or turn the breaker OFF for at least 30 sec. This procedure will reset the ice maker, making it easier to troubleshoot.

Read: How To Fix LG Refrigerator Ice Maker Freezing Up

What Does “Ice Plus” Mean On My LG Refrigerator?

When all the ice in the refrigerator is used, it will take about 2 hours to produce the next bunch of ice cubs. Some LG models are equipped with an “Ice Plus” feature. This feature just speeds up the freezing process and allows it to produce ice cubes 2 times faster.

How long does it take to make ice?

It depends. If you just bought and installed a new refrigerator, then it may take about 24 hours. But after your refrigerator has operated for more than 24 hours, the ice maker will produce new ice cubes every 2 to 3 hours.

How Do I Test The Ice-Detecting Optical Sensor?

If the optical sensor is malfunctioning, your ice maker may not work in Automatic Mode.

The first thing you need to do is to visually check the ice-detecting optical sensors. They are located at the bottom of the ice maker, on each side.

1. Remove Ice Bin from the compartment
2. Close the left door
3. Wait for 3 minutes
4. Keep Freezer Door open
5. Push Refrigerator button and Lock button at the same time

If “ETY” is shown on the display after the procedure above, the ice-detecting sensor is normal.

If “FULL” is shown on the display after the procedure above, the ice-detecting sensor is malfunctioning or something is blocking the clear path between sensors.

When it shows FULL with an empty ice bin, and nothing else obstructing the sensor path, then something is wrong with these sensors. If they are part of the ice maker assembly, you may have to replace the entire assembly. Otherwise, you may be able to replace the individual offending sensor(s).

LG Fridge Service Manual