Kitchenaid refrigerator / Icemaker woes

[paulg]

For all of you people who have sad tales to tell of (predominantly foreign) refrigerators that have lousy ice makers, I have a story for you….
My 2005 Kitchenaid refrigerator has, for the first time in SIXTEEN YEARS stopped making ice cubes.
Yes, sixteen years later my Whirlpool/Kitchenaid icemaker has quit and I am ok with that. Sixteen years is good enough. It never stopped making gobs of ice cubes. Very happy.
Now for the tech..
Before I dig into the unit, I know there are people on this forum who fix these units everyday. For that reason I am looking for your “most likely” cause based upon your cumulative years of experience. If I just sit and wait a day or so I can zero on to cause more quickly.
Here are the clues:
* The water dispenser still works
*. No settings have changed. Ice cube production just stopped cold. (Sorry, bad joke)
*. There is no water in the ice maker to freeze
*. I can hear the motor in the icemaker. It is very quiet but I can tell a small motor is energized.
*. I replaced the water valve about six years ago to stop the icemaker from making icicles from the side of the icemaker. It made lots of ice but the icicles were annoying. The new water valve fixed that. It is entirely possible the valve is bad again. Dunno.
* I did NOT yet put the refrigerator into service mode. Don’t think it would net me much anyway.
* Model: KSRP25FNBL00
*.Picture of ice-maker enclosed.
* Yes, we love our Manhattans. Hence the frozen glassware.
*. The freezer is defrosting right now by it’s own automatic action. Don’t know if that means anything but I figure I’d just tell you anyway.

OK, Before I dig into this puppy, I’d like your opinions! Much obliged!

 

[rp2813]

Following This Discussion

I wonder if this means I may have this same issue four years from now with our 2009 KA.  The ice making system looks the same, and barely a day goes by that I don't use ice.

 

[whitewhiskers]

shop for a new icemaker

Attaching a picture of my icemaker that failed after 14 years. I too had previously replaced the main water valve, as I thought that's what was causing the icemaker to drip water into the collection bucket. Turned out the icemaker mold was delaminating and rotting. That's what happens to these things.

I ran your model number through repairclinic to get the model number for the icemaker. It's a common enough model. Try several sites just to verify the part number. You will reuse some parts from the original icemaker, the wiring harness, a cover, the part that senses the ice level. Amazon and eBay will sell the icemaker.

Genuine OEM Part # 2198597

 

[rp2813]

Unless Gary lives in the northern reaches of Silicon Valley, our respective water supplies are on the fairly hard side.  I suppose I can expect to have this same problem with my IM before too long, presuming that's mineral build-up on the deteriorated component.

 

[goatfarmer]

We have a similar setup in a Whirlpool SxS vintage 1995 or so. It quit making ice about 3 years ago. I had a used icemaker I put in it, worked about 8 months, and quit again. Bought a new one from EBay, and it's been fine since.

 

[paulg]

Dripping / puddling

Mr. White whiskers, you reminded me of a symptom of recent past.
Indeed I have noticed water in the ice bucket as well as water dribbling into the drip tray of the dispenser.
This symptom is new and intermittent and started about a month ago. I was “keeping an eye on it” as I did not know cause. I actually thought I may have a problem with the refrigerator defrosting too aggressively causing the ice to melt (if that is actually possible).
Judging by the sound advice of all, it looks like the icemaker pooped. Today I dig into it and will keep y’all posted. Thanks!

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

My in door dispenser no longer dispenses, even after I took out the bin and let the ice stuck in there melt and ran new ice into it, the chute is shot...

But the maker makes Ice and the bin stores it, so it's no big deal to open the door for the cubes, but the auger is needed to dislodge the cubes frozen together, otherwise I chop away at all that with an ice pick...

-- Dave

 

[paulg]

Update

Removed the ice maker. Cannot find profound failures as shown in the pictures Whiskers provided. However, I do have delamination at the last cube area. This one ice cube had the bad habit of getting stuck in the past. We lived with wrestling out the last cube but now I see the reason.
Removal of the timing mech cover revealed a small plastic retainer that holds the timing cam had broken. Not a deal breaker as the cam still looks like it’ll work. However, the decision is sound and I will replace the ice-maker.
Price on the part is lower than I expected.
Thanks for the advice. I will now walk to the local gas station to buy ice. It’ll be good exercise as I walk off my “quarantine 15”.

 

[whitewhiskers]

When you get the new icemaker installed, before you snap on the front cover, insert your custom made and insulated jumper into holes T and H for about 5 seconds. Then remove. This will initiate a harvest, followed by a water fill. This will save a lot of time, as otherwise you will have to wait several hours for things to freeze down to a temp. where the icemaker would normally go through a harvest.

By forcing a harvest using the jumper, you will know right away if your water supply and all the other components are working as they should. If the icemaker fills with water after the ejection blades have rotated around, things are looking real good that all is working.

 

[tomturbomatic]

I have some wonderful Frigidaire miniature ice cube trays that make party cubes less than 1 cubic inch. I keep them in a zip lock bag in the ice service tray in the GE 18.8 bottom mount Spacemaker my parents bought in the summer of 1962. These cubes are the purest tasting ice in my house, even with all of the ground coffee I keep in the 25 cu ft top mount in the kitchen to absorb odors. I don't use those cubes in anything I drink. but they are great for cooling down the hard cooked eggs I prepare each week or so.

 

[paulg]

Thanks Whitewhiskers

Thanks for the jumper test on the icemaker. I would never have known!

 

[sudsmaster]

My KA SXS fridge is probably at least 15 years old. No problems with icemaker so far. But unlike Ralph here, I don't use ice very often. I do use a lot of the chilled water, though.

 

[paulg]

Working!

Just got my replacement icemaker today. Installed easily and it has just dumped its first load of ice cubes.
Cheap and easy fix. Thanks gang for your help.
I can’t help and gloat just a wee bit. It is nice to have repair parts available quickly, easily and cheaply.
What was my down time? Four days. Cost: About $80. I’ll take this any day.

 

[sudsmaster]

Paul,

From where did you order the icemaker?

Price?

Link?

Thanks!