Maytag Wide-By-Side Not Making Ice

[rp2813]

This is my sister's fridge.   She lives 350 miles from me so I'm working with her description of the problem and the mechanism, and she's not even remotely mechanically inclined.

 

The first thing I told her to do was to take a blow dryer to the inlet area at the back of the freezer.  She did that, and said the tube that routes the water into the mold (I think) became soft.  Yes -- it was made warm and pliable.  She didn't notice any obvious melting of a blockage.

 

I told her that the trouble may be further back, but she can't see what's back there.  I guess there's a cover of some sort that either snaps off or unscrews.  That's more than she can attempt.

 

She said there's no buzzing like a solenoid staying open.  She also poured water into the mold and left the on/off arm/rod in the down position, and once the crescents had formed, the ice maker dumped them into the bin as per usual.

 

So there's an issue with the water supply, and I want to eliminate all chances of a frozen blockage somewhere.  Can anyone advise on whether this is a common problem?  I know we had it happen a time or two with our mid '80s Whirlpool, and I think I've read of this happening to other people here in the past.

 

Any help would be appreciated.  I think worst case is that the ice maker is fine, and that maybe a valve or the solenoid could be bad.  She has a neighbor who can make the fix if any parts need to be replaced.  I told her to have him come and take a look in case he can access the area behind the inlet tube, but thought it would be a good idea to ask here in case there's a known weak link in these systems.

 

[whirlcool]

I would start with the ice maker fill valve, usually located at floor level at the back of the refrigerator. Relatively cheap and easy to replace. About a 20 min job.

I've had one of these go out on me before.

 

[rp2813]

Thanks Allen, I'll let her know where to look.  Her friend should be able to figure it out.

 

[yogitunes]

for some odd reason, this seems to be an issue with this exact fridge......

had the same one for my MIL, gorgeous unit in black, anywho, and like this one, we tried a few things first, ended up calling under warranty repair, and they replaced the whole unit/package(ice maker and valve)...worked fine for about 3 more years and then gave out again, by this time, the grandson messed with the wiring and blew out the whole fridge....

I thought they were a neat concept of a fridge design, the turn to adjust racks were unique....

keep us posted as to how she makes out.....

 

[rp2813]

I think black would look better longer.  IIRC, the last time I saw the white fridge, its handle(s) had yellowed.

 

Her neighbor friend told her it was likely a $40 part at fault (he had just helped someone else fix their IM), but he was referring to the ice making mechanism and not the water supply.

 

Are there separate supply valves for the water dispenser and IM?  It will dispense water fine up front, but for some reason isn't providing water to the IM.

 

[whirlcool]

Usually if you have through the door water as well as an ice maker the water solenoid will have two solenoids on one bracket. One is for the water through the door and the other for the ice maker. Each unit is not individually replaceable so you'll most likely have to replace them both as they are mounted as one part number. But you'll have to look and see what kind is installed in there. Maytag may have used one solenoid for both.

I've replaced these solenoids in Whirlpool and GE refrigerators and only paid about $20 for the solenoid. You'll need the part number too.

The rear bottom panel of the refrigerator may need to be removed so you can see/access the water solenoid valve.

 

[yogitunes]

you could always switch the wires from one solenoid to the other, just to test them out....ruling out if there is a problem....

but its the IM itself is what triggers the solenoid to deliver water into the tray....

funny how when their first hooked up, it takes several hours for the first cycling of water to be added.....and then....ICE!!!.....

my last Kenmore chilled water inside the fridge for drinking, as well as a pre-chiller for water to the ice maker...it sure helped make ice faster.....

now that has me wondering, in the new fridge, it has the built in water filter, I have to check out schematics, is the carbon filter just for the water, and not the ice?....on the Kenmore I had an in-line water filter.....

 

[whirlcool]

I know on our GE refrigerator, the carbon filter is for the through the door water only.

 

[rp2813]

Allen and Martin --

Thanks for the additional advice.

 

I've sent her a message about switching wires if possible so they can maybe determine if there's a solenoid/valve issue or if the IM's on/off arm and related switch is bad.

 

This is presuming there's nothing frozen behind the IM.

 

[rp2813]

Well, I don't know what she did, but now she's hearing a buzzing presumably from the solenoid, water is dribbling in but not with enough force to make it into the mold, and she has icicles forming from behind the ice bin and apparently heading for the bottom of the freezer.

 

I told her to lift the ice maker arm if she hadn't already.  I don't know if that at least stopped the bit of water that's dribbling in or not.  So now we've gone from no water to constant water. 

 

[yogitunes]

dribbling could mean low water pressure, or something clogged along the waters route.....

nothing any different than a foreign object lodged in a washers valve causing water to either drip in, or non stop.....

wonder whats the pressure like for the water dispenser......

you have to start investigating somewhere....and rule out section by section...

 

[whirlcool]

There should be a water turn off valve somewhere in her kitchen for that water. The valve could be sticking. I'd replace the inlet valve. I had a GE valve stick open one time and it flooded my kitchen!

 

[rp2813]

Yeah, I told her there should be a shut-off valve somewhere, and that it would be a good idea to locate it.

 

I doubt she's up to any more diagnosing, and probably doesn't want to impose too much on her neighbor friend.  If I were closer, I'd probably be able to figure out what's wrong and fix it, but I think she's going to have to call a "professional" to do that.  I hope she doesn't find him in the local "Penny Saver" advertising weekly, from which she has gotten burned before.

 

She doesn't want to replace the fridge just yet, as she hopes to remodel at some point.

 

[whirlcool]

Just tell her to watch out for the "This will be so expensive to fix you probably would be better buying a new refrigerator" warning. I have heard that one before.

 

[rp2813]

For sure Allen, and she's ready with the remodeling plan as a response.

 

If anybody ever needed to buy into a site like Angie's List, it is she.

 

[rp2813]

The Verdict Is In

Disclaimer:  This is how my sister explained it.

 

A repairman was out today and advised that the heating element in the ice tray is bad, and that the entire IM needs to be replaced.   It never occurred to me that IM trays would have heaters.

 

I'm not sure I'm following how this would have stopped water from coming in, even if the crescents didn't fall into the bin, because at first she reported it wasn't making ice at all, and the tray wasn't filling.

 

It seems something happened to get the water flowing again, but it was trying to fill a tray that still had crescents in it, hence the icicles down the shelves, and the diagnosis from the repairman.

 

He also told her it would be best to put in a new valve assembly, as the old one was going to fail sooner or later.

 

Total cost:  $320.  If I were there to do it, or if her friend could, I'm betting parts would cost around $100 or so.

 

Oh well, it's still cheaper than a whole new fridge.  She had the compressor replaced a couple of years ago and only paid a deductible on her home appliance coverage for that, so the fridge should last at least until she decides to remodel.  She quit her coverage after the compressor was changed out. 

 

 

 

 

 

[DADoES]

 
That's suspicious IMO.  The mold heater serves to loosen the frozen cubes so they can be scooped out by the dump arm.  The arm stalls when it rotates and contacts the cubes until they loosen.  Water fill occurs at the end of the dump cycle after the cubes are out of the mold.

 

[rp2813]

I'm skeptical too.  I think the guy dreamed up a reason to replace the whole unit, and knowing he had a live one, went for the valves as well.