Frigidaire ice maker not making ice in fridge: How to fix (2024)

Are you standing in front of your fridge, trying to get ice from the dispenser? If your Frigidaire refrigerator’s ice maker has suddenly quit on you, there are a few things you can check in your quest to fix it.

A few things can prevent an ice maker from producing ice, but today we’ll focus on the water valve and the ice maker itself, which are the two most common parts related to this issue.

While you’re working through the troubleshooting process, you might determine that your fridge has a faulty part. If this happens, just grab your model number and head over to AppliancePartsPros.com to find all the replacement parts you need. We have over 2 million parts and the pros to help you do it yourself.

Let’s get started.

Disclaimer: The troubleshooting information provided in this article is based on general service manuals and may not apply to your specific appliance model. While we strive to offer helpful advice for DIY appliance repairs, variations in models and configurations can lead to differences in troubleshooting steps, error codes and part replacements. For the most accurate guidance, we strongly recommend consulting the technical sheet for your specific appliance model.

What you need

• 1/4-inch nut driver
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Multimeter

Disclaimer: The specific tools required may vary depending on the model of your appliance and the type of fasteners used on it. Always consult the user manual or refer to any specific instructions provided by the manufacturer for the recommended tools for your appliance model.

Safety precautions

When working on any appliance, remember to keep safety first. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Always power off and unplug your appliance or switch off the circuit breaker before you attempt any maintenance or replacement work. This keeps you safe by preventing any risk of electric shock.
• Turn off the water supply at the outlet before beginning repairs. Keep towels ready to catch any residual water in the system when removing parts.
• If the appliance has recently been used, give it plenty of time to cool down before working on it.
• Take your time while working to prevent accidents and personal injuries. Rushing is the enemy of precision.
• Work in a well-lit area so you can clearly see and access appliance parts.
• Keep your workspace free of clutter and other obstacles. Keep children and pets away from the work area.
• Never work on internal parts with wet hands. Make sure the work area is completely dry.
• Check the user manual to see if there are specific installation or safety instructions related to your appliance or replacement part.
• Be gentle when handling or removing parts. Excessive force might damage the appliance or cause personal injury.
• Wear insulated work gloves to protect your hands from sharp metal parts and debris.
• When working with wires, avoid touching any exposed wires or terminals. If you need to touch a wire, use a non-conductive tool or wear insulating gloves to prevent electrical shock.
• Don’t test live voltage with a multimeter if you’re unfamiliar with how to prevent short-circuiting.
• Consider wearing safety glasses and/or a dust mask when working with chemicals, dust or a large amount of debris to prevent irritation or injury.

How to troubleshoot the ice maker

Step 1: Access the water valve

One of the most common causes of an ice maker that doesn’t produce ice is a lack of water. This might happen if the fill tube is frozen or if the water valve has failed. The other potential cause would be a bad solenoid on the water valve.

1. Turn off the fridge and disconnect it from the power supply.
2. Shut off the water supply to the fridge at the outlet.
3. Pull the refrigerator out from the wall to access the water valve.
4. Remove the lower access panel by taking out the 4 – 1/4-inch screws.
5. Remove the access panel.
6. Find the water valve on the right side of the machine compartment.
7. Remove the 2 – 1/4-inch screws that hold the old water valve in place.
8. Slide the old valve out from the fridge.

Step 2: Test the water valve

LIVE VOLTAGE WARNING: For this test, the fridge needs to be plugged in and powered on. Please be very careful to protect yourself from electric shock, which has the potential to cause serious injuries. Don’t ever test live voltage if you’re uncomfortable using a multimeter.

1. Make sure the fridge is plugged in and that the fridge and ice maker are both turned on.
2. To get the ice maker to cycle, open the freezer door and remove the ice bin.
3. Remove the cover over the front of the ice maker.
4. On the face of the ice maker, find the large gear and a smaller gear on the upper left side of it. The small gear will have a slot in the middle of it.
5. Use a flat-blade screwdriver to rotate the small gear counterclockwise, about 1/4 of a turn to put the ice maker into a cycle.
6. Set your multimeter to Volts AC, which looks like a V with a squiggly line.
7. Touch the meter leads to the yellow and light blue wire on the water valve.
8. Check the meter reading when the ice maker fingers get to around the 8:00 position. The ice maker should be sending 120 VAC to the water valve, and you should see 120 VAC on the meter.

If you don’t see 120 VAC on your multimeter, then you need to check the ice maker.

If you got 120 VAC, then check the fill tube to make sure it’s not frozen. If it’s frozen, then the water valve is probably allowing a trickle of water in, which will freeze. You’ll need to replace the water valve if this is the case.

If the fill tube is frozen and you get 120 VAC to the water valve, then you need to replace the water valve.

Step 3: Access the ice maker

If the ice maker isn’t sending power to the water valve, then it won’t fill with water to make ice.

1. Open the freezer door.
2. Remove the ice bin from the freezer compartment.
3. Loosen the 2 – 1/4-inch screws that hold the ice maker in place and lift the ice maker off the screws.
4. Set the ice maker down on the ice bin shelf.
5. Remove the cover on the front of the ice maker.

Step 4: Test the ice maker

LIVE VOLTAGE WARNING: For this test, the fridge needs to be plugged in and powered on. Please be very careful to protect yourself from electric shock, which has the potential to cause serious injuries. Don’t ever test live voltage if you’re uncomfortable using a multimeter.

1. Set the multimeter to VAC.
2. On the side of the ice maker, find the wire harness.
3. Put one of the meter leads into the connector with the light blue wire, and place the other meter lead into the connector with the yellow wire.
4. On the face of the ice maker, find the large gear and a smaller gear on the upper left side of it. The small gear will have a slot in the middle of it.
5. Use a flat-blade screwdriver to rotate the small gear counterclockwise, about 1/4 of a turn to put the ice maker into a cycle.
6. Check the meter reading when the ice maker fingers get to around the 8:00 position. The ice maker should be sending 120 VAC to the water valve, and you should see 120 VAC on the meter.

If you get a meter reading of 120 VAC but no water is coming into the ice maker and the water valve isn’t getting any power, then there’s a wiring issue.

If the valve is getting power, then it needs to be replaced.

If you didn’t get 120 VAC, then you need to replace the ice maker.

More information

Thank you for reading! We hope this guide helped you get your Frigidaire fridge working again.

If you have any other appliance repair needs or projects, don’t hesitate to explore our other troubleshooting guides and videos.

If you need replacement parts or some extra help with ordering them, grab your model number and head over to AppliancePartsPros.com, where you can chat with a pro, read our DIY blog and more. We can also help you troubleshoot common fridge problems here.

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