# Fridge Ice Machine Not Working. Help Needed



## bobafett (Oct 4, 2009)

Hello,

I have a 7 year old KitchenAid Superba which has worked fine until recently the ice machine stopped making ice. The water portion still pours out water. An image of the fridge water/ice dispenser is below:












I think the water inlet tube is frozen. I turned off the freezer/fridge (unplugged it) for a few hours. This didn't help the situation.

The copper water line into the back of the fridge is fine (it isn't frozen and isn't leaking). The fridge is functioning fine otherwise. The freezer switch inside the freezer is turned to the "On" position.

Then I thought I would check out water tube inside the freezer. In order to do this I removed the motor/ice tray:











The water tube is the black tube on the top right of this image.

The motor/ice tray component is here in case you are wondering and it appears fine although I haven't cracked the plastic case to inspect the motor yet:












I have inserted a blunt plastic straw instrument into the water line:















Wasn't sure how deep the straw should go in. I didn't want to force it so this is as far as I could insert it (my thumb marks the depth). I assume it should go in a lot further. There was a little bit of ice on the tip of the straw as I removed it.











I am assuming the problem is that the water line is frozen. 

I have already turned off the fridge (unplugged it) for a few hours which didn't work. Any other ideas? Thinking about sticking a blowdryer on the hole for a while to see if the ice melts. Not too keen on chipping away inside with a sharp instrument (screwdriver?) as I do not want to damage it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks


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## biggles (Jan 1, 2008)

check this site out http://www.repairclinic.com/Home.aspx


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## bobafett (Oct 4, 2009)

biggles, that link was awesome
thanks

UPDATE: so I used a hairdryer to melt some of the ice -- there wasn't that much ice so I am not sure if that was the problem. The water inlet tube (the black rubber component in the top right of the second image -- this part: http://www.appliancepartspros.com/part_details.aspx?part_id=3182503) is now ice free.

Interestingly, when it became ice free some icewind was blown into the freezer for a few seconds. 

I reinserted the motor and I turned the ice machine "on".

Nothing has happened. I read somewhere that it takes 24 hours to refill the ice. So I guess I will wait 24 hours.

The techinician on this site: 

http://www.technicianbrian.com/2008/10/kitchenaid-refrigerator-stopped-making.html 

did the following:

"I started a harvest cycle which allowed me to visually see the ice maker operate mechanically and fill with water. "

I am not sure how to start a "harvest cycle" but I would like to know how!


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## biggles (Jan 1, 2008)

on commercial ice machines the harvest starts when a temperature sensor on the ice sheet builds up and the temp drops indicating ice.....before any ice is produced the entire area in and around the ice maker has to be back to freezing....door closed and let it cycle itself and absorb all that heat from working on it.


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