You’re itching for a cool, tall glass of water after a long day, but as you go fetch some ice — your Frigidaire refrigerator just sputters out cold air. Not a very cool problem to have, isn’t it?
Luckily, we know just the trick to make everything chilly again!
From an ice maker that isn’t getting any water to an ice maker that just won’t freeze some cubes at all, we’ve rounded up every fix you can do to get your ice maker back in the game.
So without further icebreakers, here are 6 easy solutions you can try!
Why Your Frigidaire Ice Maker Isn’t Working or Getting Water
If your Frigidaire ice maker isn’t getting enough water to make ice with, this could likely be caused by a clogged water filter or a restricted water supply.
Check if your Frigidaire filter needs replacing. If it doesn’t, inspect the water inlet valve and lines for damages or defects.
Frigidaire refrigerators use unique water filters equipped with a 3-step carbon filtration that can effectively purify your water supply of sediments, chemicals, and other possible contaminants.
But with great power comes great responsibility — so while your Frigidaire water filter may seem robust, it inevitably wears down over time with frequent use.
When it gets clogged with filtered particles, less water will be delivered to the ice maker compartment, resulting in decreased water volume and ice production.
Changing the water filter should solve the problem, and if you schedule a regular replacement ahead of time, you can keep this issue from happening again.
But while you’re in the business of looking into the water filter, it wouldn’t hurt to also keep an eye out for any issues with the appliance’s water inlet valve or the water supply lines.
Like the water filter, if these components become clogged or kinked, it would cut the amount of water flowing into the fridge’s other compartments, including your ice maker.
The good news is that replacing or repairing these parts is pretty simple — you can do them without professional help! You can see for yourself how easy it is with our step-by-step guides below.
And if this immediate fix didn’t work for you, chill down! This guide also includes other common causes of this issue, so we won’t be running out of solutions you can try.
Common Causes of a Frigidaire Ice Maker Not Working and How to Fix Them
A Frigidaire ice maker that isn’t working — or isn’t getting any water at all — isn’t as technical of an issue as you might think it is. In simpler cases, you might even find the root cause of the issue in your water supply, rather than the fridge itself!
Either way, it’s an issue you can most definitely fix with little to no tools involved. Below you’ll find six likely causes of your ice maker malfunctioning and the fixes you can try on your own.
| Cause | Solution |
| The water filter is clogged or inauthentic. | • Take your Frigidaire water filter out and inspect its authenticity and compatibility with the model of fridge you’re using. Inspect also the filter body and housing for any damages. • Replace the water filter if necessary. Moreover, make sure to replace the water filter every 3 to 6 months. |
| The water inlet valve is faulty. | • Unplug the appliance or shut its power off at the circuit breaker, then shut off its water supply. • Remove the main water supply line, then unscrew the lower access panel cover and set it aside. • Remove the water inlet valve’s mounting screws, then carefully disconnect the pipes and unplug the wires connected to the valve. • Replace the water inlet valve with a new one. |
| The water supply lines are frozen, damaged, or kinked. | • Unplug the appliance or shut the power off at its circuit breaker, then shut off its water supply. Inspect the main water supply line for any kinks or blockages. • Remove the lower access panel so you can inspect the water lines connected to the inlet valve as well. • Kinked or bent water lines should be replaced. Furthermore, do not push the refrigerator back against a wall to avoid damaging its water lines. • If the lines are frozen, or if there are any chunks of ice blocking them, defrost your refrigerator. |
| The wire signal arm is frozen. | • Defrost your refrigerator and make sure that the wire signal arm can move freely in place. • Lift the wire signal arm and push it all the way down until you hear a click. This indicates that the ice maker has turned on. • If the wire signal arm is still frozen after defrosting the appliance, call for service to replace it. |
| There is a fault in the door seal. | • Inspect the rubber seal around the ice maker door for any damages such as scratches, or if it’s come loose. • Loose or damaged rubber seals should be replaced immediately. • Moreover, make sure to scrub the gasket every time you clean the fridge. Use only mild soap or detergent a microfiber cloth in cleaning the gasket. • You may also use a baking soda paste as an alternative. |
| The condenser coils are dirty or clogged. | • Unplug your Frigidaire refrigerator and access the lower access panel behind the appliance. • Unscrew the panel cover and set it aside. • Use a vacuum to remove any dust or debris accumulation around the condenser coils. • Use a dry soft-bristled brush to clean the corners that the vacuum couldn’t reach. |
The water filter is clogged or inauthentic.
As we’ve mentioned above, a clogged or worn-down water filter is a primary suspect in a Frigidaire ice maker that isn’t getting enough water.
Water filters generally have a lifespan of 6 months at most, but they could last shorter depending on your household’s average water consumption and the hardness of your water supply.
Moreover, your Frigidaire refrigerator is quite sensitive to its water filters — it wouldn’t perform well unless you’re using an authentic one. They use filters with unique specifications that are specially fitted for their housing.
A counterfeit — or even a generic alternative — would not be able to meet these specifications, resulting in the limited water supply to your ice maker, water leaks inside your fridge, and sometimes even damaged housing!
Counterfeits and generic filters also don’t have Frigidaire’s 3-step carbon filtration design, so not only would ice supply be scarce, but the quality of water in your appliance would also likely be poor.
Luckily, Frigidaire has a comprehensive guide to identifying counterfeit, and we’re recounting it here for you!
To determine if your filter is authentic, look out for the following:
- Packaging: Boxes for counterfeit Frigidaire water filters often come in a glossier finish than the original. Moreover, they don’t have proper trademark designations and logos.
Counterfeits also typically have grainy or pixelated prints on them, as well as discolored photos and faded text.
- Certification Symbol: Authentic water filters carry NSF Certified marks on both their packaging and the filter body itself. Counterfeits, on the other hand, would have missing symbols, fake or incorrect logos, or no certification marks at all.
- Weight: While the average weight of an authentic Frigidaire water filter largely depends on what type of filter is compatible with your fridge model, counterfeits generally weigh less than their authentic counterparts.
Counterfeits simply do not carry the same amount of filtering materials that make an authentic filter’s 3-carbon filtration possible.
- Online Content: If you’re purchasing your water filter online, keep an eye out for a complete set of specifications and data. Counterfeits tend to have limited product information, as well as outdated packaging labels.
Always cross-check the data you need via your old water filter packaging, your user manual, or the Frigidaire official site.
- Cost: Authentic Frigidaire filters are priced based on the different standards they meet. While counterfeits may be appealing as a cheaper alternative, keep in mind what you’re paying for!
A lower price may mean lower quality when it comes to these filters.
Solution: Frigidaire water filters should be replaced every 3 to 6 months, depending on the volume of your consumption and the hardness of the water in your area.
The larger the volume of consumption — or the harder the water — the sooner you have to replace your filter. Your fridge will send a signal to remind you when the filter needs replacing, so keep an eye on the display for any blinking lights!
Moreover, before replacing your old filter, triple-check if you’ve got a compatible model on hand. Incompatible filters may do as much damage to your fridge as counterfeit or generic ones.
If you’re good and ready to go, then follow these steps to install your new filter:
- Step 1: Turn the ice maker off or shut off the water supply to the refrigerator. No need to power off the whole appliance.
- Step 2: The water filter housing is typically located in the top right corner of the inside of the fridge.
Push the older filter in until you hear a click and the filter body pops out of its housing. Once the filter is loose, pull it out of the fridge.
- Step 3: Take the replacement water filter and place it with the nozzle facing the mouth of the housing. Your filter has a ridge on the back of it that should be aligned with the groove on the top of the filter housing.
- Step 4: Push the new water filter in until you hear it snap — that’s an indicator that it will stay in place. If the filter doesn’t make a sound, you might need to push it with a little more force or reinsert it altogether.
When the water filter is secured, it shouldn’t wobble in place or easily slide out of the groove when you try to pull it out casually.
| Quick Tip: • Once you’ve installed the new filter, run at least two gallons of water through the dispenser first before you take a drink. This will get rid of any sediments floating around the water. • Don’t be alarmed when you get them, though! • These sediments are natural and they’re mostly harmless, but they can be unpleasant to consume. As your new filter gets into gear, its filtration system will flush them out slowly. • You’ll likely see them again the next time you change filters, so be sure to run those two gallons first! |
The water inlet valve is faulty.
When the trouble is that your ice maker isn’t getting enough water, you’d naturally want to check on its incoming water supply — and it’ll eventually lead you to your Frigidaire refrigerator’s water inlet valve!
The water inlet valve, sometimes called the supply valve, regulates the amount of incoming water being supplied to your refrigerator. It opens and closes on a signal from the control board.
However, a defective inlet valve may ignore this signal, while a damaged one may not be able to open at all to let in some water. Furthermore, if the valve isn’t open enough, the water pressure would be insufficient to supply the ice maker.
Aside from a shortage of water supply to your Frigidaire ice maker, another telltale sign of a defunct inlet valve is a leak from behind or at the bottom of your fridge.
Solution: Inspect your fridge’s water inlet valve for any defects or damages. This component is located behind the bottom of the appliance, and to access it you’ll need a screwdriver and a wrench, as well as a multimeter to test the valve.
To get to the inlet valve, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Unplug your Frigidaire refrigerator or cut off its power at the circuit breaker. Shut off its water supply as well.
- Step 2: Afterward, you’ll need to disconnect the water supply line from the refrigerator. You can find this behind the appliance.
Use a wrench to loosen the nut around the line until it comes loose. Be careful of some water that might spill out of the disconnected line.
- Step 3: Unscrew the lower access panel to remove it and set it aside.
- Step 4: The water inlet valve can be found in the right corner. Remove its mounting screws and carefully pull the component out.
Take note of where the lines are connected before carefully disconnecting them from the inlet valve. These lines determine which compartment of your fridge the water is going into.
We recommend taking a photo for reference before proceeding to the next step.
- Step 5: Inspecting the water inlet valve for faults will require you to test the continuity of its terminals. If you’d rather go ahead and replace the part, proceed to the next step!
But if you want to take the valve for a test, grab your multimeter and set the device to its lowest ohms setting.
If you’re using an analog model, pinch the probes together to calibrate the meter and adjust the needle until the needle reads zero.
Then, unplug the wires connected to the valve’s terminals.
Frigidaire ice maker models have two to four coils. We recommend testing each coil to completely determine if your water inlet valve has any electrical defects.
But do note that the coil going to your Frigidaire ice maker is the green one.
Once you’ve disconnected the wires from their respective coils, touch the multimeter’s probes to each coil and observe their reading.
If the results are anywhere between 500 to 1500 ohms, this means the valve has electrical continuity. But if the display doesn’t move or show any significant changes, this means your water inlet valve has failed.
- Step 6: Disconnect the wires and lines to the old water inlet valve and carefully pull the component out of the access panel.
Each tube is secured by a quick connector that you can press down using an open-ended wrench to release the water lines.
- Step 7: Grab a measuring tape or a ruler and mark the pipes at 11/16 of an inch (0.6875 inches or 1.75 centimeters) from their end. This is how far you should insert the tubes into the new valve.
When you connect them to their respective ports, make sure that the mark is even with the opening.
If the water pipes are connected to the valve with threaded nuts, you’ll have to cut them at the nut to remove them.
- Step 8: Reinsert the new valve onto its bracket and secure its mounting screws. Once you’re done with that, you can just retrace your steps to reinsert the access panel and water supply lines!
| Quick Tip: • Check on your household’s water pressure as well! • Frigidaire refrigerators require a water pressure rate of 20 to 120 psi. If your water supply is pumping water at a weaker rate, your ice maker wouldn’t be getting enough water to make ice with. • Likewise, a mechanically defective water inlet valve will weaken the pressure of water flowing in the pipes. • To figure out whether your water supply has enough pressure or if the valve is at fault, try this: Step 1: Shut off the water supply to your refrigerator. Step 2: Remove the water supply line behind the appliance and hold it over a basin. Step 3: Turn the water supply back on and observe the water flowing out of the pipe. • If the water is flowing weakly, this means that your household has weak water pressure. Contact a professional immediately. • But if the water is flowing normally, this indicates a defect in the valve and means it needs to be replaced. |
The water supply lines are frozen, damaged, or kinked.
Sometimes the issue with your ice maker not working or being filled with water is as simple as a bent or kinked water line.
It’s a problem that can often be overlooked, particularly because these water lines are placed on the backside of your appliance. Moreover, once you’ve connected the water supply, you might get the impression that the pipes will be the least of your problems.
But, just like any other mechanical part of your Frigidaire refrigerator, these lines can get damaged depending on the way you use your fridge.
For example, if your unit is pushed far back against a wall, its placement can deform the water lines and bend them out of shape. These pipes have to remain straight so water can flow easily and without interruption through them.
They can also get bent from being frozen for too long. If you’re prone to setting extreme temperatures in your fridge, especially the ice maker or freezer, water can get frozen even before it reaches its respective compartments.
When this happens, the lines may also get clogged with tiny pieces of ice, effectively blocking more water supply from flowing in.
Solution: Inspect the main water supply line on the back of your fridge for any blockages or kinks. Do the same for the pipes connected to the water inlet valve.
Frozen lines can be resolved by defrosting the appliance, but if there are any other physical damages to the water supply lines, your best course of action would be to replace them.
Meanwhile, defrosting the unit may depend on the model that you’re using. For an overview, here are different ways to do them:
- French Door Models: Locate the plus and minus signs on the control panel. Press these buttons simultaneously for about 10 seconds until “dF” appears on the display.
- For Other Models: Locate the fresh food light button or switch on the control panel. Most models will have this inside the refrigerator.
Once you’ve located this button, press it 5 times within 6 seconds to activate forced defrost.
You can also try the old trusted way of unplugging your fridge and leaving the door open for at least 30 minutes! Just make sure to always set perishable foods, as well as the compartment racks, out of the way while the appliance is defrosting.
The wire signal arm is frozen.
Models with dual ice makers inside their freezers use wire signal arms that work as a kind of switch. This part allows users to remotely turn off the ice maker compartment without shutting off the rest of the appliance.
When the wire signal arm is pushed all the way down, this means that your Frigidaire ice maker is powered on. However, if the arm cannot move freely in place — or can’t be pushed all the way down — the compartment will stay off.
The ice bin should also be pushed all the way back so it doesn’t obstruct the wire signal arm from moving.
Solution: Inspect the ice maker for any ice cubes or other objects that might be obstructing the wire signal arm from coming down. If the arm is frozen, defrost your Frigidaire refrigerator.
Ensure that the ice bin is pushed all the way to the rear and wouldn’t block the wire arm signal.
Then, to turn on the wire signal arm, lift it and push it down all the way until you hear it click. Similarly, if you want to turn the ice maker off, simply lift the wire signal arm all the way back until it clicks.
If the fridge is defrosted but the wire signal arm, call for service. This part might need replacing.
| Quick Tip: • Your Frigidaire refrigerator requires a freezer temperature of 10°F (-12°C) to keep things inside it frozen, including the ice cubes. If the temperature settings of your ice maker go above this requirement, it’ll naturally slow the ice harvest times. • Likewise, if you set the temperature too low, it’s going to freeze everything over and render mechanical parts immobile! • We recommend maintaining a temperature of anywhere around 0 to 5°F (-18 to -15°C) to keep everything balanced. • Moreover, when you adjust the temperature of your fridge, keep in mind that the appliance takes about 24 hours to stabilize this new setting. |
There is a fault in the door seal.
If the problem with your Frigidaire ice maker not working is that it’s having difficulty freezing the ice, check the rubber seal around its door.
This seal, also known as the door gasket, keeps the ice maker door tightly shut to prevent outside warm air from traveling into the compartment and mixing with the cold air inside.
When warm air from the outside mixes with the cold temperature settings inside the ice maker, condensation will form which later would freeze over and turn into more chunks of ice that could lead to your ice maker overfreezing.
Similarly, the door seal keeps the cold air from escaping through gaps, which also causes longer ice harvest times.
Solution: Inspect the rubber seal around your ice maker’s door — and your fridge’s door too! Ensure that the seal hasn’t come loose and isn’t damaged.
If the door seal is loose or damaged, it needs to be replaced immediately.
Furthermore, as preventive measures, make sure to place items in your fridge at least an inch away from the door. This is to prevent any object from catching onto or scraping against the gasket and damaging it.
| Quick Tip: • When cleaning out your fridge, don’t forget to wipe down the door seal as well! • Always use mild soap or detergent only when scrubbing down the door seal. Stronger chemicals might damage the rubber and cause it to deteriorate or break down faster. • As an alternative, you can also mix water and baking soda into a paste. Baking soda paste works as an effective detergent agent without eating away at the rubber material. • We also recommend using a microfiber cloth for cleaning; they’re very absorbent and can reach farther corners easily! |
The condenser coils are dirty or clogged.
In some cases, a faulty Frigidaire ice maker is a large-scale problem that you might be overlooking because it’s easier to notice when ice isn’t forming in the fridge.
In the case of dirty or clogged condenser coils, leaving this issue unaddressed will eventually affect your entire fridge.
The condenser coils — located in the back panel of your fridge — is chiefly responsible for holding the absorbed heat from the refrigerants inside the fridge and releasing it into the surrounding environment.
It’s why the back of your fridge feels particularly warmer than the rest of the unit body!
But while these coils are placed outside your refrigerator, they’re more likely to be prone to dust buildup. When enough dust or debris has accumulated around the coils, they could clog them up and prevent the coils from discharging the heat.
As a result, your appliance will have trouble maintaining cold temperatures, and your ice maker will noticeably have difficulty making ice.
Solution: Inspect the condenser coils at the back of your fridge for any dust accumulation.
To get to this part of your fridge, simply do the following:
- Step 1: Unplug the appliance and turn it around to get to the lower access panel of your Frigidaire refrigerator.
- Step 2: Unscrew the cover from the lower access panel.
- Step 3: The condenser coils are typically located next to the water inlet valve and main water supply line.
You can use a vacuum to get rid of the dust and debris accumulation on the coils. We also recommend using a dry soft-bristled brush for places that the vacuum can’t reach.
Moreover, maintaining your fridge’s efficiency requires regularly cleaning the condenser coils. At least once or twice a year is enough, especially during warmer seasons.
To wrap things up, a malfunctioning Frigidaire ice maker isn’t as intimidating as it seems.
This issue hardly requires repairs. Most of the time, all you have to do is perform a maintenance check on your appliance.
With this article, we hope we’ve given you insight on how to handle this issue better the next time it happens — or better yet, prevent this issue from occurring again.
