![Samsung Refrigerator Ice Maker Not Dumping Ice [Causes & Fix]](https://www.appliancegeeked.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Samsung-Refrigerator-Ice-Maker-Not-Dumping-Ice-Causes-Fix-1024x512.jpg)
Samsung refrigerator ice makers are typically trouble-free and will produce a steady stream of ice whenever you need it.
But if your ice maker stops making ice, fear not, because you can easily repair it yourself. It only takes a few steps to identify and solve the problem.
In this article, we will go through the possible causes of ice-making delays and the few easy steps you can take to get your Samsung ice maker working again.
Why isn’t my ice maker dumping ice?
The most common reason that the ice maker isn’t dumping ice is buildup around the ice bucket.
Other possible reasons could be that the ice maker isn’t turned on or the child lock function has been activated.
Here are the most common reasons that your ice maker isn’t dumping ice and how to fix them yourself!
| Causes | Solutions |
|---|---|
| Ice Maker Turned Off | Locate the power button. Press and hold on to that button until the indicator light illuminates. |
| Child Lock is Activated | Locate the “Child Lock” button on the control panel of your appliance and switch this feature off by pressing and holding the child lock button until the light indicator says “off”. |
| Formation of Ice Clumps | Carefully scrape or remove these clumps and clean off any melted ice. |
| Auger Motor is Frozen | Restart the auger motor by manually triggering the auger lever by pulling it downward. This way, the auger motor will produce enough heat to thaw the frost. |
| Ice Build-up on Raker | Remove the ice build-up found around the raker so it does not crowd the ice bucket. |
| Defrost Not Working | Unplug and clean the appliance. |
Ice maker mode is turned off.
The first step to troubleshooting this problem is checking if the ice maker had just been accidentally turned off.
Solution: Check the indicator light on the control panel of your Samsung refrigerator to see if the ice maker is turned on or off.
If your ice maker is turned off, locate the power button. Press and hold that button until the indicator light illuminates.
Child Lock is activated.
The “Child Lock” is a safety precaution feature that prevents children from opening the refrigerator unattended.
When the child lock is on, the ice maker will not be able to dispense ice even if there is already ice in the bucket.
To know if this is the case with your ice maker, locate the child lock button, which will usually be by the right-hand side of the door on the appliance’s control panel.
Solution: Check if the light indicator of this button is on. If the child lock button is glowing, that means that it has been activated.
To turn the child lock off, press and hold on the child lock button for at least three seconds. You will notice the indicator light will switch off.
Afterward, you are free to use your ice maker again.
Ice clumps have formed.
Clumped ice makes it hard for the ice maker to dispense equally shaped ice. The more clumped ice that is formed around the appliance, the harder it is for it to dump ice normally.
Solution: The first thing you need to do is clear out the ice from the ice bucket. This will allow space for new ice to be dispensed.
Next, using a dull butter knife, remove or gently scrape off the ice clumps manually, making sure to scrape the frost from all the important mechanisms in the ice maker.
But if that doesn’t work, you need to locate the auger motor and inspect if it has frozen mechanisms as well.
The auger motor is frozen.
The auger motor is an electric motor that helps the ice maker dump ice at a consistent pace.
When the auger motor freezes, there is no mechanism pushing the formed cubes toward the dispenser and down into the bucket.
The auger motor is located on the back wall of your Samsung refrigerator. Examine it to see if the auger motor has frozen over.
Solution: To fix a frozen auger motor, you need to restart it by manually triggering the auger lever. Pull the lever down to activate the motor.
Once done, the heat generated by the auger motor will thaw any ice that has accumulated in the area.
Ice buildup on the raker is causing clogs in the water flow.
The raker is what distributes the ice evenly. When ice chunks form around it, it may clog the tubes that allow for water to flow into the ice maker, thus disrupting the flow of ice production.
The raker looks like a large wide tooth comb that disperses the dispensed ice before it lands in the ice bucket.
Solution: If there is ice buildup around the raker, use your hand to dislodge the chunk. Reduce the amount of ice in the ice maker to allow the raker to move the ice around.
Defrost is not working.
If your ice maker’s defrost function is broken, ice will not fall into the bucket. Rather, it will accumulate in the mold, preventing new batches of ice from being produced.
As a result, the Samsung refrigerator ice maker will not dump the ice.
Solution: Unplug and clean out the entire device.
Unplugging the appliance is another way to force reboot the appliance when the defrost function is faulty.
Once unplugged, allow the ice maker to thaw out for at least a day to minimize the frost. Then clean out the appliance to get rid of dirt and debris.
Once you plug the device back in, it should be up and running again.
If you followed all the previously mentioned steps and you’re still not getting the ice you need, maybe it’s time to perform a reset on your Samsung refrigerator.
When do I perform a forced reset?
Perform a forced reset on your ice maker when you have exhausted all possible solutions for your problem and the ice maker still isn’t making ice.
You can perform a forced reset on your ice maker by unplugging it for 5-10 minutes.
The appliance may have stopped working properly due to an unknown problem, and powering down will reset the system’s software.
How often should the ice maker dump ice?
Depending on the size of your refrigerator model, a fully-functioning ice maker should be able to produce around 8 to 10 cubes of ice every hour and a half.
Your ice maker should complete 16 ice-making cycles a day, making around 130 ice cubes.
Anything less than stated could indicate clogs in the tubes or ice build-up in the ice box.
Your ice maker could stop producing ice when it has frosted over or is not maintained the right way. It is important that you check your appliance every now and then to see if all the parts are working smoothly to avoid incidents like these.
Although troubleshooting problems with your appliance can be scary, these steps are here to guide you through these simple home repairs to get your ice maker up and running again.
