Whirlpool Ice Maker Leaking Water? (RESOLVED!)

Summer feels incomplete without an icy beverage with fruit on the rim. If your ice maker keeps on leaking water instead of producing ice, you’ll miss out on homemade cocktails, slushies, and other refreshing drinks.

So you can serve friends and loved ones an ice-cold quencher before the season ends, we’ll show you how to troubleshoot a leaky Whirlpool ice maker.

Why is my Whirlpool ice maker leaking water?

A Whirlpool ice maker leaking water might be due to fluctuating freezer temperatures. Whether caused by frequent door openings, a broken gasket, or improper leveling, it can cause ice to melt and leak.

If the fill valve and cup are misaligned, water can miss the trays and leak into your ice maker.

Before inspecting your ice maker and troubleshooting it, follow these steps to try and stop the leak temporarily:

• Turn off the ice maker. Flip the switch to the OFF position or lift the wire shutoff arm while you’re figuring out the source of the leak.

• Shut off the water supply. To prevent the ice maker from further leaking, turn off the water supply valve.

Keep reading our guide to find out what causes a leaky ice maker and learn how to troubleshoot it.

Causes and Solutions

To fix a leaking Whirlpool ice maker, set the freezer to 0º F (-18º C). Remove jammed ice in the bin and dispenser to prevent it from melting during temperature fluctuations.

If the leak is caused by a worn-out door gasket or a cracked ice cube tray, replace the part to fix the issue.

Here’s an overview of the causes and potential solutions of a leaky Whirlpool ice maker.

Causes	Solutions
The ice bin or dispenser is jammed with ice.	• Turn off the ice maker and unplug the refrigerator  • Open the freezer door. Push down on the release lever and tilt the ice bin outward. • Hold the base of the ice bin with both hands. Lift it and pull it out of the freezer compartment. • Break up the chunks of ice using a plastic or wooden spatula. Then, remove the ice from the bin. • Let the larger clumps of ice defrost for several minutes. Or, use warm water and a washcloth to melt the ice faster. • Dump the water and pour ice maker cleaner into the bin to clean it. • Rinse the bin with water and wipe it dry using a soft cloth. Slide the bin into position once it is fully dry. • Carefully tilt it back and keep it in an upright position. The release lever will click when the bin is installed in its correct position.
The refrigerator or ice maker isn’t level.	• Install your Whirlpool refrigerator on a sturdy and level surface.  • Place a carpenter’s level on top of the fridge and identify which side is higher. • Using both your hands, hold the opposite edges of the base grille. Then, pull towards you to remove the grille. • Use a wrench to adjust the height of the leg that is higher than the other. Turn the leg to the right to lower it. • Check if the fridge is level using the carpenter’s level. Make the necessary adjustments until the doors can close properly. • Align the mounting clips on the grille with the slots in the cabinet. Push it firmly until it locks in place.
The fill valve and cup are misaligned.	Locate the fill valve and cup in your refrigerator and adjust as necessary. Refer to your user manual for guidance.
The freezer door gasket is defective.	• Unplug the refrigerator and open the door. • Pull out the rubber gasket on the door, starting from the top corner of the fridge. Work your way around the door until the seal is fully removed. • Position the new door seal over the shelving. Push the gasket into the channel, starting from the top corner again. • Restore power to your refrigerator.
The circuit breaker keeps tripping.	• Turn off all the lights and unplug the appliances connected to the tripped circuit breaker. • Locate the circuit breaker that keeps tripping. • Flip the switch on the circuit breaker to the OFF position. Wait for a few seconds and flip the switch back to the ON position. • Plug in the ice maker and confirm that it has power and is functioning properly.  • Plug in other appliances and lights one at a time to test if they are working correctly.
The ice cube tray is damaged.	• Unplug the refrigerator and turn off the water supply valve. Open the freezer door and switch off the ice maker. • Hold up the ice maker cover and push the hinge to remove it. • Loosen the screw securing the cover for the wire harness. • Close the control housing door on the left side of the freezer compartment to prevent damage. • Hold the ice maker and pull it forward.  • Remove the wire harness cover and set it aside. Depress the locking tab to unplug the wire harness. • Take the entire ice maker assembly out of the freezer. Unthread the screws at the base of the assembly. • Pull off the cover of the control housing to access the wire harness. • Use a flathead screwdriver to release the wire harness from the control housing. • Loosen the screws on the control housing and slide it off of the mold. • Pull out the termination thermostat. • Remove the ice ejector bar, rake, and fill cup. Use needlenose pliers to remove the retaining clip that holds the wire harness in place. • Set the old ice tray aside and attach the retaining clip to the new mold. • Reinstall the fill cup, rake, and ejector arm in their proper positions. Then, insert the thermostat in the control housing. • Reattach the control housing to the mold. Rotate the ejector arm until the housing is fully seated. • Reinstall the screws to secure the housing to the mold.  • Align the mold on the base of the ice maker.  • Mount the wire harness on the retaining clip, then push it into the control housing until it locks into place. • Reinstall the control housing cover and replace the screws at the base of the assembly. • Align the locking tabs on the ice maker assembly with the rails on the freezer. Carefully push back into position. • Mount the wire harness cover and replace its screw. Reinstall the ice maker cover.  • Turn on the ice maker to complete the repair.
The water inlet valve is defective.	• Unplug the refrigerator and turn off the water supply valve. • Open the doors and remove the shelving on the right side of the compartment.Depress the tabs to release the water filter cover. Then, pull the cover out of the fridge. • Use a flathead screwdriver to push the tabs and release the lower access panel.  • Release the center retaining clip to free the upper access panel. • Dislodge the dual inlet valve using the screwdriver. • Disconnect the wire harnesses and unplug the grounding clip. • Use a wrench to release the water lines. Then, remove the old water inlet valve. • Connect the water lines to the proper ports on the new valve.  • Reattach the grounding clips and the wire harnesses. Don’t forget to reinstall the cover on the upper wire connector. • Push the valve onto the rear fridge panel until it snaps into place. • Attach the water lines to the appropriate channels. • Reinstall the upper access panel. • Insert the tabs on the lower access panel into the slots on the rear panel. Carefully push the panel into place. • Reattach the water filter cover and close it.Return all the shelving. • Restore power to the fridge and turn on the water supply.

The ice bin or dispenser is jammed with ice.

Do you see large clumps of ice in the storage bin? If so, this might be the source of the leak in your ice maker.

Large chunks of ice can form due to a variety of reasons including incorrect temperature, frequent door openings, poor maintenance of the ice bin, or infrequent usage of the ice maker.

If the temperature of the freezer fluctuates or the storage bin comes in contact with warm outside air, the ice can melt and leak.

What you’ll need:

• Washcloth
• Mild detergent

Solution: To remove a clog in the ice bin, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Turn off the ice maker and unplug the refrigerator 
• Step 2: Open the freezer door. Push down on the release lever and tilt the ice bin outward.
• Step 3: Hold the base of the ice bin with both hands. Lift it and pull it out of the freezer compartment.
• Step 4: Break up the chunks of ice in the bin using a plastic or wooden spatula. Then, remove the ice from the bin.
• Step 5: Let the larger clumps of ice defrost and melt. Or, use warm water and a washcloth to melt the ice faster.
• Step 6: Dump the water and clean the bin with mild detergent.
• Step 7: Rinse the bin with water and wipe it dry using a soft cloth. 
• Step 8: Slide the bin into position once it is fully dry.
• Step 9: Carefully tilt it back and keep it in an upright position. The release lever will click when the bin is installed in its correct position. 

If you don’t often dispense ice, we recommend cleaning the chute. Just add a bowl of warm water under the chute to remove potential clogs.

The refrigerator or ice maker isn’t level.

An unbalanced refrigerator is prone to a variety of performance issues. One of the most common consequences is fluctuations in internal temperatures, which can cause ice to melt or prevent water from freezing.

Due to improper leveling, the melted ice can’t properly drain. As a result, you’ll see water pooling in the ice bin or the freezer compartment.

Sometimes, a quick visual inspection is enough to determine which side your fridge is tilting toward and how to adjust it. 

In some cases, where the misalignment is more subtle, you can do a door check. On a properly leveled fridge, the door should close without your help.

Still, the best way to determine whether your fridge or ice maker is level or not is using a carpenter’s level. Just by placing it on top of your unit, you can find out which side needs adjustment.

What you’ll need:

• Carpenter’s level
• 3/8” wrench (applies to most models)

Solution: First, install your Whirlpool refrigerator on a sturdy and level surface. Place a carpenter’s level on top of the fridge to determine which side is higher.

To level a Whirlpool French door fridge, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Hold the inside front edges of the base grille with both of your hands. Then, pull both ends towards you to remove the grille.
• Step 2: Use a 3/8” wrench to adjust the height of the leg that is higher than the other. Turn the leg to the right to lower it.

If the doors are visibly misaligned, you must raise the leg opposite of the one that appears higher. For example, if the left door is higher, turn the right leveling leg clockwise to raise its height.

• Step 3: Use a carpenter’s level to check if the fridge is level. Make the necessary adjustments until the doors are level and can close properly.
• Step 4: Align the mounting clips on the grille with the slots in the cabinet. Push it firmly until it locks in place.

The fill valve and cup are misaligned.

Your ice maker consists of a fill valve that hangs over a fill cup. During a cycle, the tube pours water into the cup, which then funnels the water into the ice tray.

If the valve and the cup aren’t aligned, water will spill directly onto the ice maker compartment, causing leaks instead of forming ice.

Solution: Locate the fill valve and cup in your refrigerator and adjust as necessary. Refer to your user manual for guidance.

The freezer door gasket is defective.

The freezer door gasket keeps cold air in the compartment and prevents warm air from seeping through. If this rubber seal has cracks, tears, or holes, it can no longer keep warm air from entering the freezer.

Consequently, your freezer temperature will go over the recommended range, which makes it harder for ice to freeze. If the bin already has large chunks of ice, it will melt and leak in your compartment.

Once a door gasket is defective, you can no longer repair it. However, you can replace it with a new one.

To check if the rubber seal is defective, do the dollar bill test. Just insert a single dollar bill or a piece of paper between the freezer door and the gasket.

Carefully pull the bill out of the door. If you don’t feel any resistance, the seal isn’t effective and must be replaced.

What you’ll need:

• New rubber gasket
• 1-2 days of prep time

Solution: First, prep the new door gasket by taking it out of its package 1 to 2 days before installing it. Lay it flat on a surface to remove any kinks and creases.

To replace a damaged door seal, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Unplug the refrigerator and open the door.
• Step 2: Pull out the rubber gasket on the door, starting from the top corner of the fridge. Work your way around the door until the seal is fully removed.
• Step 3: Position the new door seal over the shelving. Push the gasket into the channel, starting from the top corner again.
• Step 4: Restore power to your refrigerator.

The circuit breaker keeps tripping.

Aside from improper leveling and dirty gaskets, temperature fluctuations in the freezer can be caused by a tripped circuit breaker. Simply put, your freezer can’t reach ideal cooling temperatures if your appliance keeps getting disconnected from power.

Ideally, you should plug the refrigerator and other major household appliances into dedicated circuits. If you don’t, your circuit can experience an electrical overload, which will trigger it to trip and shut off power.

Solution: Turn off all the lights and unplug the appliances connected to the tripped circuit breaker. Follow these steps to reset the circuit.

• Step 1: Locate the circuit breaker in your household and identify the one that keeps tripping. The switch would be out of place when a breaker trips.
• Step 2: Move the switch on the circuit breaker to the OFF position.
• Step 3: After a few seconds, flip the switch back to the ON position.
• Step 4: Plug in your fridge. Confirm that it can turn on and operate properly.
• Step 5: Turn on the lights and plug in the other appliances in the circuit—one at a time.

If the circuit trips, the appliance or light may have faulty wiring. Contact a licensed electrician who can help you diagnose and resolve the issue.

The ice cube tray is damaged.

Is your Whirlpool ice maker not making ice(whirlpool ice maker not working but water dispenser is)? If it isn’t making ice but it’s leaking all over the freezer, the ice mold might be cracked.

Once the tray is damaged, you must replace the part or the ice maker will continue to leak during fill cycles. You also won’t get any ice until you replace the mold.

What you’ll need:

• Flathead screwdriver
• Phillips screwdriver
• Needlenose pliers
• New ice mold

Solution: To replace a damaged fill cup on a Whirlpool refrigerator, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Unplug the refrigerator and turn off the water supply valve.
• Step 2: Open the freezer door and switch off the ice maker.
• Step 3: Hold up the ice maker cover and push the hinge to remove it.
• Step 4: Loosen the screw securing the cover for the wire harness.
• Step 5: Close the control housing door on the left side of the freezer compartment.
• Step 6: Hold the ice maker and pull it forward. 
• Step 7: Remove the wire harness cover and set it aside.
• Step 8: Depress the locking tab to remove the wire harness. Then, take the entire ice maker assembly out of the freezer. 
• Step 9: Unthread the screws at the base of the assembly.
• Step 10: Pull off the cover of the control housing to access the wire harness.
• Step 11: Use a flathead screwdriver to release the wire harness from the control housing.
• Step 12: Loosen the screws on the control housing and slide it off of the mold.
• Step 13: Pull out the termination thermostat.
• Step 14: Remove the ice ejector bar, rake, and fill cup.
• Step 15: Use needlenose pliers to remove the retaining clip that holds the wire harness in place.
• Step 16: Set the old ice tray aside and get the replacement. Attach the retaining clip to the new mold.
• Step 17: Reinstall the fill cup, rake, and ejector arm in their proper positions.
• Step 18: Insert the thermostat in the control housing.
• Step 19: Reattach the control housing to the mold. Rotate the ejector arm until the housing is fully seated.
• Step 20: Reinstall the screws to secure the housing to the mold.
• Step 21: Align the mold on the base of the ice maker. Mount the wire harness on the retaining clip, then push it into the control housing until it locks into place.
• Step 22: Reinstall the control housing cover and replace the screws at the base of the assembly.
• Step 23: Align the locking tabs on the ice maker assembly with the rails on the freezer. Carefully push back into position.
• Step 24: Mount the wire harness cover and replace its screw.
• Step 25: Reinstall the ice maker cover.
• Step 26: Turn on the ice maker to complete the repair.
• Step 27: Restore power to the fridge and turn on the water supply.

The water inlet valve is defective.

A water inlet valve connects the water supply to your Whirlpool fridge. It needs a minimum of 20 psi to shut off properly.

If this requirement isn’t met, the valve won’t close properly, causing it to leak water into your ice maker. However, if there is no problem with your household’s water pressure,  you might have a faulty valve.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to fix a damaged water inlet valve. In this case, you must take out the defective valve and replace it with a new one. 

What you’ll need:

• Flathead screwdriver
• 3/8” wrench
• New water inlet valve

Solution: To replace a faulty water inlet valve on a Whirlpool refrigerator, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Unplug the refrigerator and turn off the water supply valve.
• Step 2: Open the doors and remove the shelving on the right side of the compartment.
• Step 3: Depress the tabs to release the water filter cover. Then, pull the cover out of the fridge.
• Step 4: Use a flathead screwdriver to push the tabs and release the lower access panel. 
• Step 5: Release the center retaining clip to free the upper access panel.
• Step 6: Dislodge the dual inlet valve using the screwdriver.
• Step 7: Disconnect the wire harnesses and unplug the grounding clip.
• Step 8: Use a wrench to release the water lines. Then, remove the old water inlet valve.
• Step 9: Connect the water lines to the proper ports on the new valve. 
• Step 10: Reattach the grounding clips and the wire harnesses. Don’t forget to reinstall the cover on the upper wire connector.
• Step 11: Push the valve onto the rear fridge panel until it snaps into place.
• Step 12: Attach the water lines to the appropriate channels.
• Step 13: Reinstall the upper access panel.
• Step 14: Insert the tabs on the lower access panel into the slots on the rear panel. Carefully push the panel into place.
• Step 15: Reattach the water filter cover and close it.
• Step 16: Return all the shelving.
• Step 17: Restore power to the fridge and turn on the water supply.

Frequently Asked Questions

---