Why is my Whirlpool refrigerator not making ice?

The common reasons why your Whirlpool refrigerator may not be making ice include a clogged water filter, issues with the control arm, or the inlet valve and tube.

The ice makers that are built into refrigerators are extremely convenient because they function as a separate entity, but they use the same water and power as your refrigerator.

However, if your Whirlpool refrigerator is not making ice, you need to find out why this is happening by investigating some of the common causes of this issue.

How does an ice maker inside of a refrigerator work?

Many modern refrigerators now come with built-in ice makers in the freezer compartment or door, for easy access. These ice makers offer owners the benefit of producing more ice and take away the need to keep refilling ice trays over and over again.

This is because the ice makers in refrigerators function by filling an internal water tray with the same filtered water that your refrigerator uses, and then dipping pins into this water to form ice cubes.

The ice-making process stops when the internal ice bucket has been filled. This ice maker operates as a completely separate component within your refrigerator, even though it uses the power and water from your refrigerator to function.

Why is my Whirlpool refrigerator not making ice?

Although an ice maker that is built right into your refrigerator can be very convenient, when this ice maker is not functioning as it should, it may feel like this entire component is just wasting space and energy inside your refrigerator.

If you have noticed that the ice maker in your Whirlpool refrigerator is no longer making ice, a good place to start is to find out why this is happening.

It is always good to double-check that your refrigerator is plugged into the power supply properly and that the ice maker is turned on before you start searching for reasons why your refrigerator is not making ice.

If you have checked and your ice maker is switched on, your next best course of action is to look at some of the most common causes that experts and other Whirlpool refrigerator owners have found for their ice makers not working.

This includes operational issues such as:

  • A clogged water filter
  • The control arm is not in the correct position
  • A problem with the water inlet valve or tube

To develop a better understanding of why these issues may be preventing your Whirlpool refrigerator from making ice, you need to look at each problem individually.

Why a clogged water filter can prevent your Whirlpool refrigerator from making ice

Since the ice maker in your Whirlpool refrigerator uses the same water line that the refrigerator uses, this water is fed through the same filters.

This means that you get much clearer and better-tasting ice, but it also means that when this filter is clogged, your ice maker will not get enough water and, in turn, will not be able to produce ice.

You will know that this is the reason why your Whirlpool refrigerator is not making ice if you also notice other signs that impurities are starting to build up on your refrigerator’s water filter, like the water having an unpleasant taste, slow dispensing water, or specks of impurities in your ice or water.

In order to solve this issue, you need to replace the water filter with one that is suitable for your refrigerator model.

Why is my Whirlpool refrigerator not making ice?
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Why the control arm can prevent your Whirlpool refrigerator from making ice

The control arm is a metal or plastic lever on the top or the side of the ice bin in your Whirlpool refrigerator. This arm is responsible for gauging how full your ice bin is and halting ice production when the bin is full.

As a result, when this arm is not in the correct position, it could be halting ice production, because your ice maker thinks that the bin is full when it is actually not.

In this case, it is important to ensure that the arm is in the “On” position and that you tighten it if it feels too loose.

Why the water inlet valve or tube could be preventing your Whirlpool refrigerator from making ice

If the temperature of the freezer compartment of your Whirlpool refrigerator becomes too cold, the insulation around the water inlet tube may not be functioning effectively enough and the water can freeze in the tube before it even reaches your ice maker.

In much the same way, if the inlet valve is faulty, and the water pressure is not about 20 psi, the water will not be able to flow through the tube to reach the ice maker.

Why is my Whirlpool refrigerator not making ice? Why is my Whirlpool refrigerator not making ice?
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