An LG Refrigerator Ice Maker Is Slow

Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.
There could be several reasons why your ice maker is slow.
Image Credit: baloon111/iStock/GettyImages

If you have an LG refrigerator not making enough ice, you may not be able to keep everyone's beverages cold and hot tea may not be "your thing." But you may be relieved to know that the solution could be an easy fix, even though you're not a refrigerator technician. Follow a few troubleshooting steps, and you may be sipping chilled drinks again before you know it.

Advertisement

Slow Ice Production

Video of the Day

If your LG refrigerator is new, you may not realize that you'll have to wait for 24 hours before you see the first ice cubes. This is a normal part of the refrigerator's initial cooling period, during which the temperature inside your appliance periodically reduces until water can freeze and produce ice.

Advertisement

Video of the Day

For the ice maker to begin cycling, the freezer must maintain a temperature of at least 19 degrees Fahrenheit. When the ice bin is empty, it takes about 24 hours for the ice maker to fill the bin with approximately 100 cubes of ice.

Although the freezer temperature has only to reach 19 degrees Fahrenheit for the ice maker to begin cycling, the minimum recommended temperature setting is -4 degrees Fahrenheit. Ice will continue to be produced at 19 degrees, but it will be at a slower rate than if you set the control to -4 degrees.

Advertisement

LG Refrigerator Ice Maker Not Filling With Water

Needless to say, an LG refrigerator ice maker not filling with water nips ice production in the bud. The water supply valve from your home's plumbing to your fridge must be turned on for water to reach the ice maker.

If your refrigerator is new, or if you've had recent plumbing work that required the valve to be turned off, the valve may not be turned on. Even though your ice maker is not making new ice at all, you may perceive its production as slow when you use ice and it doesn't seem to be replenished at its normal rate.

Advertisement

Check to see if the water supply line is kinked or twisted. If it is, you'll need to straighten the line or replace it, because water may not be fully supplying the ice maker, which results in slow ice production.

Dirty Water Filter

Over time, the water filter in your LG refrigerator can become clogged with debris and particles from the water supply, so the filter needs to be replaced. This reduces the full flow of water to the ice maker and brings ice production to a near halt.

Advertisement

LG's recommendation is to replace the water filter at least every six months to keep the water supply flowing freely. LG reminds consumers that using non-LG-approved water filters or using an LG-approved filter longer than six months will void the warranty.

Advertisement

Defective Ice Maker Module

An LG ice maker module includes a motor that puts the ice maker through its cycle of producing ice. When the thermostat senses a temperature of approximately 15 degrees Fahrenheit, the motor kicks in to release the cubes, and the module powers the water inlet valve to refill the ice cube tray with water. But with an LG ice maker sensor not working properly, or working at all, the ice maker cannot produce ice.

Advertisement

So, if you have a problem with your LG French door refrigerator ice maker not dumping ice into the ice bin, or another model that is improperly working, it could point to a problem with the module.

When LG technicians check the module's operation, they first check to make sure that the bail arm is not in the down position, which shuts off the ice maker. Then, they check to make sure that the ice maker blades are not obstructed with ice cubes that have gotten stuck. So, start here to troubleshoot the module, raising the bail arm to the up position and clearing any ice cubes that may be stuck in the blades.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Report an Issue

screenshot of the current page

Screenshot loading...