Icemaker won't stop making ice

[Mitch]

I have a fridge with a drawer style freezer on the bottom. The icemaker suddenly won't turn off.

The arm won't stay up.

Should I assume internal breakage and just call for srvice, or should I give it a shot?

The kids left the freezer open a little bit overnight last week, and everything thawed. I closed it and of course everything froze again.

I suspect this may be the cause. Perhaps I should have dried out the unit before allowing it to refreeze, and something brokw trying to move through the ice.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Since this is not a life threatening situation, try a few things before calling a pro.

First, the arm does not stay up. In most cases, the ice comes out and the arm either drops so that it can make more ice, or, if the bucket is filled, the ice holds it up. Does yours do something different? Are you trying to stop ice from being make before the bucket fills?

You may want to determine if it is the arm or some other part out of alignment.

Second, should you call a pro? Replacing an ice maker in most refrigerators takes about 20 to 30 minutes. You may want to look at a place like

and get more information. It may well be a job you can handle.

[Mitch]

Well, it made a mountain if ice overnight and that held the arm up, and it was still making ice.

So the switch either isn't getting activated, or doesn't work.

I called the local appliance store, and he told me that the easiest fix is to replace the whole unit for $90.

I definitely wouldn't pay for labor for that. I looked at it: 3 screws and a wiring connector.

The fridge is a Maytag Model # MBB2256GEQ.

[valvejob]

The arm on my ice maker has dual electric switch contact pairs that control the water and the icemaker motor.

These contacts can be opened anywhere in the cycle and when so doing, a mechanical stop holds the position of the arm in the up positon.

You have to take it apart to see this mechanism.

[mm]

So, if it comes out easily, and it sounds like it does, I would definitely take it out, put the ice cubes in a bag, and thaw the rest of it. Could be just a puddle of ice that is obstructing something. I'd examine the mechanism and see what the arm is supposed to do and if it is doing it. and I would put it back and try it again even if I thought I hadn't fixed anything, because I've fixed lots of things just by touching them. Without ever finding out why.

But unlike what Edwin says, this may be a life-threatening emergency. I saw a movie once -- I think it was a documentary -- in which the ice maker malfucntioned, filled the freezer with ice and then part of the first floor, the whole stairway, and was covering the beds upstairs. Fortunately, the 15-year old girl had an unusual sensitivity to cold, so she woke up and was able to wake her 18-year old brother. He made a flame spreader from a camp stove and a metal waste basket and he rescued her and their parents. It was scary.

[Max]

On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:58:07 -0400, mm graced this newsgroup with:

....scary...give me shivers just thinking about it!

[Mitch]

Thanks...nothing to lose by doing that. I try to fix things myself as much as I can.

As for the house filling with ice, we live in an igloo, so that would be fine. :)

[Just Joshin]

The arm on my ice maker stays up for two reasons.

1. I put it up.
2. When the ice pile gets high enough, the arm stays up.

Check if your arm is properly connected.

tom @

[Stormin Mormon]

The ice cubes in the bin hold the arm up. Maybe you aren't letting the bin fill completely?

[Stormin Mormon]

I got a smile from this. Typing with only one arm?

[Mitch]

It's overflowing!

Also, when I put the arm into the manual off position, it doesn't lock in place. It flops back down. But even with a big pile of ice holding it up, it doesn't turn off.

I'll take it apart when I get the chance. If it were the opposite, and not making ice at all, that would light a fire under me.

But for now I guess I'll just have to drink more iced tea.

I like to fix things myself, but with a 2-year-old running around, time is limited.

[noname87]

[mm]

Run! Run!