Kitchenaid refrigerator ice maker red light blinking twice

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How to Troubleshoot the KitchenAid Ice Maker

If your KitchenAid Ice Maker is not working use this troubleshooting guide to diagnose common problems.

• Ice maker turned off 
• Ice maker jammed
• Water filter needs to be replaced
• Water system needs to be flushed
• Check water supply line

Is the ice maker turned on? 

Verify that the ice maker is turned on. If the ice maker’s water supply is not connected to water supply line, turn the ice maker off. If the ice maker is on, but disconnected to water supply line, the following could happen:

• The ice maker will continue to try to make ice, causing a buzzing sound
• A refrigerator section may to be too cold
• Food in crisper drawers may freeze

Is the ice maker jammed?

First, ensure that ice is not jammed in the ejector arm of the ice maker. Remove jammed ice from the ejector arm using only a plastic utensil so the ice maker is not damaged. This will likely resolve the issue. Because the ice may not be completely frozen yet, when the harvest fingers try to harvest the ice cubes, the fingers bring up icy water that attaches to the stripper. This icy water can then freeze on the stripper during the next cycle causing an ice bridge. This ice bridge will cause the harvest fingers to jam.

Does your water filter need to be replaced?

A clogged or incorrectly installed water filter will reduce the water flow to the ice maker and could cause thin, low or no ice production. 

CLICK HERE for additional information on checking the water filter.

To purchase water filters, visit EveryDropWater.com. Their filter selection tool will help you identify the right filter for your refrigerator or icemaker.

Was the water system flushed after filter installation or replacement?

Flush the system is needed every time the filter is changed or once the refrigerator is installed to the water supply line for the first time.  Air in the water system may cause dripping at the dispenser or small/hollow ice cubes. 

CLICK HERE for more information on how to flush the water system.

Check the water supply line

When checking the water supply line, ensure the water supply is properly connected to a cold water supply and the water shutoff valve is fully opened. 

Next, check to make sure there are no kinks in the water supply line. A kink in the line can reduce water flow. Straighten the water source line to restore adequate water flow and pressure. To help reduce the chances of a pinched water line, do not push the refrigerator too far back against the wall or cabinet.

If you would like to download or view product literature for your appliance, please visit our Manuals and Literature page.

For general information visit the "How Ice Makers Work

So your ice maker’s slacking off again and your looking for some payback...well you’ve come to the right place.  On this page you will learn how to whip that lazy ice maker back into shape and have it pumping out cubes faster than a kid in a Rubik tournament!

The Whirlpool & Kitchen Aid in-door ice system is very nice design because it frees up a large amount of space in the freezer compartment and makes important job of dumping old ice much more convenient.  Mechanically, this is a Whirlpool modular ice maker with a few extra trim pieces, different fill tube location, and a set of control boards have replaced the bail arm switch.

One other important note… Whirlpool redesigned the optics portion of this system around 2002 so there are two different diagnostic methods depending on which set of boards are installed in your refrigerator, pre or post 2002 ice maker models.

Common Problem Links | Pre Op | Pre 2002 Diagnostic Tests
Post 2002 Diagnostic Tests | Ice Maker Removal | Ice Maker Test Points
Ice Maker Parts | Dispenser Parts | Dispenser Strip Circuits

Common Problems:

“My Icemaker is not producing Ice.”

“I can’t get any ice to come out of the dispenser.”

“There is a bunch of frost in the dispenser shoot and ice bin.”

“The bottom of my freezer is covered with ice.”

“There are little flakes of stuff in my ice.”

“The Ice bin is one big clump of ice.”

Pre-Op:

First thing is first! Lets not make more work for ourselves than we have to.

 “Work smarter not harder.”
     –some smart guy-

Is the on of switch, located on the right side ice maker control slid to the on position?  An invisible beam of infrared light is sent across the top of the ice bin to detect if the bin is full of ice.  The on/off switch is a slide that will block the beam and stop ice production.

Is the ice bin full? Hmmm.

Could there be grime or frost on ether the emitter or receiver board windows that may block the light beam’s round trip?

Whirlpool Refrigerator Troubleshooting

Ice Maker Optics Diagnostics

Pre 2002 Diagnostic Tests:

Note: The ice bin must be installed on the door to activate the left side flap, ice should not be over the top notches of the bin.  If you don’t get any response from the diagnostic test… wait 5 minutes then unplug the refrigerator for 10 seconds to reset the ice maker control board and try again.

Step 1. Open the freezer door (make sure that the freezer door has been closed for a minimum of 10 seconds prior to opening the door).

Step 2. Activate the door switch 3 times. Push the button in completely for 1 second each time.

Step 3. Close the freezer door for a minimum of 5 seconds for a maximum of 50 seconds.

Results:

-Two flashes repeated once means the ice maker’s optics are blocked or defective.

-A steady on light for 5 seconds means the ice maker’s optics boards are working properly.

-If there is no light try resetting the optics boards as in the note at the top of this section. If there is still no light you may need a new set of optics boards, or the LED light is out.

Boards purchased from this link have a 1 Year Return Policy! No questions asked, installed or not!

Post 2002 Diagnostic Tests:

Note: The ice bin must be installed on the door to activate the left side flap, ice should not be over the top notches of the bin.  If you don’t get any response from the diagnostic test… wait 5 minutes then unplug the refrigerator for 10 seconds to reset the ice maker control board and try again.

Step 1. Open the freezer door and observe the red status light next to the ice maker’s on/off switch.

Result:

You should see two flashes and a one second delay repeating. If there is no light your LED light may be out, you may have pre 2002 boards installed, or the optics boards need to be replaced.

Step 2. Close the left side flapper door and make sure you are not blocking the optics board’s light path.

Result:

The red status light should be steady on. If the light continues to flash, your optics are either blocked in some way or they need to be replaced.

Boards purchased from this link have a 1-year warranty, no questions asked, installed or not!

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