Why Is My Ice Maker Clicking but Not Dumping Ice? Diagnostics

• Inspect ice maker bucket for clumped or frozen ice bridging that blocks the ice sweep arm.
• Feel inside mold cavity with finger (use caution) to check if ice is frozen solid or slushy.
• Check ice shutoff wire bail arm or optical paddle to ensure it drops freely into bin.

• Internal plastic drive gear teeth stripped inside modular ice maker head.
• Mold release heating element failed to warm aluminum tray to release frozen cubes.
• Dual water inlet solenoid valve weeping water, freezing harvest teeth into a solid ice block.

The synchronized timing motor uses nylon gear teeth to rotate the ejector comb. When ice cubes freeze too hard, the drive motor slips past stripped gear teeth, producing a distinct rhythmic plastic clicking sound.

Before the ejector fingers can push ice cubes out of the aluminum mold, a 185-watt calrod mold heater warms the tray to break surface adhesion. If the heater burns out, the plastic ejector fingers stall against frozen ice.

Excess water fill caused by high home water pressure or a dripping inlet valve creates an oversized single slab of ice. The plastic ejector fingers bite into the ice bridge and cannot complete the 360-degree rotation.

Electronic ice makers use an infrared emitter and receiver sensor board to detect ice bin levels. Frosted lenses or failed optical boards signal the motor to continuously cycle while stuck in diagnostic loop.

Weakened secondary DC winding in the main refrigerator control board delivers inadequate current (under 12V DC) to the ice maker motor, preventing harvest torque under load.