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In this short article, I will guide you on troubleshooting various GE Profile refrigerator ice maker problems… We will see what causes the problems and how you can quickly fix them.
GE Profile refrigerator ice maker troubleshooting
Since there’s no one-does-it-all solution, we shall look at the various problems (plus their solutions) individually.
GE Profile refrigerator ice maker not getting water
The most common culprit for a GE ice maker not getting water is a clogged water filter (select models).
This is because once the filter gets clogged, it’s likely to prevent water from flowing into the ice maker.
Unfortunately, when it comes to refrigerator filters, they are not washable. Instead, they need to be replaced once in a while – GE recommends changing the filter once every 6 months.
So, if you haven’t replaced the filter in your refrigerator, I recommend you install a new quality filter.
Quick tip: If there is construction going on in your area, more sediments might be entering your water system. And, these sediments might clog the filter faster hence you might need to get a new filter before 6 months are over.
The next solution you should try is to straighten any kinks that might be on the water line.
In addition, make sure that the water faucet/saddle valve is fully open.
Another common cause of the refrigerator not getting water is low water pressure. GE recommends that the pressure be at least 20psi (for models with no filter) and at least 45psi (for models with a filter).
Quick tip: Do not increase the water pressure past 120 psi to avoid overfilling/damaging the ice maker.
Now, if all these check out, it could be that the water inlet valve has failed.
But, if you want to be sure before replacing it, you can test it to make sure that it has continuity and that it is getting around 120v AC when the refrigerator is running.
So, if it fails any of these two tests, it means that it’s indeed bad in which case you will need a good replacement inlet valve.
GE Profile refrigerator ice maker not filling with water
More often than not, this is usually due to the refrigerator not getting enough (or any) water. This might be due to problems such as low water pressure, a dirty water filter, twists on the water line, and more.
Having said that, the solutions to this problem are similar to the ones we have just talked about.
So, refer to the section above (GE Profile refrigerator ice maker not getting water).
GE Profile refrigerator ice maker not making ice (GE Profile refrigerator ice maker not working)
According to GE, the most likely culprit when the ice maker is not producing ice is the internal refrigerator temperature.
To be more specific, for ice making to start, the ice maker must first reach a temperature of 16⁰F.
Other than that, the fresh food (fridge) compartment will need to reach a temperature of 37⁰F while the freezer compartment needs to be at least 0⁰F.
So, start by confirming that you have set your refrigerator to these temperatures.
Quick tip: Understocking the freezer might also affect ice production. In general, you should stock it to around ¾ or more. This ensures that the temps remain stable.
The next most likely suspect that I want you to check is the water supply… Of course, the ice maker will not produce ice without a water supply.
But remember, we have already mentioned how to troubleshoot water supply issues. So, be sure to check the section GE Profile refrigerator ice maker not getting water to get an idea of how you can troubleshoot and fix a water supply problem.
More solutions you should try
Next, make sure that the ice maker’s feeler arm is not stuck in the off position.
Usually, this can occur due to clumped ice cubes holding the feeler arm in this position.
To release the filler arm, remove any ice cubes that might be impeding its movement.
Other than that, it is common for GE Profile refrigerators not to make ice if there’s air inside the water line.
But, worry not.
This is because the refrigerator will automatically purge any air that is within the water supply line by cycling several times before it fills with water.
This just means that the ice production process might take longer to commence.
If you have recently installed an IM5D icemaker, it will not make any ice unless you first do the following:
- You attach the icemaker to the ice maker filler cup.
- Plug both electrical connectors (from the ice maker) to the freezer wall.
- Make sure that you have properly installed the water valve and the water line (on the refrigerator’s back).
Once successful, Ice Bottom ON will be displayed on the control panel
Now, if the ice maker is still not making any ice, it’s likely that the ice maker has been turned off.
Fortunately, you can follow the steps below to know how to turn the ice maker on and off.
How do I turn on/off the ice maker on my GE profile refrigerator?
GE refrigerators have a dedicated On/Off button on their ice makers.
However, this button will vary slightly depending on the model as shown:
So, depending on your ice maker model, check and make sure that the button is in the ON position.
Quick tip: Refrigerators and ice makers are typically shipped with the power setting in the off position. So, if your brand-new ice maker is not making ice, the first thing you should do is set the button to the ON position.
Other than the On/Off switch, some GE refrigerators have the option to turn the ice maker on and off from the control panel.
This means that you should also make sure that you have turned your ice maker on at the control panel – below are the steps to do so:
- If your model has a Cap Touch control panel with an Ice Button, press and hold the Ice Button for 3 seconds. This will toggle the ice maker on/off and this status will be shown on the refrigerator display.
Similarly, if your Cap Touch control has an Ice Maker button instead of the Ice button, you can toggle the ice maker on and off by pressing this Ice Maker button and choosing your desired option.
- For non-ice dispense models, open the left refrigerator door and look for the light indicator to the left of the words Ice Maker. Now, to toggle the ice maker on/off, touch and hold the Ice Maker pad till your desired option is displayed.
- On GE refrigerators with LCD touch screens (Cafe models), touch Settings and then press the right arrow till you reach the Ice Maker Now, touch the Ice Maker option to choose your desired settings – in this case, On.
GE Profile refrigerator ice dispenser not working (ice maker not dispensing ice)
Often, this is usually due to an ice cube being stuck in the ice chute.
Fortunately, you can quickly fix this by pressing the ice dispenser lever (while holding a glass beneath it) and pouring warm water inside the ice chute… The warm water will melt any ice that might be clogging the chute.
Another common cause for the ice dispenser not to dispense is if the ice cubes are clumped together since they will be too big to go through the ice chute.
You can tell if this is the case by inspecting the ice cubes in the ice bin.
If they are clumped together, discard them and let the ice maker produce new ice cubes.
Another likely suspect you should check is the control lock (child lock) option. Has it been activated?
Here’s the thing: Activating it prevents the ice and water dispenser from running.
The good news is that you can easily tell if the control lock has been activated by looking at the lock pad… When the control lock is activated, the lock indicator light will be on as here:
Now, to deactivate the control lock on your GE refrigerator, press and hold the Lock button for 3 seconds.
Additional troubleshooting steps worth trying
If none of these solutions seem to work, high chances are that the auger motor is failing.
As a result, the motor won’t turn the auger that pushes the ice cubes through the chute.
To tell if the motor is good/bad, you will need to first take out the ice maker and disassemble it to get access to the motor.
Once you have removed the motor, proceed to test it for resistance… You will know the motor is good if it has a resistance of 5 to 20 ohms through its terminals.
So, if you are getting a resistance reading that is out of this range, you just found the culprit for your ice maker not dispensing ice. Here, your solution will be ordering a new OEM motor to swap with the faulty one.
However, if the motor is good, the remaining suspect is the dispenser switch – a faulty switch will not activate to open the dispenser.
Fortunately, you can still buy a replacement switch to fix your ice dispenser.
GE Profile refrigerator ice maker troubleshooting – wrapping it up
If you have just installed the icemaker (or the refrigerator), give it at least 24 hours for it to get cold enough to start normal ice production.
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