KUIS185JPB3 KitchenAid Ice Maker - Instructions

The repair was simple. Unplug the refrigerator, unplug the power connector from the fan and remove 3 screws. I removed the fan blade clip with the pliers and cleaned it off. Reversed the process, cleaned all the dust out with my shop vac and all works perfectly now. It took longer to pull the fridge out of it's normal position than to perform the repair. Every day it continues to work is one more day I don't spend $2000 or more on a replacement.

I undid the bottom screws off the bottom front of the ice machine under the door... Knowing the water valve was at the front it made it super easy to get to and I didn't have to pull the machine out from under the counter etc. Turned off the water supply at the wall, disconnected that line at the valve, removed the line from the valve to the water reservoir. Unscrewed two screws that held it to the machine wall and put the new valve in, reconnected both lines and voila! Done! Running like its never run before. I filled up that reservoir for weeks by hand many times a day so the satisfaction is huge to have saved a fortune by fixing it myself! And I'm female which makes it even more satisfying. A monkey could put this part in. Anything a man can fix, I can fix too! Ha!

This causes more than one problem. When the system does not get enough water it makes thin ice. When the ice is thin it does not have the mass to slide down on to the cutting grid and stops about half way down. When the pump starts running again, the water hits the ice sheet that did not make it to the grid and water goes all over the place thus emptying the reservoir then it makes no ice. Water was entering very slowly into the reservoir with very little pressure. Changed the water valve and now pressure is higher and fills the reservoir completely enough to flush the reservoir as it is supposed to do. Works great and makes plenty of ice now. Just take the front bottom cover off by the 4 screws holding it on and look to the left and you will see the water valve. Get the vacuum cleaner and clean the condenser coils while you have it open.

It was easy to remove the old grid and replace it with a new one.

Fan was barely rotating. So unplugged, removed back cover, removed fan and motor from frame work. Removed fan blade from motor shaft. Spun motor shaft which seemed fine. Pryed off back cover of motor to find a large but dry felt washer and a helical capillery slot formed into the motor shaft for carring oil from felt washer to the bearings. Added 30 wt motor oil and some 3in1 oil to felt and reassembled motor, fan and frame work. Plugged in power chord after getting rid of dust and dog hear on coils and is working like new.