KSSS48DWX02 KitchenAid Refrigerator - Instructions

I removed the ice maker assembly from the freezer compartment (four nuts/ nut driver) and unplugged the wire harness. I discovered the nature of the problem and I went on the Internet to look for replacement parts expecting I'd have to buy the entire ice maker. When I found PartSelect.com I looked through the pictures of the parts available for my ice maker. I found the correct part quickly and easily. And having an acurate photo on the site, I was able to match all the key features of the mold I had with the one on the screen. I ordered the part, and installed it the day it arrived with just a Phillips screwdriver and a nut driver. It functions perfectly.

The tiny piece of plastic that holds the wire that shuts off the icemaker, broke early on with our fridge (after just a few months.) We superglued it, but last week it bit the dust for good.

Once I got this part, I removed the freezer door and trays, and pulled the icemaker out by removing 3 flathead screws and unplugging the cables. Laying in the freezer on the floor was a bit unconfortable, but not too bad.

Then I inspected the icemaker. There was no obvious way to remove the part without disassembling the front of the unit (where the motor is) to release the spindle and free the part, so I did that - 3 or 4 nuts was all that held it together. Once that was out, I removed the spindle, swapped out the part, and put it all back together and back in the freezer. Plugged it in and waited.

It took a while to start making ice. Like 5 hours. Now it's going pretty slow (much slower than before.) Haven't had time to look into it, but my suspicion is the rubber hose that feeds water into the icemaker is blocked with ice or kinked. In any case, we have ice now (but not a lot), and the unit shuts itself off properly. However, we went from having too much ice (thing never shut off) to too little (thing makes ice too slow), so I need to shoot for somewhere in the middle ;)

1. Turn off water supply to refrigerator.
2. Unscrew water nozzle from dispenser.
3. Remove grill on bottom front of refrigerator.
4. Unscrew tubing at the left side of the union.
5. Unclip tubing from the refrigerator frame.
6. Pull tubing out of the dispenser about 6 inches.
7. Cut off nozzle with scissors.
8. Insert 1/4" diameter x 1" long molly bolt about halfway into end of tubing where it was cut.
9. Insert the remainder of the molly bolt into the end of the new tubing.
10. Pull the old tubing through the bottom of the door.
11. When the new tubing is pulled all the way through the door disconnect from the old tubing. Remove molly bolt if it is in the new tubing.
12. Remove the ferrel from the old tubing and use to attach new tubing to the union.
13. Connect the water nozzle to the dispenser.
14. Insert new tubing into the clips on the refrigerator frame.
15. Re-install grill.
16. Turn on water.

I took out the ice collection box and auger to get access to the three screws holding the ice maker assembly against the left wall of the freezer. You can use a screwdriver or a nut driver. I then unpluged the assembly and wiggled it loose from the water fill tube. I assumed that unplugging the unit would disable the water valve but I put a plastic tub under the fill tube just in case. I studied the assembly on the kitchen table for a few minutes before I disasembled it. After removing a snapon plastick cover I removed three or four screws on the gearbox and was able to pull and wiggle the parts apart. The heater contacts have rubber O rings so you have to be firm pulling the mould out of and into the gearbox mount. Make sure it is fully seated. On reassembly note that the ice kicking arm is notched so it fits into the gearbox only one way and it helps to have it in position when you screw the gearbox back on. I also found the plastic ice guide that fits on top of the mold a little awkward in snaping back together. Make sure its fingers space evenly with the ice kicking arms.

Just removed the old timer and attached the wires to the new one and replaced the old. That simple!

Once I saw the replacement part I understood how to pry out the switch with a small screwdriver. Then just unplug the old one, plug in the new one and pop it into place.

The PartSelect site made it easy to correctly identify the correct part, it was inexpensive, and the shipping was fast.

I'm very pleased!

Removed four screws from ice maker motor/light support.Then unplugged electrical plug from side of freezer.Used two slip joint pliers to remove coupler from motor shaft. installed new coupler to shaft hand tight as will tighten as motor is run.Then reversed tear down order.
Ice dispenser works better than when we first got the refrigerator

removed the three screw holding the broken unit - pulled off the old module.

Before I could install new module I had to loosen some fasteners on ice maker so I could turn shaft to align with new module.

Then push on new unit and three screws. Had tumbling ice in about an hour. My wife thinks I'm a hero. (I am)

shut off water supply behind fridge then released trapped water pressure in the line at the dispenser. Locked off dispenser controls (push button switch). Removed nozzle retaining screw and pulled out nozzle approx. 3 in. to cut off tubing at black pipe so as to use the old pipe as a guide/pull (fish) for the new pipe by joining the end of the new nozzle to the cut and of the old pipe with electrical tape.Then pulled the old pipe from bottom of fridge while simultaneously feeding/pushing new pipe from top. I had to remove lower grate on fridge to access the pipe on bottom. Remaining coupling connection on bottom was done by hand to avoid stripping plastic coupling.

To get the coupler off the motor shaft I took two adjustable wrenches and slit the old coupler where it was cracked.The threads on the motor shaft were stripped closest to the motor.I took two thin washers and put them on the motor shaft so the new coupler would not turn down to where the threads on the motor were sripped.Since the threads on the coupler are left hand they keep the coupler tight as the motor turns the dispenser auger to dispense the ice.I was a bit difficult to unplug the wiring harness but got it after we used a screwdriver to keep the tab bent down until the harness was unplugged.

Turn off water supply line fridge. Removing front panel is a must to allow acces to spout and water line. Be careful not to crack front panel $90, it snaps in from the botton, slide a stiff putty knife along bottom edge and gently pry outward to remove. Remove 2 screws that hold spout in place, then cut water line right behind spout. The tricky part is fishing water line down through door. You need to splice new line to old with double sided screw or something with threads that will prevent the lines from pulling apart, then pull water line from bottom of door by hinge, very tight when pulling through hinge opening. You will need to remove vented dust cover at botton of doors to acces the water line. The line has a threaded coupling so unscrew and drain water then cut new line to length. There is a small metal insert in old line that needs to be removed and inserted into new line before attaching coupler. I could perform this in half the time now that I have done it once.

Initially I removed the cover to the auger and auger drum. Then the split ring locking washer had to be removed. I used a needle-nosed pliers and small screw-driver to pry that off. The auger arm could then be removed, and the auger blades removed. This proved to be the part that required the most patience. The blades need to removed and returned in their exact pattern. Someone else suggested taking a digital picture of them before removing them; this is a good suggestion that I failed to do. Once the blades are returned, all the other parts can be replaced in reverse order. Put the screws back in, and you are finished.

The repair was incredibly easy -
1. Turn off the water at the water line for the fridge
2. Disconnect the pressure fittings for both lines running to the resevoir.
3. Remove the old resevoir
4. Install the new resevoir and run the lines back to the orginal fittings.
5. Reconnect the fittings, turn on water.
6. Drink water!

I ran all the ice maker module tests that I could find online, I tried cleaning the contacts inside the ice maker control module, nothing worked...so I finally decided to purchase a new control module. I had already had the module out and taken apart a few times, so the new one was very easy to install. Just removed the entire icemaker from the fridge, removed a few screws, took off the old module, put on the new one, replaced the screws, re-installed the icemaker in the fridge (it just slides in and out similar to a shelf). And 30 minutes later I heard the first batch of ice cubes drop! And by morning the bucket was nearly full. After two weeks of no ice and trying to fix it myself - the family was glad to have ice again (it was July in NC!). In retrospect, I should have followed the advice I found online and ordered the new part sooner and saved all of those frustrating hours of trying to "fix" the part myself.

the parts sent included two replacement kits which at first was confusing. I determined that I only needed the one with the black tubing for my Kenmore refrig. Turned off water supply and vacuumed up all the dust bunnys behind refrig. Removed bottom grate on refrig where black tubing attaches at the other end. Released water left in tubing at dispenser. I did not have to remove the front panel. Removed one screw attaching the nozzle to the dispenser. Decoupled tubing at the far end, more water came out here too. Pulled out upper end of tubing a couple of inches and snipped off. Attached tubing to new tubing with thin wire (as others here recommended) and had my husband pull at far end while I pushed slowly at the dispenser end. Once through reattached screw at top and recoupled at the bottom. Mission accomplished!