How to Troubleshoot Ice Maker Issues in a Bosch 800 Series Refrigerator

ID: 221462

Description: [youtubevideo|WMOqt9HJ3XA]Use this guide to...

Steps:

Confirm that the refrigerator is a Bosch 800 Series with the ice maker mounted in the freezer.
Use this full ice-maker procedure for Bosch 800 Series three-door and four-door refrigerators.
Some older 800 Series models are similar, but check for small layout differences before forcing any parts.
Use only the water-valve portions of this guide on Bosch 500 Series models, because those refrigerators use an in-door ice maker.
The Bosch 500 and 800 Series use the same water valve for the ice maker and the water dispenser.
Gather the listed tools before working inside the freezer or refrigerator compartments.
Unplug the refrigerator before removing drawers, covers, connectors, the ice maker, or the water valve.
Reconnect power only for tests that require it.
Live-voltage testing can shock you, so skip those checks unless you are comfortable using a multimeter around energized appliance wiring.
Shut off the water supply before disconnecting any water line.
Keep towels and a bucket nearby because water lines can drip or spray.
Use a step ladder if you cannot comfortably reach the refrigerator top cover.
Test the indoor water dispenser, if this refrigerator has one.
If water flows, the incoming water supply and filter housing are likely working.
If water flows from the dispenser, skip ahead to the freezer-temperature and ice-maker checks.
If no water flows, inspect the supply and filter before disassembling the ice maker.
Pull the refrigerator forward enough to reach the rear water connection.
Turn off the wall water valve.
Disconnect the refrigerator supply line with a crescent wrench or slip-joint wrench.
Place the line in a bucket and turn the wall valve on briefly.
If no water flows, the home plumbing supply needs service before the refrigerator can make ice.
If water flows normally, turn the water back off and reconnect the supply line.
Pull the recess at the bottom of the filter cover and swing the cover aside.
Twist the water filter one-quarter turn counterclockwise and remove it.
Inspect the filter and housing for debris, ice, or other blockage.
Replace the filter if it has been installed for about a year or longer.
A blocked or frozen filter would usually affect both the dispenser and the ice maker.
Place a temperature gauge in the freezer and check the temperature during normal operation.
The ice maker will not run unless the freezer stays at or below 10 °F or -12 °C.
A freezer temperature of 24 °F is too warm for ice production.
If the freezer is too warm, check for proper clearance at the top, rear, and sides of the refrigerator.
Make sure air can flow to the compressor.
Inspect the rear evaporator panel for heavy ice buildup that could point to a defrost problem.
Fix cooling problems before replacing the ice maker.
Make sure the refrigerator is on, responsive, fitted with the water filter, and connected to an open water supply.
Open the ice-maker flap and locate the front control area.
Identify the left power button, the green LED, and the recessed test button on the right.
The green LED should stay on during normal ice-maker operation.
If the LED is off, press the left button for less than three seconds.
If the LED still does not turn solid green, suspect a failed ice maker or a control-board problem.
Place a tray under the ice maker to catch water or dumped ice.
Press the recessed right test button for less than three seconds using a flathead screwdriver or T20 Torx bit.
The tray should rotate, flex, dump ice or water, return home, and then trigger the water valve to refill.
If the tray cycles and fills, focus on warm-freezer conditions or temperature-sensing problems.
If the tray will not twist or refill, replace the ice maker or inspect the detection arm for ice that makes the bin look full.
If the valve tries to fill but no water reaches the tray, inspect the fill tube or nozzle for ice blockage.
Unplug the refrigerator if it is still powered.
Remove the freezer drawers to clear the work area.
Lift the middle ice drawer straight up at the front near the freezer door.
Pull the large white lower drawer front up and out.
Pull the two white clips on each side of the freezer door up and away from the door.
Lift the door from the front bottom and pivot it up and away from the rails.
The door is heavy, so keep a firm grip while lifting it free.
On four-door models, unplug the harness on the right underside of the drawer before removing it.
Remove the screw pointing straight up on the left side of the ice-maker housing with a T20 Torx screwdriver.
Pull the flap cover from the left side of the housing to expose the full front of the ice maker.
A narrow screwdriver, long T20 driver, or T20 bit with a long extension helps because the clearance is tight.
Insert a flathead screwdriver into the top-right corner of the ice maker and press the retainer downward.
Hold the retainer down and pull the ice maker forward to release it from the housing.
Press the tab on the bottom of the black wire harness on the left side and unplug the harness.
Pull the ice maker out for inspection or replacement.
Insert the Bosch ice-maker removal tool into one small rectangular slot on the upper housing.
Press the tool downward while pushing the upper housing rearward, not the lower ice-maker body.
Release the slot on the other side the same way.
One side may release before the other.
Slide the housing fully rearward and snake the wire harness through it.
Save and reuse the upper housing with the replacement ice maker.
The Bosch ice-maker removal tool is separate from the replacement ice maker.
Thread the wire harness through the upper housing.
Seat the housing on top of the replacement ice maker.
Pull the housing forward until it locks onto the hooks.
You do not need the removal tool to lock the housing onto the new ice maker.
A flathead screwdriver can work in a pinch for removal, but the Bosch tool is easier.
Disconnect the small wire harness from the ice-maker fill nozzle.
Press the retaining tab on the left side and pull the nozzle out.
Set a multimeter to ohms and test the nozzle heater.
The nozzle heater should read about 76 ohms.
Replace the nozzle if the reading is far above or below 76 ohms, because the heater may not prevent icing.
Disconnect the supply hose from the back of the nozzle if you need to replace the full nozzle assembly.
Press the nozzle back into the housing until it clips in, then reconnect the harness.
Plug the black wire harness into the ice maker and route it into the slot.
Fit the rear of the ice maker over the rear support peg.
Pivot the front of the ice maker up into the housing so it rests on the two front pegs.
The top protrusion should sit between the upper housing and the ice maker like a sandwich.
Verify that all three pegs are seated and the ice maker is secure.
Hook the right side of the flap behind the right housing rail.
Press the flap onto the top of the ice maker.
Reinstall the vertical screw on the left side with a T20 Torx screwdriver.
Pivot the rear door hooks into the rail assemblies.
Drop the front retaining pegs into place.
Spread the freezer drawer rails slightly if the metal rails flex and the pegs will not drop in.
Reinstall the four white clips, two on each side.
Reconnect the right underside harness on four-door models if you unplugged it.
Reinstall the freezer drawers.
Move on to the water valve only if the ice-maker test does not click or trigger a fill.
Inspect the water valve if both the indoor water dispenser and the ice maker fail after the supply and filter checks.
Remove the refrigerator shelves, pantry drawers, and chef’s pantry by lifting each piece up and out.
Water-filter problems can cause similar symptoms, but they are less likely if the filter already checked out.
Use a flathead screwdriver or 90-degree hook to remove the gray tabs at the top of the rear evaporator panel.
Remove the two screws behind the gray tabs with a T20 Torx screwdriver.
Remove the glass panel from the chef’s-pantry area.
Remove the two screws hidden behind that glass panel with a T20 Torx screwdriver.
Pull the recess on the plastic filter cover forward and down.
Use a long T20 driver or T20 bit with an extension to remove the two filter-cover screws.
Remove the plastic filter-cover facade.
Use a flathead screwdriver or dental pick to pry the rear metal cover loose.
Release the plastic tabs around the outer edges and along the center shelf column.
Pull the cover slowly while working the middle six to eight tabs free.
Remove the cover completely.
No wires are attached to this cover.
Remove the small plastic C-clips from the water-valve ports.
Press the gray retainer into the valve with a flathead screwdriver or needle nose pliers.
Pull the hose out while the retainer is depressed.
The hoses can be very stiff, so use repeated gentle pulls instead of yanking.
Use the permanent-marker depth marks on the hoses during reinstallation.
The blue line goes to the water tank and indoor dispenser, not the ice maker.
The white outgoing line feeds the ice-maker nozzle.
Disconnect the white outgoing line from the water valve with the ice maker removed.
Flush hot water through the line toward the nozzle.
Confirm that water exits through the nozzle opening.
If water cannot pass, ice is blocking the line or nozzle.
Replace the nozzle if the blockage returns after flushing.
If flushing clears the blockage and it does not return, the problem may have been a random ice jam.
Reconnect the white outgoing line after the flush test.
Locate the single Torx screw holding the water valve to the interior wall.
Remove all three water lines from the valve before replacing it.
Remove the remaining Torx screw holding the filter assembly if you need more room.
The valve harness cannot be unplugged from inside the compartment, so you must remove the refrigerator top cover to reach it.
Remove the four front top screws with a T20 Torx screwdriver, including the hinge-cover and top-panel screws.
Press the two rear retaining tabs on each hinge cover with a flathead screwdriver or dental pick.
Open the doors slightly as needed and lift off both hinge covers.
Remove the left and right rear top screws with a Phillips screwdriver.
Leave the right-side grounding screw installed.
Pull the top cover slightly forward and then lift it off.
Note the front folds and catches so reassembly goes smoothly.
At the rear top above the water valve, remove the two dense foam layers with a flathead screwdriver or dental pick.
Do not damage the two water lines or the valve harness while removing the foam.
Lift the tape covering the valve harness and press the harness sides to disconnect it.
Set the multimeter to ohms.
Test the valve coil pairs from left to middle-left and from right to middle-right.
Both coils should match and read about 410 to 416 ohms, plus or minus 10%.
Replace the water valve if the coil readings are far outside that range or do not match each other.
Disconnect the valve harness and all three water lines.
Remove the screw holding the valve to the wall with a T20 Torx screwdriver.
Pull the valve and coil assembly out from inside the compartment.
Install the new water valve in the same orientation and secure it with the screw.
Push each hose into its matching port until the permanent-marker depth line aligns.
Reinstall the plastic C-clips on the valve ports.
Suspect the ice maker or water valve first, because they are the most common failures.
Frozen water lines can also stop water from reaching the ice maker.
If the ice maker, water valve, nozzle, freezer temperature, and water lines all test good, suspect a board issue.
Board failure is rare compared with an ice-maker or water-valve failure.
On the rear control board, Bosch ice-maker power can be checked at pin 3 and pin 11.
Perform this live-voltage test only if you can do it safely with the refrigerator energized.
Remove the rear power cover by unplugging the refrigerator cord from the cover, removing the cover, and plugging the refrigerator back in for testing.
Confirm that the ice-maker green light is on or has been turned on.
Set the multimeter to AC voltage at the small power board where power enters the refrigerator.
Remove the only two-wire harness on that board, which may use brown and blue wires.
Test between the two board contacts for 120 volts AC.
If 120 volts AC is present, the board is supplying power to the ice-maker harness.
If 120 volts AC is missing, replace the small power board rather than the main board.
Reconnect the valve harness and any valve hoses you removed.
Reinstall the two foam pieces above the valve.
Align the foam cutouts with the water lines and valve wire trunk, then press the foam flush with the refrigerator top.
Reapply the original tape or painter’s tape over the valve harness.
Slide the top cover back into place, aligning the front folds and catches.
Reinstall the hinge covers, opening the doors as needed to seat the rear clips.
Reinstall the smaller hinge screws and larger top-housing screws with a T20 Torx screwdriver.
Reinstall the two rear top screws with a Phillips screwdriver.
Set the rear metal panel into the bottom lip and press it toward the rear of the cabinet.
Use a flathead screwdriver to press tabs in while applying gentle pressure, especially along the middle column.
Make sure the panel edges are flush and the small perimeter tabs are seated.
Reinstall the four rear-panel screws with a T20 Torx screwdriver.
Reinstall the water-filter cover.
Starting the two filter-cover screws in the cover and using a long extension can make installation easier.
Reinstall the refrigerator shelves, drawers, and chef’s pantry.
Turn the wall water supply back on.
Check the rear supply connection and every disconnected hose for leaks before pushing the refrigerator back.
Plug the refrigerator back in if it was unplugged.
Run the ice-maker test cycle and confirm that the tray rotates, returns home, and fills with water.
Push the refrigerator back only after the leak check passes.

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