Stop 7 of 14 Into the ice maker
The Harvest Motor and Ejector Blades
| Blamed | Found |
|---|---|
| The motor, because of a grinding sound at harvest | A cube frozen across the mold or jammed at the fill cup, so the ejector meets ice it cannot push past. |
| The whole ice maker, because it stops part-way | A container not sitting level and fully back on its rails. |
| The ejector, because no cubes ever arrive | No water reaching the mold, so there is nothing to sweep out. |
When the complaint is an ice maker that grinds, clicks over and over, or stops with cubes half out of the mold, what we usually find is something in the ejector's way: a cube frozen across the mold edge, ice packed at the fill cup, a container short of its rails. Less often the drive itself has worn out. Sub-Zero Repair Bothell clears the path before judging the motor, (206) 202-2799.
- Harvest motor and ejector, in one line
- The small motor and drive gear inside the ice maker that turn the ejector, sweeping each frozen batch out of the mold and into the container. Sub-Zero Repair Bothell tests it only once the path is clear.
- Filed
- Written by
- Marta Fennimore
- Works on
- ice systems and water supply
- Years at it
- 12
- Holds
- EPA 608 certified
Why the drive is rarely the first suspect
Once the water has frozen, the ejector turns through the mold and sweeps the batch over the edge, so it pushes against whatever sits there. A cube frozen across the edge, a lump at the fill cup, or a container proud of its rails will stop it, and each sounds much like a worn motor. So we clear the assembly, seat the container and allow a full cycle before judging the drive.
When the drive is the fault
With the path clear and water arriving, a drive that hums without turning, halts part-way every cycle, or leaves broken cubes is the part. Whether the repair is the drive alone or the ice maker it belongs to depends on the model, and you hear which before any work starts.
Check it yourself, or call
| Check | Who | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Ice maker off, then jammed cubes lifted out by hand | You | Sub-Zero asks for it switched off before you look in. |
| Container level and pushed all the way home | You | One of the first things Sub-Zero asks owners to rule out. |
| Drive cycled on purpose and watched for a stall | Technician | A deliberate test cycle; not an owner job. |
| Anything behind a panel, and any wiring | Technician | Stop there and call Sub-Zero Repair Bothell on (206) 202-2799. |
What it costs
- Ice maker, water valve or supply line $290–$820
Parts and labour, as a range: the part your model takes and the work to reach it settle where inside it the job falls, and you get that one figure before anything is done. $89 gets a technician to the unit and pays for finding the fault; agree to the repair and that $89 is taken back off its price.
Questions about the harvest motor and ejector
- What does a normal Sub-Zero harvest sound like?
- Cubes falling into the container, followed a moment later by water as the valve refills the mold. Sub-Zero describes both sounds as part of normal operation. A grinding noise, a click that keeps repeating, or silence with cubes stuck half out are not normal, and Sub-Zero Repair Bothell on (206) 202-2799 can find which part is responsible.
- How often should a Sub-Zero ice maker harvest?
- For its in-unit ice makers Sub-Zero gives eight cubes a batch every two to three hours, which it publishes as 64 to 96 cubes a day. Frequent door openings and a warm room lengthen the gap. A cold freezer and a whole day with no drop is worth having looked at.
Where this repair is filed
- Repair Sub-Zero Ice Maker Repair in Bothell
- What it costs Ice maker module replacement
