HomeFixClues

Refrigerator

Samsung Ice Maker Not Working: Test Button and Reset

Last updated

The button is not a universal reset. This refrigerator ice-maker guide covers the checks shared across brands; the Samsung test is for identifying what happens during a supported model’s cycle.

Identify the correct maker

On the design described in Samsung’s reset page, both ice makers sit in the lower-left part of the freezer near the top. Ice Bites is on the right and the cube maker is on the left. Each has a separate Test button. Samsung says to reach underneath the maker, below the grille and above the ice bucket. Do not press a button on a different maker and assume it tested both.

If your layout differs, stop and use the manual for the model number. The cited page does not give instructions for every Samsung refrigerator layout. The two makers have separate test buttons and need separate presses when the model has both.

Read the tone before doing anything else

What happens What Samsung says Next step
One tone The maker passes the described test. Let the cycle finish and observe whether it fills and ejects.
Several tones The reset page says the maker needs service. Stop repeating the test and arrange model-specific service.
No tone The troubleshooting page says to use its reset sequence. Follow the model page once; stop if there is still no tone.

Samsung’s two pages are not identical. The reset page describes one tone as a pass and multiple tones as a reason to call. The ice troubleshooting page says to hold Test until a tone, up to 10 seconds; if none sounds, unplug the refrigerator for two minutes, then wait for the fresh-food compartment to cool for about six minutes and the freezer for about 30 seconds before the next test. At the end, the valve adds water. Do not combine these directions if the model manual differs.

Samsung does not provide a separate test time on its reset page. Do not invent a countdown. Follow the sequence only for a model the source covers and note which maker you tested and what tone you heard.

Samsung’s full no-ice sequence, and where the test fits

The test button is step five of eight in Samsung’s own no-ice article. Running it before steps one to four is the most common mistake, because a maker that is switched off, packed against a scoop holder or sitting in a warm freezer will not pass any test. This is the order Samsung gives.

  1. Check the freezer temperature. Samsung says the freezer must reach 0°F or lower to make ice, even when the maker sits in the refrigerator compartment. If you set it above 0°F, set it to 0°F or lower, turn on Power Freeze and wait three hours before checking again. If it still is not cold enough, fix the cooling first, using the Samsung refrigerator cooling guide.
  2. Make sure the maker is sealed. A refrigerator-compartment maker needs its bucket fully seated and locked, and a freezer maker needs the freezer door to close correctly. Frost in the freezer or on the bucket should be fixed first.
  3. Turn the maker on. Ice production needs the Ice Off light to be off. Top-freezer models should keep the Ice On icon lit, and Family Hub or SmartThings models use their apps. On dual ice makers, tap the button until neither icon is lit.
  4. Empty the bucket of everything but ice. A scoop or food in the bucket can make the maker think it is full. On dual cubed and Ice Bites models, insert the bucket in the correct direction, because a scoop holder that blocks the maker stops production; the holder goes at the front of the freezer, and the word “REAR” on it does not indicate its position.
  5. Reset with the Test button. Hold Test until you hear a chime, which can take up to 10 seconds. With no chime, power cycle the refrigerator for two minutes and try again. An error code after the power cycle means checking the error-code guide, and no chime with no movement or sound means requesting service.
  6. Watch the test. Samsung says the test takes about six minutes for a refrigerator-compartment maker and about 30 seconds for a freezer maker, and at the end the water valve should hum and pour water. If water came out, skip ahead to step seven.
  7. Wait for production. Normal production should start within three hours, and full output can take up to 24 hours, about two trays every three hours. Dispense ice occasionally, since ice piling up at one end can make the maker stop.
  8. Request service if there is still no ice after three hours.

If you have an RS27T or RS22T model that has never worked since installation, Samsung says cross-connected water lines stop both dispensing and ice, so check the two lines.

The water-pressure check Samsung wants before any service

If the test produces no water, Samsung moves to pressure, and it matters because a low-pressure house can look exactly like a broken maker. The minimum required pressure is 20 psi. On dispenser models, fill a measuring cup: you should get 6 ounces (three quarters of a cup) in under 10 seconds. If no water comes out, check the water line connection. Then remove the filter and retry: if it passes only without the filter, or still fails with a new filter, the pressure is too low. Samsung says an old filter should be replaced with a Samsung-brand one, that filters are rated for about 300 gallons or roughly six months, and that all models need the home’s water supply valve fully open first. If there is no dispenser or filter, a reverse osmosis system can reduce pressure and a plumber can help. If the maker has never worked since the water line was adjusted, confirm 20 psi with a plumber before any further troubleshooting.

The dispenser-side checks, such as a slow or empty glass, are covered in the water dispenser guide.

When the ice is present but wrong

Samsung’s Canadian page on ice quality explains four symptoms that people mistake for a failed maker:

  • Cloudy ice. Rapid freezing traps small amounts of minerals, oxygen and nitrogen, which makes cubes look white and foggy. Samsung says no fix is needed, the minerals are not harmful and it is more common in hard-water areas.
  • Small or shattered ice. Low water pressure means the maker does not receive enough water before freezing. The page gives the same 20 psi minimum and the 10-second, three-quarter-cup test. Open the supply valve fully, make sure the line is not pinched or kinked, remove the filter on dispenser models and replace it if pressure improves, and contact a plumber if the ice is still small with a new filter.
  • Dirty ice. Dark particles or flecks can come from an expired or damaged filter, dirt in the water supply after recent line work, or a damaged ice bucket. Flush a few gallons through the line, inspect the maker for visible damage and replace the filter; if the ice is still dirty, contact Samsung. The page applies to refrigerators sold in Canada.
  • Clumped ice. Ice that is not dispensed regularly clumps and can jam the chute and trick the maker into thinking the bucket is full. Samsung’s fix is to empty the bucket every other week.

Samsung’s no-ice article ends with warnings that apply to the test too. Do not defrost the ice maker, because Samsung says this may damage it; the maker has automatic defrost, and if that is not working it needs service. Do not force a stuck bucket or use a hair dryer. A white wire in a freezer bucket block, or a sheet of ice over the maker, should be reported to service; for connected smart refrigerators a SmartThings firmware update may help.

Stop before a tray overflows

Samsung warns not to press Test repeatedly once the tray is full of ice or water. Repeating it can overflow water or jam ice. If the tray is full, stop the test. Do not pry the bucket, remove the maker or reach into a mechanism to force it to turn.

The test is not permission to thaw the unit with heat. Samsung’s cited instructions do not tell owners to defrost the ice maker, and forcing a bucket can damage it. If the maker is frozen in place, the display shows an error, or the test returns several tones, arrange service.

What the test can tell you

A tone gives you a result for that maker’s test. It does not prove every part of the refrigerator’s water path is healthy or identify why ice is not reaching the bucket. If the dispenser also has weak flow, use the water-supply checks in the hub. If the dispenser works but the maker stays empty, tell the technician which maker was tested and whether the test produced a tone or water.

For the broader brand-specific diagnosis, see Samsung refrigerator ice-maker troubleshooting. If the unit makes ice but does not dispense it, the problem is different from an empty tray; report the distinction instead of replacing a part based on the test alone.

When to call

Call if multiple tones repeat, no tone follows the model’s documented reset, water spills, a tray jams, or the maker needs removal. Keep the model number, the side of the freezer where the maker sits, and the result for each test button. Those details help Samsung support identify the correct instructions.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Samsung ice maker test button?

Samsung places the cube and Ice Bites makers in the lower-left freezer area on the cited design. The test button is underneath each maker, below its grille and above the bucket.

How long do I hold the Samsung ice maker test button?

One Samsung page says to hold Test until a tone, up to 10 seconds. The reset page describes a tone after pressing the button but does not give a hold time.

Can I press the Samsung ice maker test button more than once?

Samsung warns not to repeat the test after the tray fills with ice or water because water can overflow or ice can jam. Stop and follow the model instructions.

Sources