Fridge Stuck On Crushed Ice? 8 Steps To Get Ice Cubes Back

Are you trying to stop your fridge from dispensing only crushed ice?

Don’t worry, I’ve been there too. I know how annoying it can be to have this happen. After all, ice makers should make our lives easier, not the opposite.

But the good news is that if you have a spare 10 minutes and aren’t afraid to roll up your sleeves, then you’ve come to the right place to get this issue fixed.

If your fridge is stuck on crushed ice, make sure the “cubed ice” mode is selected, turn off the child lock, and check for any blockages. You can also try checking the solenoid, making sure the ice bin is properly installed, adjusting the temperature, leveling your fridge, and resetting it.

Read on to get ice cubes back!

How to Stop Your Fridge From Dispensing Only Crushed Ice? 8 Steps

Unfortunately, there are multiple reasons why your ice maker is dispensing crushed ice instead of ice cubes.

The good news is that, in this article, you’ll learn 8 different ways to solve the issue.

#1 Make Sure “Cubed Ice” Is Selected

Before doing anything else, you’ll need to make sure the “Cubed Ice” mode is selected.

I know this may sound too obvious, but if you live with more people, chances are someone else changed the ice settings.

Please make sure the “Cubed Ice” light (or button) is turned on. If it is, please select “Crushed Ice”, then tap on “Cubed Ice” again. Sometimes doing this is enough to get things back to normal.

Bear in mind that it is normal to get a slight amount of crushed ice while dispensing cubed ice, especially if “Crushed Ice” was previously selected.

#2 Turn Off the Child Lock

If your fridge is stuck on “Crushed Ice” and you can’t switch to “Cubed Ice” mode, there’s a good chance the child lock is enabled.

You see, this lock will keep you or your kids from accidentally pressing any button and changing the settings.

The process of turning off the child lock may vary depending on your fridge’s model, but more often than not, you’ll be able to do it by pressing the “Ice Off” or “Child Lock” button for three seconds.

Please check your manual for detailed instructions.

#3 Check for Any Blockages

If your fridge is dispensing crushed ice even though you press the “Cubed Ice” button, the dispenser chute might be blocked.

You see, sometimes ice can get stuck on it and force it to stay in the crushed position. Luckily, there’s an easy way to solve the issue.

You’ll just need to:

1. Remove the ice container by pulling it towards you. Don’t forget to check your manual before doing this.
2. Empty the ice into a different container and put it in the freezer.
3. Turn the ice bucket upside down and check the discharge area and lever.
4. Run hot water through the ice bucket to melt any stuck ice. Then, use paper towels to dry the ice container.
5. Put the ice that you previously stored in the freezer back in the tray.
6. Put the ice bin back in place.
7. Press the “cubed ice” button and check if the issue was solved.

Once you’ve completed the steps above, please press the “cubed ice” button again to check if the issue was solved.

#4 Check the Solenoid

As you might’ve noticed, your ice tray has a metal rod that acts as a lever. This lever goes into a plastic piece that is connected to the solenoid (it is located inside your refrigerator and looks like a square).

The solenoid is responsible for actuating the lever, so it opens a trap door that allows the ice to fall out instead of getting crushed.

Unfortunately, if the solenoid is stuck in the up position, your fridge will continue to crush your ice. To solve this issue, try pressing down the bar in the open square.

You can also use a small piece of thick wood to mechanically hold the bar in the correct position.

But, if there’s an ice cube stuck, you’ll need to carefully remove it with some pliers.

#5 Make Sure the Ice Bin Is Properly Installed

If your ice bin was recently removed and not properly reinstalled, your ice maker won’t work correctly, and you may end up with crushed ice even when you don’t want to.

To rule out this as our possible culprit, please follow these simple instructions:

1. Remove the ice bin. This process may vary depending on your fridge’s model, but you can normally do it by inserting your fingers into the opening at the base of the bin and gently pulling it straight out.
2. Put the ice bin back in place. Try pushing it down to make sure it is firmly in place. You may hear a click when the ice maker goes into place.

Once you’ve done that, please press the “Cubed Ice” button again.

#6 Adjust the Temperature

Now, it’s time for us to make sure your appliance is set to the correct temperature.

You see, ice cubes can easily shatter or break apart if your freezer is too cold or too warm.

To check your freezer’s temperature, try placing a thermometer in ice cream that has been in the freezer for at least 12 hours.

According to the FDA, your freezer should be set to 0 °F (ca. -18 °C). So, if your freezer is too cold or too warm, you’ll need to safely adjust the temperature.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Locate the temperature control. It is usually located inside your freezer, but please check your manual, since some models have a single dial that controls both, the refrigerator and the freezer.
2. Change the setting one increment (or decrement) at a time, and wait 24 hours for the temperature change to take effect.
3. Check your freezer’s temperature again with a thermostat. Remember to let it sit for 24 hours before making an additional temperature change (if needed).

#7 Level Your Fridge

If your refrigerator is not level, your ice maker’s mechanism can be affected. This could explain why it is stuck in crushed mode.

To check if your fridge is level, please use a spirit level. If you don’t have one, try borrowing it from a friend.

Then, please follow this quick guide:

1. Place the level inside the fridge.
2. If the bubble isn’t centered, remove the plastic kick plate at the bottom of your fridge.
3. Locate the leveling legs or adjustable rollers (they’re located behind the grille).
4. If your fridge has leveling legs, use a wrench to level it. But, if your fridge has adjustable rollers, you’ll need a screwdriver instead.
5. To raise your fridge, turn the wrench to the left. But, if you want to lower it, turn the wrench to the right.
6. Place the level inside your fridge and measure again to make sure your fridge is level.

#8 Reset Your Ice Maker or Fridge

If your fridge is still stuck in “Crushed Ice” mode, you might want to keep reading.

As you may already know, modern refrigerators require computer chips to operate. Unfortunately, this is the reason they can be vulnerable to bugs and can easily glitch.

But, just like with a computer, resetting your ice maker will help you get rid of most electrical malfunctions that were keeping it from dispensing ice cubes.

The process of resetting your ice maker may vary depending on your fridge’s model. But more often than not, you’ll be able to do it by following these simple steps:

1. Adjust the metal rod on the side of the ice maker to make sure it’s not stuck. You should be able to push the arm down.
2. Remove the ice bucket and locate the reset button. Then, press it for three seconds.

If your ice maker doesn’t have a reset button, please reset your refrigerator. Remember that this process can vary depending on your fridge’s model, so you’ll need to check your manual.

For example, if you have a Samsung fridge, you can perform a software reset by going to Settings<About<RESET. Or, you can also press and hold the “power freeze” and “power cool” buttons at the same time for five seconds.

You can perform a hard reset in most fridges by unplugging them from the power source, waiting for 10 minutes, and plugging them back in.

Once you’ve completed the steps above, try using the ice maker again.

Finding Your Fridge’s Manual

Although the tips provided in this guide apply to most refrigerators, I strongly recommend checking your manual.

This way, the process of adjusting the temperature, resetting your appliance, or disabling the child lock will be much easier.

If you can’t find your manual, please search for a label inside your refrigerator. This label includes the model number.

Then, search for this number and your fridge’s brand on Google. For example, if you have a Bosch fridge, search for “Bosch [model number] Refrigerator Manual PDF”.

I recommend downloading the manual, so you can easily access it.

Conclusion

That about covers it!

Remember, if your fridge is stuck in “Crushed Ice” mode, you’ll need to make sure “Cubed Ice” is selected, disable the child lock, adjust the temperature, and check the solenoid.

Don’t forget to check for any blockages, level your refrigerator, and reset your ice maker.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this article. If you found it helpful, please check out our related posts below.

Have a wonderful day!