Why is the Automatic Ice Maker Tray Filling With Water?

Considerations

• A small amount of water inside the ice tray is normal. If you see droplets of water on the ice bin walls, inside the ice compartment and on the ice, it's actually a sign that the ice is fresh. When your ice maker prepares ice, the ice is kept just about freezing. As the ice maker cuts ice and drops it into the bin, water trickles in. Unless the water begins pooling inside the bin, there's not a problem.

Uneven

• The front of the refrigerator should be 1/4 inch higher than the rear. If the refrigerator slopes down instead of up, you'll get a leaky ice maker. Manually check if the refrigerator is level by bending down and looking. Pull away the front grille on the refrigerator bottom to expose the feet. Some grilles have screws you'll need to remove first. Turn the feet to raise the refrigerator, using an adjustable wrench.

Additional Causes

• A leaky defroster inside the freezer can fill the ice maker tray with water. Leaks in the ice maker fill tube, or ice maker water line, will cause dripping into the ice maker tray. Before you troubleshoot the unit, turn off the ice maker's water supply, which is typically located under the kitchen sink or in the basement. It's a small saddle valve connected to a 1/4-inch copper line that meets a water valve, like the sink cold water pipe.

Troubleshooting

• Check the freezer's defroster for leaks. To check the water line and fill tube, you'll need to move the refrigerator away from the wall, unplug the machine and unscrew the back panel. With the back off, visually examine the tube passing up to the freezer for beads of water. Run a finger up the tube to feel for moisture. If the tube is wet, you'll need to replace it.