Topics:

• What does the ice maker control arm do?
• What does the control arm look like?
• Is it okay to raise and lower the control arm manually?
• Troubleshooting for an ice maker leveling arm stuck in the up position
• Will the ice maker turn off on its own, or must it be manually turned off/on?

Answer:

How the Control Arm Works

The ice maker control arm is designed to sense the level of ice in the ice bin.

• Ice maker control arms should flip up and down easily.
• Once the ice bin is full, the control arm will turn the ice maker off until the ice level is lowered.
  • If the ice maker control arm, connecting rod, or shut-off arm is broken or not installed properly, ice production may stop, or the ice bin may overflow as the ice maker continues to produce ice after the ice bin is already full.

Control Arm Positions

Ice Maker Arm Troubleshooting

• If the ice maker arm is stuck in the up position, it is possible that the ice maker is in a harvest cycle, preventing the arm from lowering manually. It may also indicate that an internal component is broken.
  
• For images of the ice maker arm, refer to the table below.

To troubleshoot an ice maker arm that will not lower:

1. If the arm is locked in the "up" position, firmly press down on the arm to lower it.
   • If the arm will not lower, do not force it, as it could break the arm.
   • Refer to the images below for ice maker arms in different models.
2. Confirm the ice maker is turned on at the control panel. If not, turn the ice maker on.
3. If the ice maker control arm is stuck in the "up" position and there is ice in the ice maker, defrost the freezer. See also, Manually Defrost a Sub-Zero.
4. Turn the home circuit breaker to the unit off for 30 seconds and back on again. Retest the unit operation.
5. If the ice maker arm is broken or cracked, contact a Factory Certified Parts Distributor to order parts. Part numbers can be serial number specific.
6. Reference these additional resources if needed: Ice Maker Control Arm Falls Off and 500 Series and 600 Series Ice Maker Arm Video.
7. If these troubleshooting steps do not resolve the issue, service is necessary to expertly diagnose and repair the product. Contact Factory Certified Service to schedule an appointment for repair.

Images of the Ice Maker Control Arm*

*For models missing from the list, no image is available.

See Sub-Zero Serial Tag Locations if needed to help identify the model.