We purchased a Samsung refrigerator and have had constant problems with the ice maker. We had it replaced (when still under warranty) in December of 2022, so that did not cost anything. Then we had to have it replaced again in March of 2024. That cost us $177. Now it is broken again. I don't understand how they have an ice maker that the part breaks every 1.5-2 years. It is the same part every time DA97-13718c. They want us to pay $140 deposit to send someone again.
That definitely sounds frustrating, especially since it's the same part failing over and over. Ask the company if there's any goodwill repair or extended coverage available, since this seems like a recurring issue rather than normal wear.
What happens? We had problems with the Ice Maker freezing strange clumps of ice. The mechanism would jam, we would call someone out, they would perform a repair but, within 24 hours, the clump would reform. We had the ice maker replaced. It worked for almost 2 days but it happened again. The repairman came out again, inspected it and found nothing wrong. It occurred to me that the ice may be melting and refreezing. The settings are correct and the reported temperatures seemed correct. Although I could not find direct evidence of the refreezing theory, I performed a dollar bill test on the refrigerator front door seals all around the device. Every test failed. Warm house air is leaking in. I will be ordering a new door seal, installing it, and after a week or so, reinstalling the ice maker. Seals are cheaper than another ice maker.
Inside refrigerator ice makers have been breaking for decades no matter the manufacture or model and is probably the number one reason for service calls or replacements. It's just a fact of life. Moisture gets inside the refrigerator every time you open the door and moisture is the number one cause of ice maker breakdowns.
Mine stopped working after two years. I just turned it off and moved on with my life.
My ice tray keeps cracking. This is the 2nd time since October 2023. This is what I found online today. Give Google AI your model number and ask if there's an updated kit to address the design mistakes.
Updated manufacturer service kits are designed to fix the underlying engineering flaws rather than just swapping out broken components.
1. Main Electronic Control Board Update
The Change: The kit includes a brand-new main PCB (printed circuit board) for the back of the refrigerator.
The Purpose: It alters the refrigerator's software parameters. It forces the fridge to run longer or more aggressive automatic defrost cycles specifically for the ice compartment, keeping frost from snowballing out of control.
2. Upgraded Secondary Defrost Heater Loop
The Change: The kit introduces an improved drain assembly and a dedicated heated sleeve/loop extension.
The Purpose: Original units suffered from drain tubes that froze instantly, backing up water into the compartment. The updated kit ensures the melt-water actually drains away into the pan below instead of pooling and refreezing into a solid block of ice.
3. "Y-Clips" and Augmented Drain Tubes
The Change: It packs specialized metal "Y-clips" that clamp onto the existing internal evaporator coils.
The Purpose: These clips physically transfer heat deeper into the drain port area during a defrost cycle, ensuring that the precise point where ice usually starts to block the drain remains completely clear.
4. Re-engineered Ice Maker Housing & Epoxy Seals
The Change: The ice maker assembly itself features tighter physical tolerances and is often paired with a requirement to apply specialized RTV food-grade silicone sealant to the interior compartment corners.
The Purpose: This stops warm, humid room air from seeping into the ice compartment from the cabinet, which was the primary catalyst for the rapid frost buildup.
