LG refrigerator not making ice
Separate no new ice from dispenser trouble, new installation from an existing fault, and warm-freezer trouble before ice checks.
What this guide covers
Symptoms: Ice maker not making ice
This guide follows a structured decision tree built from manufacturer troubleshooting information. It does not assume that the most commonly replaced part is the failed part, and it does not show an exact-fit replacement part unless model compatibility has been independently verified.
Choose the ice problem you actually have
- No new ice is being madeUse the ice-production questions below. If ice is already in the bin but will not come out, this is a dispensing problem. Use only external, owner-accessible checks that match your model manual. Do not bypass door sensors, remove hinge covers or handle wiring; have a qualified technician perform those steps. See LG’s dispenser guidance for matching external checks; a locked dispenser alone does not show that ice making is off.
- New installation or ongoing fault?LG’s initial ice-making wait applies after installation while the refrigerator cools. An existing refrigerator that stopped making ice should continue through the checks; a filter change or brief restart does not start a new installation wait.
- Which ice maker is affected?Locate the in-door or freezer ice maker that has stopped producing. The reviewed LFXS26973S owner manual distinguishes them where fitted; confirm your full model and illustrated controls. Do not use optional Craft Ice instructions for a cubed-ice maker.
- Freezer cooling trouble?If the freezer is warm or food is thawing, address cooling now with the LG freezer cooling guide. Do not wait for ice-making timing to resolve a cooling problem.
This public guide stays at general LG scope. The interactive path can show a reviewed manual reference after it verifies an exact LFXS26973S identity; it does not assume every feature or revision matches.
Check why my LG is not making new ice
How to check without guessing
General manufacturer guidance. Exact-model controls and procedures have not been verified for this guide.
Use the complete model number and its owner guide to identify controls and filter procedures. A recognized model does not make these general instructions model-specific. Do not move the refrigerator, open panels, disconnect plumbing or force the ice mechanism.
Confirm the ice maker is turned on
Locate the ice-production control in the owner guide, which may differ from the dispenser lock. Confirm ice making is on; unlock controls only if necessary to operate them. Do not guess a button-hold sequence. Check cooling before waiting for ice: note the freezer setting, whether food remains frozen, and a thermometer reading if available. The displayed setting is not a measured temperature. If food is thawing, seek cooling help now; do not wait out an ice-production timer.
Allow enough time for initial ice production
LG’s up-to-two-day guidance concerns initial installation. A filter change or brief restart does not establish a fresh two-day waiting period. If this is an existing refrigerator with an ongoing fault, continue to water checks; if installation timing is unknown, choose Not sure. Check cooling before waiting for ice: note the freezer setting, whether food remains frozen, and a thermometer reading if available. The displayed setting is not a measured temperature. If food is thawing, seek cooling help now; do not wait out an ice-production timer.
Check water availability
If a water dispenser is fitted, note whether it gives its usual flow. This supports a household-supply observation but does not prove that water reaches the ice maker. Without a dispenser, use only an already-accessible supply observation; do not pull out the appliance. Check cooling before waiting for ice: note the freezer setting, whether food remains frozen, and a thermometer reading if available. The displayed setting is not a measured temperature. If food is thawing, seek cooling help now; do not wait out an ice-production timer.
Turn the ice maker on
Use only the ice-maker control identified in your owner guide. Do not run a guessed reset or test cycle. Check for a connected water supply without moving the appliance. If the instructions do not match, choose Cannot complete this step.
Give the ice maker more time
For initial installation, LG says first ice can take up to two days while the refrigerator cools. Keep doors closed as much as practical. This is not a guaranteed recovery time for an existing fault or a reason to delay help for thawing food. Check cooling before waiting for ice: note the freezer setting, whether food remains frozen, and a thermometer reading if available. The displayed setting is not a measured temperature. If food is thawing, seek cooling help now; do not wait out an ice-production timer.
Restore water flow before diagnosing the ice maker
Inspect only tubing and a supply valve already accessible without moving the refrigerator. Do not disconnect pressurized lines. Follow the full model’s filter instructions if due; unresolved flow needs qualified help, not an assumed successful correction.
Ice is still not being made — prepare a service brief
Before arranging diagnosis, note freezer cooling, door closure, ice-maker setting, installation date and dispenser flow. This short path has not verified every cooling or ice-maker condition. Do not treat water dispensing as proof that the ice maker fills. Check cooling before waiting for ice: note the freezer setting, whether food remains frozen, and a thermometer reading if available. The displayed setting is not a measured temperature. If food is thawing, seek cooling help now; do not wait out an ice-production timer.
Safe troubleshooting sequence
Start with the observations and external checks that can be verified without opening energized assemblies. The interactive version asks these in order and changes the path based on your answers.
- Confirm the ice maker is turned onCheck ice production separately from the dispenser or control-panel lock. A locked panel alone does not establish that ice making is off.
- Allow enough time for initial ice productionAnswer Yes for an existing installation with an ongoing fault, or after the initial installation waiting period. Answer No only for a new installation still within that period.
- Check water availabilityIce production requires a working water source on plumbed models.
What the answers can lead to
Turn the ice maker on
An ice maker that is switched off cannot produce ice.
Evidence strength: Strong
Give the ice maker more time
LG notes that initial ice production can take from hours into multiple days depending on conditions.
Evidence strength: Moderate
Restore water flow before diagnosing the ice maker
No water to the refrigerator can prevent ice production.
Evidence strength: Strong
Ice is still not being made — prepare a service brief
The reviewed path has reached a stopping point. Answers and unsuccessful corrections do not prove that every check passed or that a component failed.
Evidence strength: Strong
When professional diagnosis is the safer next step
The reviewed path has reached a stopping point. Answers and unsuccessful corrections do not prove that every check passed or that a component failed.
Appliance Verdict stops before energized electrical testing, gas-system work, sealed-system work, and other checks that can create unnecessary risk. A technician can use the model, issue, and completed checks from the interactive diagnostic as a starting point.
Repair or replace?
A diagnosis and a repair decision are different questions. Once you have a real repair quote, compare the total repair cost with the all-in price of a comparable replacement. Warranty or protection-plan coverage, appliance age, reliability history, efficiency, and likely future repairs can all matter. Appliance Verdict's interactive result includes a transparent cost comparison rather than a black-box replacement recommendation.
Manufacturer sources
LG Support · LG · LG Support · LG Support
Dataset reviewed through 2026-09-11. Appliance Verdict is independent and is not endorsed by the manufacturers cited. Always follow the exact owner or service documentation for your model.
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