My Kenmore Ice Maker Is Slow

Heat and poor freezer airflow can slow ice production.

Kenmore manuals offer only a couple of troubleshooting tips, but a Sears Holding Corporation employee outlined further possible causes on the Manage My Life website, which is run by Sears. Knowing what to check for when your Kenmore ice maker slows down can help reduce your frustration and save potential repair bills.

1. Remove the food at the bottom of the freezer and look for slots in the rear panel. Clear away any ice or debris that may be clogging the slots. Replace the food, but leave the slots unblocked.

2. Open the freezer less frequently. The ice maker starts when the thermometer inside the freezer registers 12 degrees Fahrenheit. Constantly opening the freezer raises the internal temperature of the unit and results in less frequent ice production.

3. Replace the freezer's water filter, as clogged filters block water flow. Set the ice maker arm to "Off," and then twist the hanging filter cup counterclockwise to remove it. Rinse the cup under running water and discard the old filter cartridge inside. Slide a new filter cartridge into the cup and reinstall the cup assembly in the freezer.

4. Check the water pressure in the freezer's water line. Increase the water pressure to the ice maker if the line delivers less than 30 psi.

5. Call a repair technician if the problem persists. The thermometer may be registering incorrect temperatures. The refrigerator's defrosting system may be malfunctioning if frost appears repeatedly in the slots in the rear of the fridge.