The short answer
On the Amana 4w9g60 refrigerator family, an ice maker that has stopped filling the bucket points at the valve, because a mould that is bone dry is a different fault from a mould that is half filled and the two are told apart in one look. The brand-generic article puts the ice maker module itself at the top of this symptom; on this platform it sits fourth, behind causes that are quicker to rule out.
What you observe on these models
- The bucket is empty and the maker never runs — Nothing cycles, nothing fills, and the cabinet is otherwise behaving normally.
- Cubes come out thin, hollow or half formed — A short fill rather than a failed harvest, which points at water rather than at the module.
- A sheet of ice under the bucket rather than cubes in it — Fill water is missing the mould, usually because the tube is partly frozen.
- NEAR MISS — water leaking at the same time — A fill that overshoots is a leak page as much as an ice page.
Causes, most likely first on this family
- Inlet valve solenoid not opening — First on this platform. A valve that has stopped opening gives no fill at all rather than a short one, so the mould stays dry and the harvest never runs.
- Low water pressure at the valve, or a clogged filter — Second on these models. The maker fills on a timed valve opening rather than to a level, so anything that slows the water gives a short fill. The result is thin crescents and a bucket that never fills.
- Shutoff arm or ice-level sensor holding the maker off — Third, and less common than the two above. A bail arm nudged up by a bag of frozen food, or a beam sensor blocked by frost, tells the maker the bucket is full. It is the fastest thing on this list to check and the most often missed.
- Ice maker module, ejector or its thermostat — When the harvest never starts, the mould stays full and the cycle stops there. It is a real failure mode, and it empties a bucket in exactly the way several cheaper causes do.
Check in this order, and why
- Look into the mould after a fill should have happened — Start here. A bone-dry mould is a valve that is not opening; a part-filled mould is a pressure problem.
- Fill a cup at the dispenser if the cabinet has one, or watch a fill — Then this. A slow or hesitant flow is a supply problem, and it explains thin ice without any part being faulty.
- Look at the shutoff arm or the sensor window — Third. An arm nudged up by a bag, or a frosted window, stops a healthy maker instantly and costs nothing to correct.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel; a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off.
Models covered by the 4w9g60 family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| 4w9g60-11 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-12 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-13 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-14 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-15 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-16 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-17 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-18 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-19 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-20 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-21 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-22 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-23 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-24 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-25 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-26 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-27 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-28 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-29 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-30 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-31 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-32 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-33 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-34 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-35 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-36 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-37 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-38 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-39 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-40 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-41 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-42 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-43 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
| 4w9g60-44 | amana:refrigerator:4w9g60 |
When to call a technician
Call once the supply, the shutoff arm, the bucket and the freezer temperature are all proven good, because what is left is the module or the valve.
