The short answer
On the 61W340 refrigerators the ice complaint splits cleanly in two — a fill problem or a harvest problem — and one look in the mould separates them. On these models a parked shut-off arm is the first thing this page would have you rule out. Most of the causes below are owner checks; the last of them is not.
What you observe on these models
- The bin is empty and the maker looks untouched — Nothing has been attempted, which points at the trigger rather than the mechanism.
- The mould is full of solid ice that is never ejected — The fill worked; the harvest did not.
- The cubes are hollow, small or half formed — A partial fill is a flow problem, not a maker problem.
- NEAR MISS — the freezer is not holding temperature — Fix the cooling first; a maker cannot harvest warm.
Causes, most likely first on this family
- Ice maker module stalled or the shut-off arm parked — A module that has stalled mid-harvest leaves the ejector fingers standing in the mould, which is visible without a tool. First, because it accounts for every observable above without needing a second fault. This family is a single build, so it holds across the line.
- Fill tube frozen at the mould — Thawing it is a temporary repair, because whatever made the overshoot will make another plug. It ranks second — the fault the first check leaves standing.
- Ice bridged solid in the bin — Cubes that partly thaw and refreeze weld into a block that holds the level arm up, and the maker reads the bin as full. Third: a real cause on these cabinets, but a less frequent one.
- Harvest heater open circuit — A maker that grinds at the same point in every cycle is describing this fault out loud. Last, which is exactly why the checks above are worth spending first.
- Body: Against the brand-wide order, installation and loading causes move up here and wear causes move down: one build means a narrow spread of ages in service, so how the cabinet was put in matters more than how long it has run.
Check in this order, and why
- Check the shut-off arm is down and that the ejector fingers are parked rather than standing mid-sweep. — First, because it settles the top of the ranking before anything else is touched.
- Look at the point where the fill tube enters the mould for a plug of ice. — Next, once the check above has come back clean.
- Empty the bin completely and check the level arm or sensor is free to fall. — Last, so that nothing further is spent until the cheaper checks are exhausted.
Cut the power before anything else
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel — a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. A loaded cabinet is heavy and top-heavy with the doors open, so empty it and get help before moving it. Shut the water supply off before disturbing the valve or the fill line, and never thaw a fill tube with a flame or a heat gun.
Models in the 61W340 family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| 61W340 | amana:refrigerator:61w340 |
When to call a technician
The arm, the bin, the filter, the shut-off and the line are yours. The module, the harvest heater and the mould sensor are where an owner stops on most designs. Call sooner if the maker is grinding, because that strips gears.
The other faults covered for this family
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
