KitchenAid KUX335HPS01: No Ice Production from Refrigerant Leak in The Woodlands, TX
📞 Call (346) 512-3688🔧 Performed by Alex Z.
The Problem
- •Undercounter ice maker running continuously but producing zero ice cubes
- •No frost or condensation visible on the evaporator coil during inspection
- •Compressor cycling on and off without the unit reaching harvest temperature
- •Interior of the ice maker compartment staying at ambient room temperature rather than dropping below freezing
🔍 Diagnosis
When I arrived at the residence in The Woodlands, the KitchenAid KUX335HPS01 undercounter ice maker had been running for over 24 hours without dropping a single cube. I pulled the unit away from the cabinet and removed the rear access panel. The evaporator coil was completely dry, no frost, no condensation, nothing. That told me immediately I was dealing with a refrigerant loss situation rather than a mechanical or electrical fault. I connected my manifold gauges to the low and high side service ports. The system showed 0 PSIG on the low side and 0 PSIG on the high side. The refrigerant charge was completely gone. I used an electronic leak detector to trace the source and found the leak pinpointed at the evaporator coil itself. On the KUX335HPS01, the evaporator is a flat plate style coil located beneath the ice tray mold assembly. These coils are known to develop micro-fractures at the brazed joints over time, particularly in Houston area conditions where the unit works harder due to high ambient temperatures and humidity cycling. The coil was not repairable. The leak was at a brazed fitting where the copper tubing meets the aluminum plate, and any attempt to re-braze it in place would risk damaging the surrounding components. The evaporator coil needed full replacement, along with a new dryer filter to remove any moisture that had entered the open system, and a proper service valve installation to allow future refrigerant access. The label confirmed the charge spec at 6.2 oz of R-134a.
🔧 The Repair
- ✓Step 1: Confirmed zero refrigerant pressure on both high and low sides using manifold gauges, and verified leak location at the evaporator coil brazed joint using an electronic refrigerant leak detector.
- ✓Step 2: Removed the KUX335HPS01 fully from its undercounter cabinet space to gain complete access to the sealed system components at the rear of the unit.
- ✓Step 3: Cut out the failed evaporator flat plate coil and removed all refrigerant line sections connected to it, cleaning the copper stub ends for new brazing.
- ✓Step 4: Installed a replacement evaporator coil, brazing all copper-to-copper joints with nitrogen flowing through the lines at 3 to 4 PSIG to prevent oxidation scale inside the tubing.
- ✓Step 5: Installed a new inline dryer filter on the liquid line to absorb any moisture that entered the system during the open repair, protecting the compressor and expansion device.
- ✓Step 6: Installed a service valve on the process tube to provide permanent, accessible charging and diagnostic ports for future service needs.
- ✓Step 7: Pressure tested the entire sealed system with dry nitrogen at 150 PSIG, held for 30 minutes with no pressure drop confirmed.
- ✓Step 8: Connected a vacuum pump and pulled the system down to 250 microns, held vacuum for 20 minutes to confirm no moisture or leaks remained, then charged the system with 6.2 oz of R-134a per the appliance label spec.
- ✓Step 9: Allowed the unit to run for 2 hours and confirmed proper operation. Evaporator coil reached 15 degrees Fahrenheit, ice tray mold dropped to 18 degrees Fahrenheit, and the first full harvest cycle completed successfully with solid, clear ice cubes.
✓ Result
After the 2-hour run-in period, the KUX335HPS01 was harvesting ice normally. The evaporator coil held steady at 15 degrees Fahrenheit and the mold temperature confirmed proper freeze cycles. The homeowner in The Woodlands had been without ice for nearly a week before calling us. When the first batch dropped, they were genuinely relieved. They were hosting a family event that weekend and had already started pricing out bag ice delivery. The repair came with a 90-day warranty on parts and labor.
💡 Technician Notes
KitchenAid undercounter ice makers like the KUX335HPS01 are sealed system appliances with very small refrigerant charges. At only 6.2 oz of R-134a, even a small leak drains the system completely within days. The earliest warning sign specific to this failure mode is when the unit runs its full freeze cycle time but the cubes come out undersized or hollow before production stops entirely. That is the evaporator losing capacity as refrigerant drops. For prevention, keep the condenser coils on the KUX335HPS01 cleaned every 6 months. A dirty condenser raises head pressure and puts stress on all brazed joints in the sealed system over time. In The Woodlands, summer ambient temperatures push these units hard, and that added thermal stress accelerates micro-crack formation at the evaporator joints. If your KitchenAid undercounter unit suddenly stops making ice and the compressor is still running, do not wait more than 48 hours to call. A compressor running with zero refrigerant will overheat and fail, turning a sealed system repair into a full unit replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my KitchenAid undercounter ice maker stop making ice all of a sudden?
On the KitchenAid KUX335HPS01, a sudden stop in ice production with the compressor still running usually points to refrigerant loss from the sealed system. The evaporator coil on these units is prone to developing micro-fractures at brazed joints over time. Once the R-134a charge drops below a functional threshold, the evaporator cannot reach freezing temperature and ice production stops completely.
How much does it cost to fix a refrigerant leak on a KitchenAid undercounter ice maker in The Woodlands TX?
A sealed system repair on a KitchenAid undercounter ice maker like the KUX335HPS01 typically runs between 400 and 700 dollars in the Houston area, depending on which components need replacement. When the evaporator coil itself has failed, you add the cost of the coil, a new dryer filter, a service valve, and the R-134a refrigerant charge on top of labor. Diagnostics are separate.
What happens if I ignore a freon leak in my KitchenAid KUX335HPS01 and keep using it?
If you continue running the KUX335HPS01 with a refrigerant leak, the compressor will overheat from operating without the cooling and lubrication that refrigerant provides. Within days of zero charge, compressor failure is likely. That turns a 500 dollar sealed system repair into a compressor replacement costing 800 dollars or more, or an entirely new unit if the compressor is no longer sourced.
Is it worth repairing a KitchenAid undercounter ice maker with a freon leak or should I replace it?
If the KUX335HPS01 is under 10 years old and the compressor is still healthy, a sealed system repair is worth doing. These units cost 1,500 dollars or more to replace new. If the compressor has already been damaged by running dry, or the unit is over 12 years old with multiple prior repairs, replacement becomes the better financial decision. I always check compressor health before recommending the sealed system repair.
After the evaporator coil was replaced and the freon was recharged, how do I know the KitchenAid ice maker is working correctly?
After an R-134a recharge on the KUX335HPS01, the evaporator coil should reach 15 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit within the first freeze cycle. You can confirm this with an infrared thermometer on the coil surface. The mold temperature should drop below 20 degrees Fahrenheit before harvest, and the first complete batch of ice should be solid and clear, not hollow or cloudy, which would indicate an undercharge.
Repair Summary
- Brand
- KitchenAid
- Model
- KUX335HPS01
- Repair Type
- Sealed System Overhaul / Evaporator Coil Replacement / R-134a Recharge
- Refrigerant
- R-134a
- Root Cause
- Evaporator coil leak causing complete R-134a loss
- Parts Replaced
- ✓Evaporator flat plate coil (replacement compatible with KitchenAid KUX335HPS01 sealed system)
- ✓Inline dryer filter, liquid line mount
- ✓Process tube service valve for R-134a access
- ✓R-134a refrigerant, 6.2 oz per OEM label specification
- Location
- The Woodlands, TX 77382
- Status
- ✓ Completed
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