The 685 adds an exterior delivery system to a legacy side-by-side cabinet. That creates two different complaints that owners may both call 'ice maker not working': the appliance may produce no cubes, or it may produce cubes that never reach the glass. Diagnosis first looks inside the bucket, then follows either production or delivery.
Safe checks you can make first
- Measure freezer temperature near the ice bucket
- Check whether cubes exist in the mold or bucket
- Describe dispenser sound and whether the auger turns
- Inspect frost, door chute, accessible water supply, and recent leak evidence
- Photograph the complete Sub-Zero 680 and 685 model and serial tag
- Preserve temperatures, frost, water, ice condition, and messages before resetting or thawing
Stop for gas odor, smoke, damaged wiring, active leaks near electrical parts, or repeated breaker trips. Avoid internal gas, refrigerant, or live-voltage work and arrange professional service.
Common causes behind the symptom
Freezer temperature stops production
Airflow, frost, door sealing, sensing, and refrigeration capacity can stop ice before stored food appears thawed.
Water never reaches the mold
Supply pressure, tubing, valve command, valve flow, or a frozen fill tube can leave the mold dry.
The ice maker does not harvest
Motor, heater, switches, sensing, wiring, or control output can leave cubes formed but unreleased.
The bucket and auger do not deliver
Coupling, frozen clumps, auger drive, bucket seating, and mechanical damage can block delivery after production.
The chute or dispenser control interrupts
Door interlocks, paddle switches, chute parts, wiring, and legacy controls can prevent an otherwise full bucket from dispensing.
Read the failure sequence before selecting a part
No cubes in the bucket follows temperature, fill, and harvest. Cubes present with motor sound follows bucket coupling, auger, and chute. No response at the paddle follows door interlocks, switches, wiring, and controls. The stages should not be collapsed into one replacement.
Service measures freezer temperature, observes frost and fans, verifies water fill and valve operation, evaluates harvest, then tests bucket drive, chute, door inputs, and dispenser controls only if cubes are being produced.
What the repair scope can include
Repair can involve freezer cooling, a door seal, water supply, valve, fill tube, ice-maker mechanism, bucket, auger drive, chute, switch, wiring, or control. Availability must be confirmed for the exact legacy generation.
Why this guide stays specific to Sub-Zero 680 and 685
The 685 dispenser architecture adds delivery components absent from non-dispenser 600 Series models. The 680/685 tag and suffix determine the applicable layout.
When to stop using the appliance
Shut off water for leaking or overfill and disconnect power if water reaches electrical areas. Stop for burning odor or repeated breaker trips. Do not force the auger or harvest mechanism by hand.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the 685 dispenser motor run with no ice output?
The bucket may be empty, cubes may be clumped, or the bucket coupling, auger, or chute may be blocked.
Should I replace the dispenser motor if no cubes are made?
No. The delivery motor cannot solve freezer temperature, water fill, or harvest failures.
Can a door gap stop 685 ice production?
Yes. Humid-air entry can raise freezer load, create frost, and reduce ice production.
Should I order an ice or cooling part for this Sub-Zero 680 and 685 before diagnosis?
No. Temperature, airflow, water fill, controls, and production revisions can produce the same visible symptom through different failures. Test the sequence and record the full tag first.
Ghost Appliance Repair is an independent service company and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sub-Zero or its manufacturer.