Access to 2019 Pinnacle Ice Maker Connection

[Upabreak]

We are working through start up problems on our new 2019 38REFS Pinnacle. The biggest problem occurred when I activated the water valves for the ice maker. Water poured out the back of the refrigerator slide - not good. There does not appear to be an access panel to the rear of the Whirlpool residential refrigerator. Does anyone know the best way to check the water connection to the ice maker? I'm thinking it could be a simple loose connector but the access seems to be the big problem. I'm hesitant to pull the whole unit out for fear of damaging the RV floor and I hate to have to return the whole unit for a repair at Camping World.

[TheGlenfords]

In Aug 2017 we purchased a new 2018 Pinnacle 37MDQS. After numerous problems at the PDI, we didn't check the ice maker/water in refer. 1st trip out, water would not work. After finding and turning both water valves on, we had a leak like you described. I called the dealer and two days later their mobil tech came to address the problem. He had to pull the refer out because there is no inspection cover on the outside. When he pulled the refer out, it fell out of the slide onto the floor, breaking the wooden trim moulding and the refer hit the island damaging the door handles and doors. He found the water inlet valve attached to the back of refer was broken in two pieces causing the leak. If you pull out the bottom drawer under the stove, next to the refer, there is a shut off valve. This could be loose. There is another water line that goes from that valve to the back of the refer from where the inlet valve is located. If you pull your refer out, place blocking on the trailer floor even with the slideout floor so the refer will not fall out and damage things inside (Due to an incompetent dealer, our repairs took over 7 months to fix. I could go on about them but that is another long story.) The broken inlet water valve was a Whirlpool part, not a special Jayco part. I hope this helps.

[Upabreak]

Thank you so much. I had to research using the Jayco forum to find the valves as the dealer had been no help. The dealer does not perform on-site support. It took about 3 months to get PDI issues resolved so I really do not want to return there if avoidable. I'm contacting a local repair company that says they can perform warranty work. I'd be afraid to pull the refrigerator out myself for the reasons you described. It could be an easy fix with a rear access port. I'm sorry it took so long for you to get yours repaired. I can image the frustration.

[RipinSC]

I wondered the same thing. Why don’t they put an access panel on the outside so you can access the frig.

[MartandMillie]

Found this old thread on a search - I need to replace the water inlet valve on a 315RLTS Whirlpool refrigerator, has anyone found a good way to pull the fridge out for access?

[AKRUEBBE]

Originally Posted by RipinSC

I wondered the same thing. Why don’t they put an access panel on the outside so you can access the frig.

They started putting an access door on the slide in 2020. I wish I had one on my 2019. I'm even thinking about having one installed.

[TheGlenfords]

To remove the refrigerator there are about 4 or 5 screws that hold the refrig into the wooden frame above the doors. I would suggest that you put cribbing (wood) down on the floor where the refrig will slide out making it even with the slides floor. The tech who removed my refrig in 2017 didn't use any wood and the refrig fell out of the slideout onto the main kitchen floor damaging the refrig doors ,countertop and the angled molding on the slideout's floor. If you are handy, I would suggest removing that 12 foot piece of molding. After waiting over a year for the dealer (worthless) to get a new piece of molding, I made my own. I did however make the molding with 2 pieces with a seam where the refrig comes out (if I need to remove refrig, I can remove the small piece of molding.) After removing the screws and leveling the floor, the refrig will slide out. After that it is tight fit behind the refrig. The valve on the back of the refrig is not a Jayco part, its from the refrig's maker. I could have gotten the part from Amazon in 2 days for about $50.00 in the fall of 2017 and not waited months for the dealer.
I hope this helps.