I have a KitchenAid/Whirlpool ice maker. Went through optics test and more advanced troubleshooting tests (jumpered H/T terminals). All LED tests return with success.

It seems that the only thing that prevents the harvesting cycle from starting again each time is that the position of the metal bar stays up. The trick is, I've never had an actual metal overflow bar in this model, which makes sense since it has optics to detect ice overflow. When I refer to the metal bar, I'm just referring to the position of the pin near the motor where the metal bar would be. If I stick a knife in the hole and turn it CCW 1/4 turn (as if I was lowering a bar), I can get the cycle to start again. FWIW, the motor turns the pin 1/4 turn CW as it ejects the ice cubes.

I understand that the part itself can be reused in models with and/without optics but I've yet to find supporting documentation as to why these pins interfere with my fridge model with no actual metal bar.

Thanks.