The ice maker on our KitchenAid KSRL25FRBL00 refrigerator has stopped working. We have the style of ice maker that uses the optical sensors to determine when to start and stop making ice (with the on/off switch on the right side of the freezer). One thing we noticed is that the optic panel seemed to be inconsistent in its behavior -- at times the red light isn't on at all, and at other times it behaves as it should (blinking twice when you open the freezer door, and going solid red when you close the flap on the left side of the freezer). On those occasions when the red light is on, if I press the button at the top of the freezer that makes it think the freezer door is closed, the red light goes off and stays off. Thirty second later I might open the door and find that the light is off, and if I press the button to make it think he freezer door is closed, the light flashes one time repeatedly, suggesting that it's in harvest mode. However, the ice maker itself hasn't done anything in that 30 seconds. The teeth or fingers or whatever you want to call them are in the down position, pointing a bit toward the front (around 7:00?).

We had a repair person come out to look at it -- he said the ice maker had water in it and the water was at the right level, but that it was "jammed", so it would need to be replaced. (He didn't take it out or take it apart at all, so it's unclear whether there's a gear that's broken or what exactly would cause the jam.) Then he noticed that the optics didn't seem to be working correctly, and said that would need to be replaced as well.

A few questions:

1. Is it possible that just replacing the optics board (ice level control board part #4389102) would do the trick? It sounds like this would be easy enough to do ourselves. Since the LEDs seem to work properly some of the time, I would think we'd at least be getting a little bit of ice if that was the only issue. Or could it be that the ice maker is jammed in a position that's right on the verge of being in harvest mode, and confusing the sensors?

2. If the ice maker is "jammed", is there a way to "unjam" it? For instance, what if we put some hot water in it? Or took it out and let it thaw out?

3. If we need to replace the ice maker, is manufacturer part #2198597 the correct part? It appears that our model of refrigerator has two styles of ice makers -- one that mounts on the side with a metal lever that you push down to start the ice maker, and the style we have that has the on-off switch on the right side of the freezer and no metal bar. But when I search for an ice maker for my refrigerator, this seems to be the only part number it pulls up.