Margaritaville machine troubleshooting

Most problems are covered in the troubleshooting pages of the user manuals. Here they are in one place, with the model the advice comes from. Unplug the machine before you reach into it or remove ice from the base.

Drink is too watery

Follow the recipe volumes for your machine (see the batch ratio cheat sheet) or manually shave more ice until you get the consistency you want. (Bahamas, Fiji manuals)

On dial models, the Fiji manual adds: if the shaver doesn’t shave enough ice for the liquid in the jar, check that the Number of Drinks setting matches the amount of liquid.

Ice isn’t shaving (or shaves very little)

• Make sure the ice reservoir and its lid are locked in place. On the Bahamas, a fast-blinking red status light means the unit is in fault mode, and the manual’s fix is to check that the ice reservoir and lid are installed and locked.
• On the Bali, a blinking red Start/Stop button means a moveable part isn’t locked — check the ice chute and ice reservoir lid.
• General tips (not from the manual): ice that has fused into a solid block can’t feed the shaver — break it up or use fresh cubes; a dull or nicked shaving blade produces coarse or little ice (see parts).

Liquid leaks from the bottom of the jar

Remove the jar and check that the blending blade sealing ring is properly installed and that the jar base is tightened. (Bahamas, DM1946, Bali manuals) The manuals also warn not to twist the jar when lifting it off — twisting can loosen the jar base.

Water leaks from the machine

Empty the ice-melt reservoir (and make sure it’s pushed fully into place). (Bahamas, Bali)

The jar overflows during the cycle

You’ve added more liquid than the machine expects. Follow the recipe volume, and on the Key West DM1000 don’t fill above the three-glass icon. (Bahamas, DM1000)

The jar won’t sit on the base

There’s probably ice on the blending base. Unplug the unit, then clear the ice. (Bahamas, Bali)

Power light doesn’t come on

Check that the unit is plugged into a working outlet. (All manuals)

Still stuck?

The manuals list a customer-service line (US 1-877-689-2737 as printed in the Bahamas and Fiji manuals; Canada 1-800-667-8623 in the DM1946 manual). These manuals are several years old, so numbers may have changed. Don’t attempt repairs beyond cleaning — the DM1946 manual notes the appliance has no user-serviceable parts.