Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

refrigerator water dispenser image

Is the water dispenser on your refrigerator not working? If so, you can try to repair the issue on your own or call Premiere Appliance Repair for refrigerator repair Chula Vista, California.

There are several reasons for a water dispenser in a kitchen refrigerator to not work anymore. Again, some of the reasons could sound a little strange. However, something as simple as an on/off switch on the refrigerator has been the cause before. Be sure to inspect the more obvious potential issues prior to proceeding with refrigerator repair. Let’s start to cover this appliance repair issue and see what reasons we can reference for a broken water dispenser on a refrigerator.

The reason for a water dispenser not dispensing is typically either an installation problem, a filter failure or frozen water tubes:

Refrigerator Installation Issues

You just installed a new refrigerator for your kitchen with a water dispenser, but it’s broken. The water dispenser must be connected to the home’s water line. That could be the issue.

If the brand new refrigerator is replacing a prior refrigerator that didn’t include an ice maker or water dispenser, there is a possibility that you don’t have a functioning water line near this area. Most of the time a water line is commonly run from under a house either in a crawl space or basement.

You can acquire this line at just about any home repair store and they’re pretty simple for the average homeowner to install. Usually they have come with a water shut-off valve, which is necessary so that if you need to move the refrigerator, you can turn off the water.

If there is an attached water line, is the valve turned on? The valve handle must be in line with the hose. And, is water going through the pipe you have installed to connect the water line? Obvious and basic questions, but items that have to be confirmed.

If you had to remove the doors during installation it’s possible the water dispenser may not be plugged in. Read the owner’s manual to see the wire harness for that particular refrigerator. Be sure that it is plugged into the refrigerator.

Once the water line is hooked up, usually there’s air in the water line. So, lifting and lowering the water dispenser control on the refrigerator to get the air out of it is needed.
Filter Problems

On some of the models, there are various filters. These filters might “expire”, become clogged or freeze. All filters are based on the model and brand of refrigerator. If your filter is blocked it can cause slow filling or no flowing at all. It is suggested that your filter is changed every 6 months. Changing filters can be challenging. If you have problems, go online and learn the proper method to replace a filter.

One suggestion is to fill up the water filter with water prior to installing it. A lot of time the water filters can take a long time to fill, which might cause you to assume that the water dispenser is not working. You should read the directions if nothing is working. To be sure it is not air trapped in the lines, depress the dispenser lever for about 5 minutes.

A frozen water tank might be the cause of the issue as well on some refrigerators. If the water tank freezes it will start to leak onto the fresh food bins. Limited food in the fresh food bins will cause freezing.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES