Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

Is the water dispenser on your refrigerator not working? If so, you can try to repair the problem by yourself or call McBride Appliance Repair for professional refrigerator repair.

There are several reasons for a water dispenser in a kitchen refrigerator to not work. Again, some suggestions are going to sound a little strange. However, something as simple as an on/off switch has been the culprit in the past. Be sure to check the more obvious potential issues prior to proceeding with refrigerator repair. Let’s start to cover this appliance repair problem and see what solutions we can come up with for a broken water dispenser.

The cause of a broken water dispenser is usually an installation error, a filter problem or frozen water tubes:

New Refrigerator Installation Issues

You just purchased a new refrigerator with a water dispenser, but it’s broken. The water dispenser must be connected to the water line. That might be the reason for the problem.

If your brand new refrigerator is replacing a prior refrigerator that didn’t have an ice maker or water dispenser, there is a possibility that you do not have a functioning water line near this area. A water line is commonly run from under the house either in a crawl space or basement. You can buy this type of water line at just about any hardware store and they are very simple for the typical homeowner to install. Typically they have a a built-in water shut-off valve, which is important so that if you need to relocate the refrigerator, you can turn off the water.

If there’s an attached water line, is the valve turned on? The valve handle needs to be lined up with the hose. And, is there water going through the pipe you have installed to connect the water line? Simple and basic questions, but things that need to be checked.

If you had to remove the refrigerator doors during installation the water dispenser isn’t plugged in. Review the owner’s manual to find the wire harness for the particular model of refrigerator. Ensure that it’s plugged into the refrigerator.

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

On some of the refrigerators, there are different filters. These filters can “expire”, clog or freeze. All filters are based on the style and brand of refrigerator. If the filter is clogged it can cause slow filling or no flowing. It’s suggested that your filter be changed every 6 months. Changing filters in a refrigerator can be challenging. If you have issues, go online or call us and learn the right method to change a filter.

One recommendation is to fill the water filter with water before installing it. A lot of time the water filters need a long time to fill, which might cause you to believe the water dispenser is not working right. You will want to read the directions if nothing is working. To ensure it is not air trapped in the water lines, we recommend to depress the dispenser lever for about 5 minutes.

A frozen water tank might also be the source of the issue as well on some models. If the water tank freezes it will leak onto the fresh food bins. Minimal food in the fresh food bins might cause freezing.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

• Refrigerator Not Cooling
• Refrigerator Noisy
• Refrigerator Ice Maker Not Working
• How Does a Refrigerator Work?