Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

image of refrigerator water dispenser

Is the water dispenser on your refrigerator broken? If so, you can attempt to solve the issue by yourself or call Choice Hawthorne Appliance Repair for refrigerator repair Hawthorne, California.

There are many reasons for the water dispenser in a kitchen refrigerator to stop working. Again, some of the reasons could sound a little strange. However, something as simple as a power switch on the refrigerator has been the culprit in some instances. Be sure to check the obvious potential issues prior to moving forward with complicated refrigerator repair. Let’s begin to cover this appliance repair problem and see what reasons we can cite for a broken water dispenser.

The reason for a water dispenser not working is commonly an installation error, a filter failure or frozen water tubes:

Refrigerator Installation Issues

You just purchased a brand new refrigerator for your kitchen with a water dispenser, but it’s broken. The water dispenser must be hooked up to the home’s water line. That could be the problem.

If the new refrigerator is replacing an old refrigerator that did not include an ice maker or water dispenser, there is a chance that you don’t have a functioning water line running to this area. Most of the time a water line is typically run from under the home either in a basement or crawl space. You can purchase this line at nearly any home repair store and they are pretty easy for the typical homeowner to install. Usually they have include a built-in water shut-off valve, which is important so that if you need to relocate the refrigerator, you can shut off the water.

If there is a water line, is the valve on? The valve handle needs to be lined up with the hose. And, is water running through the pipe you have installed to connect the water line? Obvious and common questions, but items that have to be checked.

If you removed the refrigerator doors during installation the water dispenser may not be plugged in. Review the owner’s manual to see the wire harness for the particular model of refrigerator. Check that it is plugged into the refrigerator.

Once the water line is connected, usually there’s air in it. So, engaging and disengaging the water dispenser lever on the refrigerator to get the air out of it is necessary.
Filter Issues

On some of the popular refrigerators, there are different filters. These filters can “expire”, clog or become frozen. All filters are based on your style and brand of refrigerator. If the filter is blocked it can cause slow filling or no flowing period. It’s recommended that your filter is replaced every 6 months. Replacing filters can be hard sometimes. If you run into hiccups, go online and learn the right method to replace a filter.

One recommendation is to fill the filter with water before installing it. A lot of time the water filters take a long time to fill up, which could lead you to believe that the water dispenser on the refrigerator isn’t working. You should read the directions if all else fails. To ensure it is not air caught in the lines, we recommend to depress the dispenser lever for about 5 minutes.

A frozen water tank might also be the cause of the problem as well on some models. If the water tank is frozen it will begin to leak onto the fresh food bins. Low amounts of food in the fresh food bins might cause freezing to happen.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES