Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

defective refrigerator water dispenser

Is the water dispenser on your refrigerator broken? If not, you can try to solve the problem by yourself or call Nifty Nashville Appliance Repair for refrigerator repair Nashville, Tennessee.

There are several 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 an on/off switch on the refrigerator has been the culprit in some instances. Be sure to review the obvious potential issues prior to proceeding with complicated refrigerator repair. Let’s begin to cover this appliance repair issue and see all of the reasons we can come up with for a broken water dispenser.

The cause of a water dispenser not working is typically either an installation issue, a filter problem or frozen water lines:

Refrigerator Installation Problems

You just installed a new refrigerator with a water dispenser, but it’s not working. The water dispenser must be connected to the home’s water line. That could be the problem.

If the brand new refrigerator is replacing an older refrigerator that did not include a water dispenser or ice maker, there’s a chance that you don’t have a water line running to this area. A water line is usually run from underneath a home either in a crawl space or basement. You can get this type of water line at almost any home repair store and they’re pretty simple for the average homeowner to install. Usually they have a a water shut-off valve, which is necessary 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 should be lined up with the hose. And, is water going through the pipe that you have used to connect the water line? Obvious and questions, but things that have to be confirmed.

If you removed the doors during installation it is possible the water dispenser is not plugged in. Review the manual to find the wire harness for that particular refrigerator. Be sure that it’s plugged into the refrigerator.

When the water is hooked up, usually there is air in it. So, lifting and lowering the water dispenser lever to get the air out of it is necessary.
Filter Problems

On some popular refrigerators, there are different filters. These filters can “expire”, clog or freeze. All of the filters are based on the style and brand of refrigerator. If the filter is clogged it might cause slow filling or no flowing at all. It’s recommended that your filter is replaced every 6 months. Changing filters can be hard sometimes. If you have problems, go online or call us and learn the proper process to replace a filter.

One idea is to fill the filter with water before installing it. A lot of time the water filters can need a long amount of time to fill, which might lead you to assume the water dispenser isn’t working. You should read the directions if all else fails. To ensure it is not air caught in the lines, depress the dispenser arm for about 5 minutes.

A frozen water tank might be the reason for the issue as well on some models. If the tank freezes it will begin to leak onto the fresh food bins. Small amounts of food in the fresh food bins could cause freezing to occur.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES