Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

defective refrigerator water dispenser

Is the water dispenser on your refrigerator not working? If so, you can try to solve the problem on your own or call Champion Appliance Pros for refrigerator repair Alpharetta, Arizona.

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

The reason for a water dispenser not working is commonly either an installation problem, a filter issue or frozen water lines:

Refrigerator Installation Problems

You just installed a new refrigerator with a water dispenser, but it is broken. The water dispenser must be connected to the water line. That could be the cause of the problem.

If the brand new refrigerator is replacing an old refrigerator that did not feature a water dispenser or ice maker, there’s a chance that you do not have a water line running to this area. A water line is usually run from under the home either in a crawl space or basement. You can buy this type of water line at almost any hardware store and they’re very easy for even the average 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 you have an attached water line, is the valve on? The valve handle must be in line with the hose. And, is there water going through the pipe you have used to connect the water line? Obvious and common questions, but items that need to be checked.

If you had to remove the doors during installation the water dispenser may not be plugged in. Check the manual to see the wire harness for that particular refrigerator. Check that it is plugged into the refrigerator.

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

On some of the models, there are various filters. These filters might “expire”, clog or freeze. All filters are dependent on your style and type of refrigerator. If your filter is blocked it can cause slow filling or no flowing period. It’s recommended that your filter should be changed every 6 months. Changing filters in a refrigerator can be challenging. If you have issues, go online and find the proper process to replace a filter.

One suggestion is to fill the water filter with water before installing it. A lot of time the water filters can need a long time to fill up, which could lead you to think the water dispenser on the refrigerator isn’t working. You should read the directions if nothing is working. To ensure it’s not air trapped in the lines, depress the dispenser arm for around 5 minutes.

A frozen water tank might be the reason for the problem as well in some models. If the water tank freezes it will leak onto the food bins. Limited food inside of the fresh food bins might cause freezing to occur.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES