Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

refrigerator water dispenser picture

Is the water dispenser on your refrigerator broken? If so, you can try to repair the problem by yourself or call Tuscaloosa Appliance Repair for refrigerator repair Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

There are a lot of reasons for a water dispenser in a refrigerator to stop working. Again, some of the suggestions could sound a bit crazy. However, something as simple as an on/off switch has been the cause before. Be sure to review the more obvious potential issues prior to moving forward with complicated refrigerator repair. Let’s begin to tackle this appliance repair problem and see what reasons we can reference for a broken water dispenser on a refrigerator.

The cause of a broken water dispenser is commonly either an installation problem, a filter issue or frozen water tubes:

New Refrigerator Installation Issues

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

If the brand new refrigerator is replacing a previous refrigerator that did not have an ice maker or water dispenser, there is a possibility that you do not have a water line near this area. Most of the time a water line is commonly run from underneath the house either in a crawl space or basement. You can acquire this type of water line at nearly any hardware store and they are very simple for even the typical homeowner to install. Typically they have include a built-in water shut-off valve, which is necessary so that if you need to move the refrigerator, you can shut off the water.

If you have a connected water line, is the valve on? The valve handle should be in line with the hose. And, is there water running through the pipe that you have used to connect the water line? Simple and questions, but items that have to be accounted for.

If you had to remove the refrigerator doors during installation the water dispenser isn’t plugged in. Check the manual to find the wire harness for the particular refrigerator. Check that it is plugged into the refrigerator.

If the water is connected, usually there is air in it. So, lifting and lowering the water dispenser control on the refrigerator to get the air out is needed.
Filter Issues

On some of the household models, there are different filters. These filters might “expire”, become clogged or freeze. All of the filters are based on your style and type of refrigerator. If the filter is blocked it can cause slow filling or no flowing period. It is recommended that your filter should be replaced every 6 months. Replacing filters can be difficult. If you run into hiccups, go online or call us and find the right process to change a filter.

One suggestion is to fill up the filter with water before installing it. Typically the water filters can take a long time to fill, which might cause you to assume that the water dispenser on the refrigerator isn’t working. You should read the directions if all else fails. To ensure it’s not air trapped in the lines, depress the dispenser lever for around 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 start to leak onto the fresh food bins. Limited food inside of the fresh food bins will cause freezing.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES