Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

Is the water dispenser on your refrigerator not working? If not, you can try to solve the issue on your own or call Livermore Appliance Repair Pros for service.

There are several reasons for the water dispenser in a refrigerator to stop working. Again, some reasons are going to sound a bit crazy. However, something as obvious as an off switch has been the cause in the past. Be sure to check the obvious potential issues before moving forward with complicated refrigerator repair. Let’s start to cover this appliance repair problem and see what reasons we can reference for a broken water dispenser.

The cause of a water dispenser not dispensing is usually an installation issue, a filter issue or frozen water tubes:

New Refrigerator Installation Problems

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

If your brand new refrigerator is replacing a previous refrigerator that didn’t include an ice maker or water dispenser, there is a possibility that you don’t have a water line near this area of the kitchen. Most of the time a water line is commonly run from under a house either in a basement or crawl space. You can get this type of water line at almost any home repair store and they’re very easy for even the typical homeowner to install. Typically they have include a water shut-off valve, which is important so that if you need to relocate the refrigerator, you can turn off the water.

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

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

When the water line is hooked up, most of the time there’s air in it. So, engaging and disengaging the water dispenser lever to get the air out of it is necessary.
Filter Issues

On some popular refrigerators, there are various filters. These filters could “expire”, clog or freeze. All of the filters are based on your model and brand of refrigerator. If the filter is blocked it will cause slow filling or no flowing. It’s suggested that your filter be replaced every 6 months. Replacing filters in a refrigerator can be difficult. If you have problems, go online or call us and learn the proper method to change a filter.

One suggestion is to fill up the filter with water before installation. A lot of time the water filters can need a long time to fill, which could lead you to think that the water dispenser isn’t working. You should read the manual if all else fails. To ensure it’s not air trapped in the water lines, we recommend to depress the dispenser arm for about 5 minutes.

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

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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