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 repair the issue on your own or call Dunn Appliance Repair for professional refrigerator repair CITY, STATE.

There are several reasons for the water dispenser in a refrigerator to stop working. Again, some reasons are going to sound a little strange. However, something as simple as a power switch has been the culprit before. Be sure to check the obvious potential problems before proceeding with refrigerator repair. Let’s begin to cover this appliance repair problem and see what causes we can cite for a broken water dispenser on a refrigerator.

The cause of a water dispenser not working is commonly an installation error, a filter failure or frozen water lines:

Refrigerator Installation Issues

You just bought a new refrigerator with a water dispenser, but it is not working. The water dispenser has to be hooked up to the water line. That might be the cause of the issue.

If your new refrigerator is replacing an older refrigerator that did not include an ice maker or water dispenser, there’s a chance that you do not have a functioning water line near this area. A water line is typically run from under the home either in a crawl space or basement. You can get this line at almost any home repair store and they are pretty simple for the average homeowner to install. Usually they have come with a built-in water shut-off valve, which is necessary so that if you ever need to relocate the refrigerator, you can turn off the water.

If there’s a connected water line, is the valve turned on? The valve handle should be in line with the hose. And, is there water going through the pipe that you have installed to connect the water line? Simple and questions, but things that need to be accounted for.

If you had to remove the refrigerator doors during installation the water dispenser might not be plugged in. Read the owner’s manual to see the wire harness for that particular model of refrigerator. Ensure that it is plugged into the refrigerator.

If the water is hooked up, usually there’s air in the water line. So, lifting and lowering the water dispenser lever to get the air out is needed.

Filter Problems

On some household refrigerators, there are various filters. These filters might “expire”, become clogged or get frozen. All of the filters are dependent on your style and brand of refrigerator. If the filter is clogged it might cause slow filling or no flowing period. It is recommended that your filter is changed every 6 months. Replacing filters can be challenging. If you have problems, go online or call us and learn the right process to change a filter.

One recommendation is to fill the filter with water before installing it. Typically the water filters take a long time to fill up, which might cause you to think that the water dispenser isn’t working. You will want to read the manual if all else fails. To ensure it’s not air trapped in the lines, depress the dispenser arm for about 5 minutes.

A frozen water tank might be the reason for the issue as well in some refrigerators. If the water tank is frozen it will start to leak onto the fresh food bins. Minimal food in the fresh food bins will cause freezing to occur.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES