Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

refrigerator water dispenser image

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

There are many reasons for a water dispenser in a refrigerator to stop working. Again, some suggestions are going to sound a little strange. However, something as simple as an off switch on the refrigerator has been the cause in the past. Be sure to check the more obvious potential issues before proceeding with complicated refrigerator repair. Let’s start to tackle this appliance repair issue and see all of the solutions we can reference for a broken water dispenser on a refrigerator.

The reason for a broken water dispenser is typically an installation error, a filter problem or frozen water tubes:

Refrigerator Installation Problems

You just purchased a new refrigerator with a water dispenser, but it is not working. The water dispenser has to be connected to the water line. That could be the problem.

If the brand new refrigerator is replacing an old refrigerator that did not include a water dispenser or ice maker, there is a chance 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 acquire this type of water line at almost any home repair store and they are pretty simple for the average homeowner to install. Usually 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 needs to be lined up with the hose. And, is there water going through the pipe you have used to connect the water line? Simple and common questions, but things that need to be checked.

If you removed the doors during installation it is possible the water dispenser is not plugged in. Read the owner’s manual to find the wire harness for that particular model of refrigerator. Ensure that it is plugged into the refrigerator.

If the water is connected, most of the time there’s air in the line. So, engaging and disengaging the dispenser lever to get the air out is necessary.
Filter Problems

On some models, there are different filters. These filters might “expire”, clog or freeze. All of the filters are based on your style and type of refrigerator. If the filter is blocked it will cause slow filling or no flowing at all. It is suggested that your filter should be changed every 6 months. Replacing filters can be difficult. If you have problems, go online and find the proper process to replace a filter.

One idea is to fill the filter with water prior to installing it. A lot of time the water filters take a long time to fill up, which might lead you to assume the water dispenser on the refrigerator is not working. You will want to read the directions if nothing is working. To ensure it is not air trapped in the lines, we recommend to depress the dispenser arm for around 5 minutes.

A frozen water tank might be the cause of the problem as well in some refrigerators. 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