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 repair the problem on your own or call Peerless Appliance Repair for refrigerator repair Grand Prairie, Texas.

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

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

New Refrigerator Installation Issues

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

If your brand new refrigerator is replacing an old refrigerator that did not feature a water dispenser or ice maker, there is a chance that you don’t have a functioning water line running to this area. A water line is usually run from under the home either in a basement or crawl space. You can purchase this type of water line at almost any hardware store and they are very easy for the average homeowner to install. Typically they have include a built-in water shut-off valve, which is important so that if you need to move the refrigerator, you can turn off the water.

If there is an attached water line, is the valve on? The valve handle should be lined up with the hose. And, is there water going through the pipe that you have installed to connect the water line? Obvious and common questions, but things that need to be confirmed.

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

Once the water line is hooked up, usually there’s air in it. So, engaging and disengaging the water dispenser control on the refrigerator to get the air out of it is needed.
Filter Problems

On some of the popular refrigerators, there are different filters. These filters might “expire”, become clogged or become frozen. All of the filters are based on your style and type of refrigerator. If your filter is blocked it might cause slow filling or no flowing at all. It is recommended that your filter is replaced every 6 months. Replacing filters in a refrigerator can be difficult. If you run into problems, go online and learn the proper process to replace a filter.

One idea is to fill up the filter with water prior to installation. A lot of time the water filters need a long time to fill, which could lead you to assume the water dispenser isn’t working right. You will want to read the manual if nothing is working. To be certain it is not air trapped in the lines, depress the dispenser arm for about 5 minutes.

A frozen water tank could be the source of the problem as well in some models. If the water tank freezes it will start to leak onto the food bins. Low amounts of food in the fresh food bins could cause freezing to happen.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES