Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

refrigerator water dispenser pic

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

There are many reasons for a water dispenser in a refrigerator to not work. Again, some reasons might sound a little strange. However, something as simple as an off switch on the refrigerator has been the reason before. Be sure to review the more obvious potential problems before proceeding with refrigerator repair. Let’s begin to tackle this appliance repair issue and see all of the solutions we can reference for a broken water dispenser on a refrigerator.

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

New Refrigerator Installation Issues

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

If the brand new refrigerator is replacing a prior refrigerator that didn’t feature an ice maker or water dispenser, there is a chance that you do not have a functioning water line near this area. Most of the time a water line is typically run from underneath a home either in a basement or crawl space. You can get this type of water line at just about any home repair store and they’re pretty simple for even the typical homeowner to install. Typically they have a a built-in water shut-off valve, which is necessary so that if you should need to move the refrigerator, you can shut off the water.

If you have a connected water line, is the valve turned on? The valve handle must be in line with the hose. And, is there water running through the pipe you have used to connect the water line? Obvious and common questions, but things that have to be checked.

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

If the water is connected, most of the time there is air in it. So, engaging and disengaging the water dispenser control on the refrigerator to get the air out is needed.
Filter Issues

On some household models, there are different filters. These filters might “expire”, clog or get frozen. All filters are based on your style and type of refrigerator. If your filter is blocked it can cause slow filling or no flowing period. It’s suggested that your filter should be changed every 6 months. Replacing filters in a refrigerator can be challenging. If you have problems, go online and learn the right method to change a filter.

One recommendation is to fill up the filter with water prior to installing it. Typically the water filters take a long time to fill, which could lead you to assume that the water dispenser is not working. You will want to read the manual if nothing is working. To be sure it’s not air trapped in the water lines, depress the dispenser arm for around 5 minutes.

A frozen water tank might also be the source of the issue as well on some models. If the tank freezes it will leak onto the fresh food bins. Small amounts of food inside of the fresh food bins could cause freezing to occur.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES