Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

defective refrigerator water dispenser

Is the water dispenser on your refrigerator broken? If so, you can try to repair the problem on your own or call Champion Appliance Repair for professional refrigerator repair.

There are several reasons for the water dispenser in a kitchen refrigerator to not work anymore. Again, some suggestions could sound a bit crazy. However, something as obvious as an on/off switch has been the cause before. Be sure to check the obvious potential issues before proceeding with complicated refrigerator repair. Let’s start to tackle this appliance repair problem and see all of the solutions we can cite for a broken water dispenser on a refrigerator.

The reason for a broken water dispenser is usually either an installation issue, a filter failure or frozen water lines:

Refrigerator Installation Issues

You just purchased a new refrigerator for your kitchen with a water dispenser, but it’s not dispensing water. The water dispenser has to be connected to the home’s water line. That could be the reason for the problem.

If your brand new refrigerator is replacing an old refrigerator that did not include a water dispenser or ice maker, there’s a chance that you do not have a functioning water line running to this area of the kitchen. A water line is commonly run from underneath a home either in a crawl space or basement. You can get this line at just about any home repair store and they’re very easy for even the typical homeowner to install. Typically they have include a built-in water shut-off valve, which is important so that if you ever need to move the refrigerator, you can turn off the water.

If you have an attached water line, is the valve on? The valve handle must be in line with the hose. And, is water running through the pipe you have installed to connect the water line? Simple and basic questions, but items that need to be confirmed.

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

Once the water line is hooked up, usually there is air in it. So, lifting and lowering the water dispenser lever on the refrigerator to get the air out is needed.
Filter Problems

On some popular models, there are different filters. These filters might “expire”, become clogged or get frozen. All filters are based on the style and brand of refrigerator. If your filter is blocked it might cause slow filling or no flowing at all. It is recommended that your filter should be replaced every 6 months. Changing filters can be difficult. If you have issues, go online 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 can need a long time to fill up, which could lead you to think the water dispenser on the refrigerator is not working right. You will want to read the manual if nothing is working. To be certain it is not air caught in the lines, we recommend to depress the dispenser lever for around 5 minutes.

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

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES