Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

defective refrigerator water dispenser

Is the water dispenser on your refrigerator not working? If not, you can try to solve the issue by yourself or call National City Appliance Repair for refrigerator repair National CIty, California.

There are many reasons for a water dispenser in a refrigerator to not work anymore. Again, some reasons 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 prior to proceeding with complicated refrigerator repair. Let’s start to cover this appliance repair issue and see what reasons we can reference for a broken water dispenser on a refrigerator.

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

New Refrigerator Installation Issues

You just purchased a new refrigerator with a water dispenser, but it’s broken. The water dispenser must be connected to the home’s water line. That might be the reason for the problem.

If your brand new refrigerator is replacing an old refrigerator that didn’t feature a water dispenser or ice maker, there is a possibility that you don’t have a functioning water line near this area. A water line is usually run from under a house either in a crawl space or basement. You can buy this type of water line at almost any home repair store and they are pretty easy for the average homeowner to install. Typically they have come with a 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 is an attached water line, is the valve turned on? The valve handle should be in line with the hose. And, is there water running through the pipe you have used 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 it is possible the water dispenser might not be plugged in. Review the manual to see the wire harness for the particular model of refrigerator. Ensure that it is plugged into the refrigerator.

When the water line is connected, most of the time there is air in the line. So, lifting and lowering the water dispenser lever on the refrigerator to get the air out of it is necessary.
Filter Issues

On some refrigerators, there are different filters. These filters could “expire”, become clogged or freeze. All of the filters are dependent on your model and brand of refrigerator. If the filter is blocked it might cause slow filling or no flowing period. It’s suggested that your filter should be replaced every 6 months. Changing filters in a refrigerator can be challenging. If you have problems, go online and find the right method to replace a filter.

One recommendation is to fill up the filter with water before installation. A lot of time the water filters need a long amount of time to fill, which could cause you to assume the water dispenser isn’t working right. You should read the directions if nothing is working. To be sure it is not air caught in the lines, we recommend to depress the dispenser arm for about 5 minutes.

A frozen water tank could be the source of the problem as well on some refrigerators. If the water tank is frozen it will start to leak onto the fresh food bins. Limited food inside of the fresh food bins can cause freezing.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES