Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

image of refrigerator water dispenser

Is the water dispenser on your refrigerator not dispensing water? If so, you can try to repair the issue on your own or call Griffin Appliance Repair for refrigerator repair Torrance, California.

There are a lot of reasons for the water dispenser in a refrigerator to not work anymore. Again, some of the suggestions could sound a bit crazy. However, something as obvious as an on/off switch has been the cause before. Be sure to review the obvious potential problems before proceeding with 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 reason for a water dispenser not working is commonly an installation problem, a filter problem or frozen water tubes:

New Refrigerator Installation Problems

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 water line. That might be the issue.

If the brand new refrigerator is replacing an old refrigerator that didn’t include a water dispenser or ice maker, there’s a possibility that you don’t have a water line near this area. Most of the time a water line is commonly run from under a home either in a crawl space or basement. You can get this line at nearly any home repair store and they are 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 shut off the water.

If there’s a water line, is the valve on? The valve handle should be lined up with the hose. And, is water running through the pipe you have installed to connect the water line? Simple and common questions, but things that have to be checked.

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

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

On some of the popular models, there are various filters. These filters can “expire”, clog or freeze. All filters are dependent on your style and type of refrigerator. If the filter is clogged it will cause slow filling or no flowing period. It’s recommended that your filter is changed every 6 months. Changing filters in a refrigerator can be hard sometimes. If you have hiccups, go online or call us and learn the proper process to replace a filter.

One recommendation is to fill the filter with water before installation. Typically the water filters need a long amount of 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 all else fails. To be sure it’s not air caught in the water lines, we recommend to depress the dispenser arm for about 5 minutes.

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

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES