Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

refrigerator water dispenser picture

Is the water dispenser on your refrigerator broken? If so, you can try to solve the issue on your own or call Total Toledo Appliance Repair for refrigerator repair Toledo, Ohio.

There are many reasons for the water dispenser in a kitchen refrigerator to stop working. Again, some of the suggestions could sound a bit crazy. However, something as simple as an on/off switch has been the cause in the past. Be sure to inspect the more obvious potential issues before moving forward with complicated refrigerator repair. Let’s begin to cover this appliance repair problem and see what solutions we can cite for a broken water dispenser on a refrigerator.

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

New Refrigerator Installation Issues

You just installed a brand new refrigerator with a water dispenser, but it’s not dispensing water. The water dispenser must be hooked up to the home’s water line. That might be the cause of the problem.

If your brand new refrigerator is replacing a previous refrigerator that didn’t feature an ice maker or water dispenser, there is a chance that you don’t have a water line near this area. Most of the time a water line is usually run from under the house either in a crawl space or basement. You can acquire this type of water line at almost any hardware store and they’re very simple for the average homeowner to install. Usually they have a 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 there is a connected water line, is the valve turned on? The valve handle must be lined up with the hose. And, is there water running through the pipe you have installed to connect the water line? Simple and basic questions, but things that need to be accounted for.

If you had to remove the doors during installation it’s possible the water dispenser isn’t plugged in. Read the manual to see the wire harness for that particular refrigerator. Check that it is plugged into the refrigerator.

Once the water line is hooked up, most of the time there is air in the water line. So, engaging and disengaging the dispenser control on the refrigerator to get the air out of it is necessary.
Filter Problems

On some of the household models, there are different filters. These filters might “expire”, become clogged or become frozen. All filters are dependent on the model and brand of refrigerator. If the filter is blocked it can cause slow filling or no flowing at all. It’s suggested that your filter be changed every 6 months. Changing filters can be difficult. If you have problems, go online or call us and find the right process to replace a filter.

One idea is to fill the water filter with water prior to installation. Typically the water filters take a long amount of time to fill, which could lead you to assume that the water dispenser is not working right. You will want to read the owner’s manual if all else fails. To ensure it is not air caught in the lines, depress the dispenser arm for about 5 minutes.

A frozen water tank could be the source of the issue as well on some models. If the tank is frozen it will leak onto the fresh food bins. Small amounts of food in the fresh food bins will cause freezing.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES