Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

Is the water dispenser on your refrigerator not working? If so, you can try to repair the problem on your own or call Oshkosh Appliance Repair for refrigerator repair Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

There are many reasons for the water dispenser in a kitchen refrigerator to stop working. Again, some reasons might sound a little strange. However, something as obvious as a power switch has been the cause in some instances. Be sure to inspect the more obvious potential issues before proceeding with complicated refrigerator repair. Let’s start to cover this appliance repair problem and see what reasons we can cite for a broken water dispenser on a refrigerator.

The reason for a broken water dispenser is usually an installation problem, a filter issue or frozen water tubes:

Refrigerator Installation Issues

You just bought a brand new refrigerator for your kitchen with a water dispenser, but it’s broken. The water dispenser has to be hooked up to the water line. That could be the reason for the issue.

If your new refrigerator is replacing an older refrigerator that didn’t include a water dispenser or ice maker, there is a possibility that you don’t have a functioning water line running to this area of the kitchen. Most of the time a water line is typically run from underneath the home either in a crawl space or basement. You can buy this type of water line at nearly any home repair store and they’re pretty simple for the typical homeowner to install. Usually they have include a water shut-off valve, which is important so that if you should need to relocate the refrigerator, you can turn off the water.

If there is a water line, is the valve on? The valve handle needs to be in line with the hose. And, is water running through the pipe you have used to connect the water line? Simple and questions, but items that have to be confirmed.

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

When the water is hooked up, most of the time there is air in the water line. So, engaging and disengaging the water dispenser control to get the air out of it 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 model and brand of refrigerator. If the filter is clogged it might cause slow filling or no flowing at all. It’s recommended that your filter be replaced every 6 months. Changing filters in a refrigerator can be difficult. If you run into hiccups, go online or call us and learn the right process to change a filter.

One recommendation is to fill the water filter with water prior to installation. A lot of time the water filters will take a long amount of time to fill, which could lead you to assume that the water dispenser is not working. You should read the directions if nothing is working. To ensure it’s not air caught in the lines, depress the dispenser arm for around 5 minutes.

A frozen water tank could be the reason for the issue as well on some models. If the tank is frozen it will begin to leak onto the fresh food bins. Limited food in the fresh food bins could cause freezing.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES