KitchenAid Water Dispenser Not Working

I’ve had my KitchenAid fridge that has a built-in ice maker and water dispenser for a few years, and over that time I’ve only had a few issues with it that were quite easy to fix. Through fixing it myself I learned exactly what the issues are, so thought I’d summarize how to fix problems that can occur with a KitchenAid water dispenser.

If your KitchenAid water dispenser is not working, it could be due to a frozen water line. To fix this, safely defrost the freezer, ensuring not to damage any internal components. This will allow the water to flow freely again.

Another reason the water dispenser might not be working is due to an air lock in the water line. It’s like having a kink in a garden hose; the water is there, but it just can’t get through. To resolve this, you’ll need to flush the water system. This involves dispensing water for several minutes to clear any trapped air from the water line, allowing the water to flow smoothly once again.

Lastly, the issue could stem from a faulty water filter. Over time, water filters can become clogged with debris and mineral deposits, much like how a coffee filter gets filled with grounds, preventing water from passing through. Replacing the water filter with a new one can often solve the problem, ensuring that your dispenser provides you with fresh, clean water once more.

Below, I will cover the steps to fix a KitchenAid water filter that keeps running, doesn’t run at all, or if the water is not cold.

KitchenAid Fridge Water Dispenser Keeps Running

Although the water dispenser not working is an issue, it’s more problematic when it keeps running because I or you need to clean up any spills as they happen. So, I thought I’d cover this issue first. So, how do you fix the water dispenser on a KitchenAid Fridge when it keeps running?

As a general rule, it’s caused by insufficient water pressure, the water filter being restricted, or the water inlet valve being defective. The water filter is the easiest to inspect and repair or replace so it should be inspected first, followed by the water pressure and the water inlet valve.

There are also some additional steps after that to look into if none of those fix the issue. Here’s step by step instructions for the things you should try and the additional steps.

Step 1: Check if Water Filter is Restricting Water Flow to Dispenser

The water filter can be clogged due to micro particles in the water. The water filter is a small component that can be cleaned or replaced quite easily. The water filter can be located in a small compartment that is easy to access. But, it does vary by model. You should check the owners manual for your specific KitchenAid model to see where it’s located.

The model number is always shown on the inside of your fridge on the left wall. Once you know the model number you can easily find the owners manual on the official KitchenAid website.

Then follow the instructions in your owner’s manual about how to clean or replace it. You should also only use a type of water filter in your fridge that’s recommended by KitchenAid. These are those that are KitchenAid branded or have the EveryDropTM brand on them.

Step 2: Check for Sufficient Water Pressure

This is a bit trickier to check and you need a plumber or a specialist water pressure valve to test the water pressure. But, this is only generally an issue if you notice the water pressure in other parts of your home also being lower than normal.

So, you should check that the water valve where the water line is connected to is open all the way. The water pressure in a home is generally fixed at a certain pressure and doesn’t change. But, KitchenAid recommends a water pressure to your fridge of 30 and 120 psi (207-827 kPa).

Many people have commented that most home water pressures are at 40 and 60 PSI. That may be a bit low for your fridge. Therefore, you can experiment with turning the water pressure up or down slightly and see if your fridge now dispenses water correctly.

Step 4: Check if Tab is Stuck in the Open Position

When you put a cup against the tab to get water to dispense it can get stuck in the open position. It may spring back a bit but not all the way which may not be noticeable at first glance. It’s a good idea to visually inspect the tab that controls the water that comes out of the dispenser.

And shimmying a little can get it to click into the correct position again. The entire water dispenser panel can also be removed to expose the water dispenser components so you can see if any part of it is damaged and needs replacing.

Refer to your owners manual to see how to open the water dispenser compartment and follow the directions that are described therein.

Step 5: Check if Reverse Osmosis Machine is Lowering the Water Pressure

A reverse osmosis machine is a great way to purify drinking water. But, using one can make the water pressure too low for the water dispenser to work correctly.

If using a reverse osmosis machine the following troubleshooting steps should be done to ensure you have enough water pressure.

Make sure the reverse osmosis tank is as full as possible. After you use a reverse osmosis machine a lot the tank can be running low and the water pressure can be lower.
Don’t use a water filter in your fridge and a reverse osmosis machine. This is an either or proposition. The fridge water dispenser and ice maker will work perfectly fine without a water filter. So, if you’re using a reverse osmosis remove the water filter in your fridge to give you more water pressure.
The filter on your reverse osmosis machine can be clogged and need replacing to get the required water pressure. The recommended water pressure from a reverse osmosis machine should be 40-60 psi (275-414 kPa) at a minimum.

Step 6: Check if Water Inlet Valve is Defective

The way to check if the water inlet valve is causing the water to continue to continuously come out, or to come out after the tab has been released is to unplug your fridge at the wall, and see if water still comes out.

Other than that the water inlet valve can be inspected to see if it’s broken. The location of the water inlet valve is shown in the owner’s manual for your specific model of KitchenAid fridge. So, refer to your owner’s manual to see how to inspect it. It can also have failed electrically which can be tested with a voltmeter.

Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on September 7, 2021.

However, if you’re not too good with DIY, then it can be best to get a technician in to take a look at what’s causing the issue and to repair it for you.

KitchenAid Refrigerator Not Dispensing Water

Now that I’ve covered what to do when the water dispenser keeps running, I’ll now explain the causes of the water not dispensing at all from your KitchenAid fridge.

Generally this is caused by a defective water inlet valve, a defective dispenser switch, the water pressure being too low due to bent water supply lines from the plumbing to your fridge, or a problem with the water filter.

The easiest to check first is the water supply lines, and the water filter. I have provided step by step instructions for how to troubleshoot each of these issues at the top of this article. So, scroll to the top and follow each step one by one.

The water supply lines aren’t covered. They are easy to spot and are thin pipes that run from your wall/plumbing to the fridge. When the fridge was installed they may have been bent, and water won’t flow through them at a good pressure. They may have also split and be leaking water

Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on September 7, 2021.

Visually inspect them, and then replace them as necessary using your owners manual as a guide. The dispenser switch can have failed, and can be checked with a voltmeter. However, this might be a bit too involved for you, and if so it’s best to get a technician to fix the issue for you.

KitchenAid Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Cold

Although the water can dispense well, iced water can not come out when you select the iced water button on your water dispenser. Here’s what causes it and how to fix it.

As a whole, this is caused by the cold water being used a lot, not giving enough time for the water to cool, if the fridge was installed in the last 24 hours, and if the cold water dispenser has not been used a lot recently.

When the cold water dispenser hasn’t been used a lot recently the first cup of water can be warm. But, the second cup is cold. Using the cold water function a lot will use up all of the cold water, and it needs more time to cool the water down.

The same is true if the fridge has been recently installed. For a newly installed fridge it can take 24 hours for the fridge to fully cool itself and for the cold water function to dispense chilled water.

Failing that, the supply lines may have been installed incorrectly, and the hot water line is connected to the cold water line. This causes hot water to flow into the fridge and the fridge can’t cool it enough.

If you’ve tried all of the steps above, and it’s still dispensing warm or room temperature water, then it’s likely the water supply lines, which may need a plumber or technician to take a look at. But, since that has an added expense it’s best to try all of the steps above first.

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