Why is my frigidaire refrigerator not dispensing water

How To Repair A Refrigerator That's Not Dispensing Water

About this repair:

• Rated as EASY
• 1940 repair stories
• 5 step by step videos

Ice & Water Filter

Should your refrigerator be the type that offers filtered water for drinking or for ice, it could be that your dispenser isn’t putting out water like it used to because the filter’s gotten clogged up. A dirty filter reduces the amount of water that gets into the machine, so replace that filter twice a year or more often if your area has hard water. Check the owner’s manual under “Maintenance” to find the location of the filter in your particular fridge; it’s usually somewhere easy to get to, in the open area of the fridge that stores food.

Water Inlet Valve

The water for the dispenser travels into the fridge from the main supply line for your house, and a block in the valve that lets the water into the fridge may be what’s keeping your machine from dispensing water. To check on the water inlet valve, unplug the refrigerator and shut off the water supply to it. Remove the back panel and trace the water tube from the water dispenser to the valve to discover the solenoid inlet valve responsible for switching on the water flow. Test the terminals of that solenoid with a multi-meter to determine if it has continuity. Check to see if the tube bringing water in has a little debris screen on it, which may have gotten clogged. If so, clean the screen to allow water back into the water dispenser. Check the inlet tubing for blockage, and make sure the manual water shut-off valve is clean and clear on the inside. It could be that you need greater household water pressure to keep water flowing at the inlet to the valve. Or it could be that there’s dirt or a defect inside the water inlet valve. See the section here on the water dispenser actuator, and the micro switch, since the problem with the water dispensing could lie there as well. If all of these components check out fine, check to ensure power is reaching the water valve properly. This is a job for a service technician, since live voltage is involved.

Water Dispenser Actuator

When you press your water glass up to the water dispenser, the plastic bit that you depress down to start the water flow is called the water dispenser actuator. It starts up the dispenser micro switch with a click sound. To test this component, unplug the fridge and take the cover off the control panel. Does the actuator push the switch when you press it? Check the bracket that houses the actuator, the bracket that houses the switch, and the pivot of the actuator. If any of these pieces aren’t functioning, replace them. But if the actuator is triggering the switch, as it should, the problem probably resides elsewhere, like inside the switch or in the control board.

Micro Switch

Behind the little lever you press with the rim of your water glass to start up the flow of water from your fridge is the dispenser micro switch. When it makes contact, it sends power to the water inlet valve via a solenoid. Unplug the fridge, take the cover off the control panel, and find the switch behind the lever to check its continuity, using a multi-meter.

Dispenser Control Board

It could be that yours is a fridge that powers the water inlet valve by way of an electronic control. Once you have eliminated the micro switch and the actuator as culprits, if the water inlet valve is still unpowered it may be due to an electronic control malfunction. Check your owner’s manual or manufacturer’s website to see if they have provided information on how to diagnose a problem in this component.

More Repair Parts

Still not sure which part is broken? We can offer you custom troubleshooting help if you search with your model number.

The convenience of having a water dispenser on your Frigidaire refrigerator model FFSS2314QE is often overlooked, that is, until the handy component stops working. Unfortunately, a non-functioning dispenser can be caused by a couple different malfunctioning parts. If you’re wondering what’s behind your water dispenser malfunction, don’t worry, the guide provided below will help you figure out which part is the possible culprit, and how you can fix it.

To avoid electrocution, unplug your refrigerator from the wall and turn off the water running to your appliance. It is strongly recommended you wear work gloves and safety goggles to protect your hands and eyes from sharp objects as you repair your fridge.

The Water Dispenser Actuator

The mechanism you press your glass against to activate your refrigerator’s water dispenser is called a water dispenser actuator. Depressing the actuator triggers the dispenser switch, also known as a micro switch, which then delivers power to the solenoid on the water inlet valve. A faulty water dispenser actuator will not connect properly to the micro switch, meaning the switch will not send power to the inlet valve, and your dispenser will not fill your glass with water.

How to Replace the Water Dispenser Actuator in Your Frigidaire Refrigerator

1. Start the repair process by pulling off the dispenser’s bottom tray. Then, using a Phillips screwdriver, unthread the screws securing the front panel of the dispenser to the refrigerator. After the screws are loose, lower the panel and disconnect the wire harness running from the control assembly to the front panel.
2. Once again with a Phillips screwdriver, take out the screws that hold the dispenser control assembly in place. Carefully tilt the control assembly forward to gain access to the wire harness connected to the back of the component. Separate the wire harness, and then locate the water tube attached to the assembly and gently pull it off the part.
3. Now that the dispenser control assembly is free from your refrigerator, you can access the back of it to remove the actuator. To do so, unthread the screws holding the two retaining plates to the top of the actuator. Once you’ve taken the plates off, you can separate the faulty actuator from the water dispenser control assembly.
4. Install the new water dispenser actuator by snapping it into place on the dispenser control assembly. Then, situate the tension spring in the notch on the actuator lever. Once that is done, reattach the retaining plates to the top of the actuator. Before reinstall the control assembly, push the new dispenser actuator back and forth and listen for a soft clicking sound. If you hear the sound, the actuator was attached correctly.
5. With the new actuator in place, you can reinstall the water dispenser control assembly. First, reconnect the wire harness you separated earlier. After that, reattach the water tube. Make sure you press the tube firmly in place; otherwise, you could end up with a leak. Next, realign the water dispenser assembly with the opening on the freezer door, and reinstall the retaining screws you took out earlier.
6. Retrieve the front panel of the dispenser, and reconnect its wire harness to the wire harness running out of the control assembly. Then, line the panel up with the control assembly and rethread the panel screws to secure the part to the freezer door. To finish up your repair, replace the dispenser’s bottom tray.
7. Plug-in your appliance and turn the water supply back on. Grab a glass and use it to depress the new actuator to ensure the part fixed your no water issue.

The Dispenser Switch

As stated above, the dispenser switch, also known as a micro switch, is activated when the water dispenser actuator is pressed down. The switch then sends power to the solenoid on the water inlet valve, which opens the valve to provide a flow of water to the refrigerator’s water dispenser. If the micro switch is faulty, your water dispenser will not work.

How to Replace the Dispenser Switch in Your Frigidaire Refrigerator

1. To begin your repair, simply follow steps 1 and 2 found in the actuator repair guide above. Once you have removed the water dispenser control assembly from your freezer door, you can get to work on taking the faulty dispenser switch off the assembly.
2. Before you can fully access the switch, you’ll need to detach the light bulb and light shield found next to it. To do so, unscrew the bulb from the light socket, and then turn the control assembly over to detach the wires running to the terminals on the back of the socket. Next, release the light shield locking tabs and the locking tab on the light socket. Once all three tabs are free, you can pull the shield and socket off the control assembly.
3. Using a screwdriver, unthread the two screws securing the dispenser switch to the control assembly. Then, disconnect the wires running to the side terminal and the bottom terminal of the component.
4. Now it’s time to install the new dispenser switch. However, before you begin, compare the position of the old switch terminals to the new switch terminals. If they are not at the same angle, bend the terminals on the new part to match the ones on the old part. After you have repositioned the terminals, you can attach the wires in the dispenser control assembly to the micro switch. Then, secure the switch to the assembly with the two screws you removed earlier.
5. Reinstall the light shield and light socket and connect the wires to the terminals on the back of the socket. Next, screw-in the dispenser light bulb.
6. Once the water dispenser control assembly is reassembled, place it on the freezer door, and reconnect its wire harness. Next, reattach the dispenser water tube, and secure the assembly to the door with retaining screws.
7. To complete your repair project, replace the dispenser’s front panel and insert the bottom tray. Then, plug-in your refrigerator and turn on its water supply.

Other Possible Malfunctions

The Water Inlet Valve controls the flow of water entering your refrigerator. If the valve is malfunctioning, water will not reach your dispenser. Unfortunately, replacing the inlet valve is the only way to resolve the problem.

A Clogged Water Filter is another potential culprit. If you don’t change the filter at least twice a year, debris can cause an obstruction, which will reduce the water flow to your dispenser. If you haven’t switched out the water filter in your refrigerator for over 6 months, we suggest doing it as soon as possible.

If the water dispenser in your Frigidaire refrigerator is no longer working or the stream of water coming out is noticeably reduced and you can’t figure out why, please contact us today and we’ll be happy to diagnose and repair the malfunctioning component.

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