Top Reasons Why Fridge is Making Ice But Not Dispensing Water

When it comes to fridges with ice and water dispensing features, it’s only normal that they experience failure from time to time. Still, it can be confusing and frustrating when the same fridge can make ice yet somehow fails to dispense water.

What’s going on? Don’t they rely on the same water supply and components to function?

If your fridge makes ice but not dispensing water, possible issues related to a Failed water inlet valve, Frozen water line or hose behind the fridge, Blocked union connector, Low water pressure

If you’re interested in understanding these issues in greater detail, keep on reading! We’ll look at the components related to this problem, why they fail, and what you can do to fix them!

Related: My Fridge Was Leaking Water Inside – Here Is How I Fixed

1. Failed Fill Valve or Water Inlet valve

Refrigerators that are connected to a water supply will also have at least one fill valve inside of them. These electrical valves open and close automatically to control the water flow into (and sometimes within) the appliance.

Related: Whirlpool Refrigerator Water From Dispenser Is Not Cold

All fridges will have a water inlet valve at the back of the fridge that connects to your household water supply.

Beyond that, some fridge brands and models also have secondary fill valves within the fridge itself.

These secondary valves typically allow for more control over separate water lines, like one for the ice maker and another for the water dispenser.

You can refer to your fridge’s user manual and technical sheets to discover how many fill valves your fridge has and where they’re located. That will make it much easier to troubleshoot them for problems.

Why it fails:

Fill valves are like little gates that control water flow inside your fridge. It’s possible that the valve on the line leading to the water dispenser is faulty and not opening up fully, assuming it’s opening at all.

Suppose your fridge has been in use for many years. If that’s the case, then the likelihood is high that the problem is caused by a faulty fill valve. The valve might not open fully to allow water to flow powerfully through the water lines.

However, suppose your fridge is still relatively new. In that case, there’s a possibility that the fill valve is obstructed, perhaps with a foreign object or some kind of buildup that’s stopping it from working correctly.

How to fix:

When it comes to fill valves, the most effective solution is simply replacing it with a new one. Again, the design of one fridge to another can be quite different.

So, refer to the user manual or technical sheet for your fridge to understand how many fill valves it has and where each of them is located.

• What you’re looking for is whichever fill valve leads to your water dispenser.
• The user manual/technical sheet will help you identify and locate the valve.
• With that knowledge, you can remove the necessary access panels to reach the fill valve.
• Disconnect the valve from its electrical connectors and remove any screws holding it in place.
• Then, replace it with the new fill valve
• Work backwards. Replace the connectors, mount the valve back in place, and close the panel you removed earlier.

2. Frozen Water Line

There are several water lines inside your fridge. You see, once the water comes in through the inlet valve at the back of the fridge, it flows through a water line to the water filter.

Related: Refrigerator Ice Maker Not Working? Here Is How To Fix it

Depending on your fridge’s design, separate water lines may go from the filter to the ice maker and the water dispenser.

Why it fails:

Suppose the fridge is making ice but not dispensing water. If that’s the case, it’s possible that the water line that goes to the dispenser has become frozen, and no water can flow through it anymore.

In some cases, the water line will freeze when the fridge’s temperature settings are too low.

How to fix:

To clear the frozen water line, you’ll need to thaw the ice out from inside. That can be tricky, especially since the water line is usually hidden away within the fridge door or behind some other fridge panel.

• Your first option would be to shut off the entire fridge and let it thaw out slowly.
• When the fridge is shut off, it’ll gradually warm up and melt all of the ice anywhere in the water line.

Unfortunately, this option requires a lot of time to work. For most people, who don’t have a secondary fridge or freezer to store their food, this is not a practical solution.

If that sounds like you, then what you can do as an alternative solution is to purchase water line cleaning kits.

When it comes to fridges with ice and water dispensing features, it’s only normal that they experience failure from time to time. Still, it can be confusing and frustrating when the same fridge can make ice yet somehow fails to dispense water.

What’s going on? Don’t they rely on the same water supply and components to function?

If your fridge makes ice but not dispensing water, possible issues related to a Failed water inlet valve, Frozen water line or hose behind the fridge, Blocked union connector, Low water pressure

If you’re interested in understanding these issues in greater detail, keep on reading! We’ll look at the components related to this problem, why they fail, and what you can do to fix them!

Related: My Fridge Was Leaking Water Inside – Here Is How I Fixed

1. Failed Fill Valve or Water Inlet valve

Refrigerators that are connected to a water supply will also have at least one fill valve inside of them. These electrical valves open and close automatically to control the water flow into (and sometimes within) the appliance.

Related: Whirlpool Refrigerator Water From Dispenser Is Not Cold

All fridges will have a water inlet valve at the back of the fridge that connects to your household water supply.

Beyond that, some fridge brands and models also have secondary fill valves within the fridge itself.

These secondary valves typically allow for more control over separate water lines, like one for the ice maker and another for the water dispenser.

You can refer to your fridge’s user manual and technical sheets to discover how many fill valves your fridge has and where they’re located. That will make it much easier to troubleshoot them for problems.

Why it fails:

Fill valves are like little gates that control water flow inside your fridge. It’s possible that the valve on the line leading to the water dispenser is faulty and not opening up fully, assuming it’s opening at all.

Suppose your fridge has been in use for many years. If that’s the case, then the likelihood is high that the problem is caused by a faulty fill valve. The valve might not open fully to allow water to flow powerfully through the water lines.

However, suppose your fridge is still relatively new. In that case, there’s a possibility that the fill valve is obstructed, perhaps with a foreign object or some kind of buildup that’s stopping it from working correctly.

How to fix:

When it comes to fill valves, the most effective solution is simply replacing it with a new one. Again, the design of one fridge to another can be quite different.

So, refer to the user manual or technical sheet for your fridge to understand how many fill valves it has and where each of them is located.

• What you’re looking for is whichever fill valve leads to your water dispenser.
• The user manual/technical sheet will help you identify and locate the valve.
• With that knowledge, you can remove the necessary access panels to reach the fill valve.
• Disconnect the valve from its electrical connectors and remove any screws holding it in place.
• Then, replace it with the new fill valve
• Work backwards. Replace the connectors, mount the valve back in place, and close the panel you removed earlier.

2. Frozen Water Line

There are several water lines inside your fridge. You see, once the water comes in through the inlet valve at the back of the fridge, it flows through a water line to the water filter.

Related: Refrigerator Ice Maker Not Working? Here Is How To Fix it

Depending on your fridge’s design, separate water lines may go from the filter to the ice maker and the water dispenser.

Why it fails:

Suppose the fridge is making ice but not dispensing water. If that’s the case, it’s possible that the water line that goes to the dispenser has become frozen, and no water can flow through it anymore.

In some cases, the water line will freeze when the fridge’s temperature settings are too low.

How to fix:

To clear the frozen water line, you’ll need to thaw the ice out from inside. That can be tricky, especially since the water line is usually hidden away within the fridge door or behind some other fridge panel.

• Your first option would be to shut off the entire fridge and let it thaw out slowly.
• When the fridge is shut off, it’ll gradually warm up and melt all of the ice anywhere in the water line.

Unfortunately, this option requires a lot of time to work. For most people, who don’t have a secondary fridge or freezer to store their food, this is not a practical solution.

If that sounds like you, then what you can do as an alternative solution is to purchase water line cleaning kits.