Samsung Ice Maker Leaking Water: How to Fix

It’s not unusual to see water dripping from your Samsung fridge’s dispenser, especially if you just filled a cup with water or ice. After a few seconds, the drips should stop.

However, if the leaks occur even when you’re not dispensing water or ice, you need to find the underlying cause. Then, troubleshoot it.

Our guide will show you all the possible reasons why your ice maker is leaking and their respective fixes. Of all the repairs, replacing a faulty component is the most intimidating. 

Not to worry—we’ll walk you through the entire process to make this easier for you. In 30 minutes or less, you should be able to replace a faulty component and stop the water leak.

Why is my Samsung ice maker leaking water?

Water can leak from your Samsung ice maker if the air is trapped inside the water line or when your fridge isn’t leveled correctly.

A malfunctioning water inlet valve or a broken gasket can also cause your ice maker to leak water non-stop. To stop the leak, you have to replace the faulty component.

Causes and Fix for a Samsung Ice Maker Leaking Water

Fixing water leakage from the ice maker can be as simple as adjusting your fridge’s height or dispensing water to purge trapped air from the system.

However, if you’re dealing with a damaged component like a faulty valve or gasket, you must remove the old component and replace it with a new one.

Below, we’ve listed the different possible causes of water leakage in your Samsung fridge ice maker. We also provide step-by-step instructions to help you stop the leak.

Causes	Solutions
Air is trapped inside.	Unplug the fridge, and shut off the water supply. Remove the screws on the fridge’s hinge cover. Then, take off the cover.  Located the water line coupler at the top of the Samsung French door unit.  Make sure that the lines are connected properly and the retaining clips are secure.
A new filter was recently installed.	Get a large pitcher and press it gently against the dispenser level. Dispense about 10 liters of water to remove any air in the system. If the stream appears to be sputtering, empty the pitcher and dispense water again. Do this at least three more times until you see a steady stream of water.
No water filter is installed.	Buy an authentic Samsung water filter for your fridge. Make sure to get the appropriate type for your fridge. Insert the new water filter into the housing and turn it clockwise to lock it in place.
Residual ice in the chute.	Make sure the ice maker is on. Select Cubed Ice on the control panel. Get a cup and press it gently on the dispenser pad. Hold your cup under the dispenser for three or four seconds to catch dripping water.
The fridge isn’t leveled correctly.	Place a carpenter’s level (spirit’s level) on top of the fridge—not on the doors. Then, determine which way the fridge is tilting. Crouch down to access your fridge’s leveling legs. Remove the leg covers if your fridge has them. Use a flathead screwdriver to adjust the leveling legs underneath your fridge. Twist the leg to the left to raise your fridge’s height or right to lower it. After making adjustments, check again if your fridge is level.
The ice chute gasket assembly is worn out.	Open the left door of your Samsung French-door unit. Locate the ice chute gasket assembly and check for any damages or air leaks. Use a flathead screwdriver to depress a retaining tab and release the gasket.  Pull out the gasket and remove the rubber lining from the cap.  Take the new gasket and slide it around the cap. Align the new gasket around the ice chute. Make sure the smaller part faces the door hinge. Then, push the gasket in place to keep it secure.
The water inlet valve is faulty.	Unplug the fridge and shut off the water supply.  Move your unit to access the back panel. Then, unmount the screws on the back panel and disconnect the water line.  Unmount the valve and pull it out as far as possible. After, remove the cover box, the wire, and the support bracket. Remove the locking clamps and disconnect the water lines from the old valve.  Take the new valve and connect it to the water lines.  Reconnect the wire, support bracket, and retaining clips. Then, reinstall the cover box. Mount the valve and reattach the screw to keep it secure. Reconnect the water line and reinstall the back panel. After, plug in the fridge and turn on the water supply.

Air is trapped inside.

Water may drip from your dispenser if air is trapped inside the water line. This often happens when your fridge is newly installed.

If the water line under the hinge cover isn’t connected properly, air can get trapped inside and cause your dispenser to leak.

We’ll show you how to troubleshoot this issue on a Samsung Refrigerator Model RF27T5501SRAA51.

The exact steps may vary depending on your fridge model. However, you can always turn to your user manual for step-by-step instructions for removing and reinstalling your fridge doors.

What you’ll need:

• Phillips screwdriver

Solution: To prevent air from getting trapped in the water line, follow these steps carefully:

• Step 1: Unplug the fridge, and turn off the water supply line valve.
• Step 2: Unmount the screws on the fridge’s hinge cover using a Phillips screwdriver. Then, set the cover aside.
• Step 3: Locate the water line coupler at the top of the Samsung French door unit.

• Step 4: Inspect the water line coupler.
• Step 5: Make sure the water line is connected properly to prevent air from getting trapped inside.
• Step 6: Reattach the hinge cover and return all the screws to keep it secure.
• Step 7: Turn on the fridge and the water supply.

Quick Note: Depending on your Samsung fridge model, the water line coupler might be located in a different area. Some units have the coupler at the bottom left door of the fridge, which you can access by removing the doors. To locate the water coupler on your fridge, check your user manual for reference.

A new water filter was recently installed.

Aside from loose connections, air can also get trapped inside the water line when you replace a new water filter. 

By dispensing water into a cup, you can remove the trapped air and stop the water leak.

What you’ll need:

• A large pitcher.

Solution: To purge air from the water line, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Get a large pitcher and press it against the dispenser lever. 
• Step 2: Dispense water into the pitcher. 
• Step 3: If the stream sputters, empty the pitcher and dispense water again at least three more times.

You might have to dispense about 10 liters of water to get rid of the trapped air in the system. You can stop when you notice that the stream is already steady. 

At this point, you can assume that trapped air has been removed from the water line.

No water filter is installed.

Most Samsung fridges with water dispensers and ice makers can function without the AquaPure water filter. However, some models can’t.

For some Samsung fridges, using the dispenser without a water filter can cause leaks. If your unit happens to be one of those, you can stop the leak by installing a genuine Samsung water filter. 

What you’ll need:

• Samsung water filter 

Solution: To install a Samsung water filter, follow these steps: 

• Step 1: Locate the water filter on your Samsung fridge.

Most, if not all, Samsung French-door units will have a water filter between the crisper drawers. In other fridge types, it could be on the bottom right corner of the unit.

Check your user manual to be sure.

• Step 2: Get the new water filter.

Only install a genuine Samsung water filter because using non-brand filters will cause water to leak from the housing. It can also do damage to your fridge.

Samsung fridges have three types of water filters. To find the appropriate one for your fridge, check the old one you have.

A round filter is a HAF-CIN model, while a square filter is a HAF-QIN model. If you have an older Samsung unit, your might need a HAF-CUI model.

• Step 3: Insert the new filter into the housing and turn it clockwise to keep it secure.

Residual ice in the chute.

If water is leaking from your ice maker, the first thing you need to do is clear the ice chute.

When you press the dispenser pad, the ice chute opens and allows ice to fall out of the dispenser. Sometimes, when you’re dispensing crushed ice, some chunks can get trapped inside this chute. 

Eventually, the ice trapped in the chute will melt when exposed to room temperature, causing moisture to form and leak out of the dispenser. It appears like water leakage from your ice dispenser, but it’s not a cause for concern.

What you’ll need:

• A cup

Solution: To clear out residual ice inside the chute, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Make sure the ice maker is on.
• Step 2: Select Cubed Ice on the control panel.
• Step 3: Hold up your cup and press it gently against the dispenser pad to dispense cubed ice.

To prevent this from happening again, dispense cubed ice after getting crushed ice. It clears out the chute, preventing water from leaking onto the floors.

If your ice chute is free of residual ice, but water continues to flow out of your dispenser, other issues might be causing the leak.

The fridge isn’t leveled correctly.

Installing a fridge on unlevel flooring can cause a wide array of problems. One of them is water leakage from your ice maker.

Aside from this, your fridge might also experience cooling issues. If it is unable to maintain optimal temperature, it can cause your food to spoil faster.

Lucky for you, leveling a fridge is quite easy. It can be done in 10 minutes or less.

What you’ll need:

• Carpenter’s level (spirit’s level)
• Flathead screwdriver

Solution: To level your Samsung fridge, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Place a carpenter’s level (spirit’s level) on top of the fridge. Make sure it’s on the main unit and not on the doors.

• Step 2: Crouch down to access your fridge’s leveling legs. Depending on your unit, you might have to remove the leg covers before you can adjust your fridge’s height.

• Step 3: Insert a flathead screwdriver into the groove on the leveling leg you want to adjust. 

• Step 4: Rotate the leg to the left to raise the height of your fridge. Or, rotate it to the right to lower it.

• Step 5: Use the carpenter’s level again to confirm that your fridge is level. Make the necessary adjustments until your fridge is level.

The ice chute gasket assembly is worn out.

On Samsung French-door models, the ice chute gasket assembly is located on the inner compartment of the left door. It shouldn’t be confused with the door seals or the rubber lining that go around the fridge doors.

When you close the left door, the ice chute gasket assembly sits right under the ice maker. If this is damaged, air can leak into the ice bucket and cause the ice to melt.

You need to replace the ice chute gasket assembly to stop the leak.

What you’ll need:

• Small flathead screwdriver
• New ice chute gasket assembly

Solution: To replace the ice chute gasket on a Samsung French-door unit, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Open the left door of your Samsung French-door model.
• Step 2: Take the flathead screwdriver and depress one of the retaining tabs to detach the ice chute gasket.
• Step 3: Gently pull out the rubber gasket to separate it from the cap.
• Step 4:Take the new gasket and slide the cap inside.
• Step 5: Align the gasket around the ice chute and snap it into place. Make sure the smaller part of the gasket is facing the door hinge.

Quick Note: Not all Samsung fridge models with ice makers have dispensers. If yours doesn’t, then the water leak can’t be caused by a faulty ice maker gasket assembly. Check other possible causes for the water leak.

The water inlet valve is faulty.

Your water supply is connected to a water inlet valve, which controls the flow of water to the ice maker and water dispenser. It is located on the back panel of your refrigerator.

If this valve malfunctions, water can leak from your dispenser. To stop the leak, you need to replace the faulty component with a new one.

What you’ll need:

• Phillips screwdriver
• 12 mm wrench
• Towel
• New water inlet valve

Solution: To replace a faulty water inlet valve, follow these steps carefully:

• Step 1: Unplug your fridge, and shut off its main water supply.
• Step 2: Pull out your fridge to access the back panel.
• Step 3: Unmount the screws on the back panel using a Phillips screwdriver.
• Step 4: Add a towel under the water valve assembly to absorb any leaks when you disconnect the valve.
• Step 5: Remove the compression nut using a 12 mm wrench.
• Step 6: Disconnect the water line and slide it up the unit.
• Step 7: Remove the screws on the valve’s mounting bracket.
• Step 8: Pull the old valve out of the unit as far as you can.
• Step 9: Squeeze the side of the cover box and gently pull it out to remove it. Then, disconnect the electrical plug.
• Step 10: Remove the support bracket and the locking clamps on the water lines.
• Step 11: Pull out both of the water line connections from the old valve.
• Step 12: Take the new valve and connect the water lines. Don’t forget to reattach the locking clamps to prevent the tubes from getting disconnected.
• Step 13: Reconnect the electrical plug and support bracket. Then, reinstall the cover box.
• Step 14: Mount the new valve on the bracket and reattach the screw.
• Step 15: Connect the water line to the valve, and reinstall the compression nut to secure it.
• Step 16: Reinstall the back panel.
• Step 17: Turn on the water supply, and plug in the fridge.

Frequently Asked Questions