Why is my Samsung refrigerator not dispensing water? [Causes and Fix]

Suddenly feeling thirsty but your Samsung refrigerator can’t dispense you cool and fresh water? It’s a sudden inconvenience that makes you want to figure out the problem quickly.

Not to worry, this article will help you with what you need to know to get your refrigerator to dispense fresh water again.

Troubleshooting and maintenance are quick and easy enough to do on your own, as long as you carefully follow our tips and instructions. Not to mention, each of them only contains a maximum of 5 steps and will only take you 30 minutes at most to do.

Don’t hesitate to ask for further help if you find any difficulty following some of the solutions we’ll be listing in this article. You should always start with the ones you find easiest for yourself and reserve the difficult ones for when you have professional help.

What causes my Samsung refrigerator to fail in dispensing water?

Your Samsung refrigerator’s water stopped working because it encountered problems with its waterline and dispenser system. 

The waterline may have clogged and damaged segments, while the dispenser system may encounter errors from control panel settings, water filter issues, and switch failures.

The source of water for your refrigerator’s dispenser needs to be properly checked and maintained. It is common for the dispenser to malfunction because your waterline encountered multiple issues such as clogging and damaged components.

All you need to do to fix these issues is to turn your attention to your refrigerator’s water source. It should only take some troubleshooting and a few minor adjustments to allow the water to flow into the dispenser properly.

Problems related to the dispenser system are the more complex reasons for your water dispenser’s issues. The dispenser lock may have incorrect settings, the water filter could be the issue, the dispenser switch is broken, or the door switch is malfunctioning.

If these are what causes the dispenser to have problems, it’s recommended to carefully take the required steps to fix them. We even advise you to seek professional help if you find trouble following the instructions yourself.

Whatever the problem is, don’t worry, we’re here to help and guide you along the way. We’ve listed the causes and solutions for each one of them to help you get started.

Cause	Solution
Waterline Has Multiple Issues	Open the valve of your refrigerator’s water supply. Check if the hose connecting the water supply and refrigerator has any sharp bends or damage. Straighten out the hose’s bends. Make sure that the water source has enough pressure to send water to your refrigerator. Use a water pressure gauge to check — the pressure needs to be at least 20 psi. The water tube could also be frozen and hence, will not allow water to flow. Make sure that the refrigerator is set to 38°F and its freezer to 0-10°F to avoid freezing the tube.
Incorrect Settings on the Control Panel	The settings on your refrigerator’s control panel affect the dispenser’s functionality. Some of these settings lock the dispenser from working. One of these settings is the Child Lock mode. The entire control panel is disabled if this is activated, and that includes the option to dispense water. You can disable Child Lock by pressing the Child Lock button for 3 seconds and then release.
Water Filter Has Issues	Check if the filter is installed correctly. It needs to be snapped into place and should not feel loose when in the housing. Inspect your water filter for any damage and cracks. Replace damaged filters with new ones, and make it a routine to perform maintenance on the water filter every 6 months. Make sure that the water filter is a Samsung-branded water filter. Other brands may be an incorrect fit with Samsung refrigerators. The filter housing has to be intact and in good condition. Any sort of damage or cracks in the housing requires repairs and/or replacement from a professional.
Dispenser Switch is Broken	Check if your dispenser switch is broken by using a multimeter to test for continuity. If the switch is confirmed to be broken, it is highly recommended to have a professional replace the switch as the electronics are delicate and difficult to tamper with.
Doors are Detected as Open	The dispenser does not work when your refrigerator doors are detected as open. The common causes for this include a faulty reed switch and a dirty or broken door gasket. A faulty door switch needs to be replaced with a new one. To check if yours needs replacing, you can test it by placing magnets in front of the switches. If the refrigerator does not respond to the magnets (e.g. the interior lights are still lit up), then the switches are faulty. The door gasket is the rubber seal of your refrigerator doors. Inspect it for any dirt buildup or damage.  Clean the gasket with a soap-water formula if you find dirt buildup. If you do find damage in the gasket, it needs to be replaced.

Waterline Has Multiple Issues

The waterline can encounter multiple issues that prevent water from properly flowing from its source to the refrigerator. These issues are not difficult to troubleshoot and future maintenance will be an easy task as well.

It is possible for the waterline to experience clogging caused by either lack of water flow from the source or the hose may be bent or damaged.

There may be insufficient water pressure coming from the water source and this causes poor water flow toward the refrigerator.

It is also possible that the water tube connecting the hose and dispenser has frozen over due to incorrect temperature settings.

Solutions:

Shut Supply Valve: Make sure that the supply valve is turned on to allow water to flow into the refrigerator. Locate your refrigerator’s local water supply (this is typically under the kitchen sink or a compartment behind your refrigerator) and turn the valve on.

Bent/Damaged Waterline Hose: Check if the waterline hose has any bends or damages. Bends are easily remedied by simply straightening them out, but any sign of visible wear on the waterline requires replacement.

Here are the steps for replacing your refrigerator’s waterline hose:

• Step 1: Turn off the water supply valve. This is to make sure that water stops flowing from the supply to the refrigerator.
• Step 2: Cut off the damaged parts of the old hose. You don’t need to fully replace the entire line, only remove the segments with visible wear.
• Step 3: Use hose extensions to connect parts of the old hose with the new hose.
• Step 4: Make sure that the extensions are intact with the water supply line and the refrigerator to avoid possible water leaks.

If you find any difficulty fixing the waterline’s hose, don’t hesitate to call for professional help to fix the problem.

Low Water Pressure: It is simple to check the water pressure of your waterline. All you need is a water pressure gauge to get started.

• Step 1: Turn off the water supply valve. This is to make sure that the water flow stops so you can attach the gauge properly.
• Step 2: Detach the refrigerator from the waterline. There should be a connector on the hose that you can disconnect.
• Step 3: Attach the water pressure gauge to the end of the hose.
• Step 4: Turn on the water supply valve. Observe if the water pressure gauge reaches at least 20 psi to confirm if the water pressure is low or not.

If the water pressure doesn’t reach 20 psi, check the water supply valve. There are cases where the supply valve isn’t fully turned, which causes low water pressure in the waterline.

Make sure that there are no bends or damages since these also affect the water pressure and flow of water.

In case everything looks fine within the waterline but the water pressure is still low, the problem may be caused by your home’s water supply. Contact your local water utility provider to inspect and fix the low water pressure in your home.

Frozen Water Tube: A frozen water tube inside your refrigerator is typically caused by very cold temperature settings. Troubleshooting this issue is simple and only requires some changes in your refrigerator.

• Step 1: Place the refrigerator in Forced Defrost mode by pressing the “Freezer” and “Lighting” buttons until it beeps. Press and cycle using the “Lighting” button until “Fd” appears. Press “Fd” to activate the mode.
• Step 2: Let the refrigerator defrost. The Forced Defrost mode takes about 20 minutes to finish.
• Step 3: Set the temperature of the refrigerator to 38°F. This could be done by pressing the “Fridge” button on the control panel, which will cycle through different temperatures.
• Step 4: Set the temperature of the freezer to 0-10°F. This could be done by pressing the “Freezer” button on the control panel, which will cycle through different temperatures.

Incorrect Settings on the Control Panel

Your refrigerator’s control panel is responsible for most of the functions of the water dispenser. There are some settings that lock the dispenser from working, but these could be easily changed with a few steps.

The most common control panel setting that locks the dispenser is the Child Lock. You will know this setting is activated if the Child Lock button on the control panel is lit up.

Solution: Press and hold the Child Lock button for more than 3 seconds until the button is not lit up anymore. This should disable the feature and allow the dispenser to work normally again.

Quick Note: The water dispenser function will not work if the dispenser is not set to “Water”. Make sure that “Water” is lit up. To do this, press the “Water” button and make sure it lights up. If the button does not light up, then there is a problem with the control panel’s wiring or the dispenser switch.

Water Filter Has Issues

The water filter is a vital component for your refrigerator to dispense water. If there is any problem with the filter, your refrigerator will prevent you from using the dispensing function to avoid any water leaks and further issues.

The water filter may encounter these 4 common problems:

1. Incorrect filter installation
2. Damaged or cracked filter head
3. Improper fit from a filter brand other than Samsung
4. Cracked filter housing

Solutions:

1. Incorrect Filter Installation: The water filter needs to be secure and snapped into place for the refrigerator’s water dispenser to work. Reinstalling the water filter is simple enough if you follow these 5 steps:

HAF-CIN and HAF-QIN filter types:

• Step 1: Turn off the water supply and then locate the water filter. You can find the filter housing somewhere around the crisper compartment of your refrigerator.
• Step 2: Open the water filter cover, and gently rotate the old water filter counterclockwise to unlock it.
• Step 3: Gently pull out the water filter from its housing.
• Step 4: To install the new water filter, remove its protective cap then push it into the housing and rotate it clockwise.
• Step 5: Make sure that the lock symbol on your new water filter matches the indicator line and that it snaps onto the filter housing.

HAFCU1 filter types:

• Step 1: Turn off the water supply and locate the water filter. You can find its housing at the upper right-hand side of your refrigerator
• Step 2: Twist the old water filter to the left to unlock it.
• Step 3: Gently pull the water filter down once unlocked.
• Step 4: Push up the new water filter into the housing and turn it to the right.
• Step 5: Make sure that the notch on your new water filter matches the arrow on the filter housing and that it snaps on properly.

2. Damaged or Cracked Filter Head: Acquire a new water filter and replace the old damaged one. You can refer to your user manual or refrigerator’s serial number for the proper water filter model.

Simply follow our instructions above for a simple and quick installation.

3. Improper Fit from a Filter Brand Other than Samsung: Install a Samsung-branded water filter for your Samsung refrigerator. This is to ensure that the filter is fully compatible with the refrigerator to avoid further issues.

Every Samsung refrigerator has a prescribed filter model for it — you can refer to your user manual or your refrigerator’s serial number found on its side to identify which model you need.

Refer to our table here for a list of the filter types and their compatible models.

4. Cracked Filter Housing: Check for damages and cracks on your Samsung refrigerator’s water filter housing. 

The housing is located somewhere around the crisper compartment for HAF-CIN and HAF-QIN filter types, and on the upper right-hand side for the HAFCU1 filter types. Refer to our provided list of refrigerators and their matching filter types here. 

Don’t hesitate to seek professional help if you happen to find any sort of damage to the water filter housing.

Dispenser Switch is Broken

The dispenser switch is responsible for inputting the commands to dispense water and ice in your Samsung refrigerator. 

You can easily identify if your switch is broken if it has a difficult time confirming commands.

Solution: Check if the switch is broken by testing it with a multimeter:

• Step 1: Locate the dispenser switch (this is typically found behind the dispenser casing). Take off the dispenser casing by removing the screws and then carefully pry the casing off.
• Step 2: Take out the switch by disconnecting it from the electronics to test for continuity. Run a resistance test using a multimeter.
• Step 3: If the reading on the multimeter shows 0 ohms of resistance, then the switch should have continuity. Otherwise, there is no continuity.

If you wish to attempt to replace the dispenser switch yourself, here are the instructions:

• Step 1: Take off the dispenser casing by removing the screws and then carefully pry the casing off.
• Step 2: Take out the switch by disconnecting it from the electronics.
• Step 3: Attach the new switch to the dispenser casing. Reconnect the electronics to the switch and secure it to its original spot.
• Step 4: Fit the dispenser casing back into place. Make sure the dispenser casing is properly screwed tightly to avoid any other problems.

We highly recommend you call a professional to test and replace the dispenser switch to avoid further complications. The electronics of the switch are very delicate and it is better to be safe with a professional working on it.

Quick Note: To determine which dispenser switch model you need for your refrigerator, you need to refer to the user manual. You can also identify which dispenser switch model you need by checking your refrigerator’s serial number. The serial number is usually located on the side of your refrigerator.

Doors are Detected as Open

The dispenser stops dispensing water whenever the refrigerator recognizes that its doors are open. This problem is often caused by faulty reed switches and sometimes a dirty or broken door gasket.

Reed switches are responsible for detecting if the refrigerator doors are open or closed. 

Meanwhile, the door gasket is responsible for keeping the doors shut tight to prevent any features of the refrigerator from malfunctioning such as its alarms and dispensers.

Solutions: 

Reed Switch: You need to test if the reed switches on your Samsung refrigerator’s doors are working. These switches are responsible for detecting if the refrigerator doors are closed and affect a number of functions from working as intended.

• Step 1: Locate the reed switches of your refrigerator. They are indicated by arrows on the top cover of the refrigerator.
• Step 2: Once you find the location of the switches, place magnets in front of them. This is to simulate closed refrigerator doors.
• Step 3: Observe if your refrigerator reacts to the magnets. A good indicator is if the interior lights of the refrigerator turn off or not. If the lights shut off, the reed switches work. 

If you find that the reed switches didn’t react to the magnets, then these switches are faulty and need to be replaced.

• Step 1: Unscrew the top cover and then locate the locking clips (indicated by faced-up arrows). Pry the top cover open and rotate it to remove the cover.
• Step 2: Disconnect the electrical plug and fully remove the top cover of the refrigerator.
• Step 3: The reed switches should be attached to the top cover. These can easily be removed by using a flathead screwdriver to pry them off the holders.
• Step 4: Install your new reed switches by snapping them into place on their respective holders.
• Step 5: Reconnect the electrical plug, snap the locking clips back into place, and screw the top cover on.

If you find it troublesome to replace the switches, always feel free to call for professional help.

Quick Note: The reed switch model you need for your refrigerator may vary from other refrigerators. You can easily determine the ones you need by referring to your refrigerator’s user manual. Checking the serial number on the side of your refrigerator also helps you identify which switches you need for replacement.

Door Gasket: Sometimes, dirt and other particles in the gasket cause its faultiness. Try to clean the gasket first with a soap-water formula.

If you’ve cleaned the gasket and the problem still persists, you can now safely assume that the gasket is broken. It’s most likely worn out and at this point, needs to be replaced as soon as possible.

Here are the steps for replacing your old refrigerator gasket with a new one:

• Step 1: Remove the old gasket from the door frame. You can do this by gently peeling off the old gasket starting from the top corner and then making your way down.

• Step 2: Fit in the new gasket by simply pressing it into place. Start from the corners and then make your way around the whole door frame.

• Step 3: Keep pressing the new gasket into place until everything is secured properly into the frame.

If you find trouble installing a new gasket, call a professional to help.

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After taking on the troubleshooting efforts above, water should be flowing through your dispenser in no time, and you’ll be more equipped the next time this problem happens again. 

If you still find it difficult to troubleshoot and fix the problem, then don’t hesitate to ask for professional assistance.