Anyone repair a Kenmore Fridge Water Dispenser?

[Russ Filtz]

My 5-6 yr old fridge's water dispenser has been acting flaky lately. Either by leaking, then taking a few seconds to dispense after pressed, and now it has completely stopped working! The ice maker works fine, so the water supply isn't blocked. Does the dispenser work solely off line pressure or does it have its own pump? Can't see any easy way to take apart.

[Wes Bischel]

Oh, you have a one drip wonder as well? ;) Check the filter if your's has one and you haven't already - it may be clogged. Also, check the switch. Ours broke from the mounting and wouldn't click on anymore. I just epoxied the broken bosses back onto the framework - so far so good.

Goodluck, Wes

[Russ Filtz]

This model has no filter. I looked up inside and didn't notice anything broken. The switch still gives a "click" like it always did. Maybe it's a electrical valve problem then since it's an electrical switch. For some reason, I assumed it was just a mechanical type lever squeezing it shut.

[Norman Hitt]

This model has no filter. I looked up inside and didn't notice anything broken. The switch still gives a "click" like it always did. Maybe it's a electrical valve problem then since it's an electrical switch. For some reason, I assumed it was just a mechanical type lever squeezing it shut.

I'm not sure about the Kenmore, but "Most" have two Solenoid valves, IIRC, one to supply water to the Icemaker when it gets the low ice signal, and one to supply water to the water tap. They should be mounted close to where the inlet hose hooks to the Fridge, under the bottom at the back, most likely.

[Dave Lehnert]

Most likely not your problem but will toss it in anyway. Mine has a water filter in the refrigerator part so the water line passes through there. I had the refrig compartment turned down too low and the water line froze. When you pressed the lever on the door for water nothing would come out. Looked in the back of the frig and could see water running down the back wall when operating the water dispenser.

Good Luck!

[Chris Padilla]

Russ,

Take a look at: http://repair2000.com/ and click on the Help Forum (scroll to the bottom).

I ended up joining the forum and received A LOT of help fixing my side-by-side Maytag fridge and I SAVED a lot doing it myself. The Virtual Repairman knows his stuff!!

[Jim DeLaney]

My 5-6 yr old fridge's water dispenser has been acting flaky lately. Either by leaking, then taking a few seconds to dispense after pressed, and now it has completely stopped working! The ice maker works fine, so the water supply isn't blocked. Does the dispenser work solely off line pressure or does it have its own pump? Can't see any easy way to take apart.

They work off of water pressure alone (no pump).

Your problem probably isn't at the door. Most likely, it's at the water valve solenoid, which is usually down low on the back of the fridge - just behind where the water line goes in. Usually, there are two solenoids - one for door water and the other for the icemaker. The solenoids open and close the water valves.

On my GE, they fail about every eighteen months - the repair guy sells so many of them that he stocks them just behind the counter. Carry the old one in, and he'll look at it as you walk in and have the new one up and on the counter before you can even get there. He says it's his most common item for the GE. Hopefully, yours will have a better life span.

Cost, for the GE version, is about $42.00, and replacement is fairly easy - maybe 20 minutes.

Hope this helps.

[Lee DeRaud]

On my GE, they fail about every eighteen months - the repair guy sells so many of them that he stocks them just behind the counter. Carry the old one in, and he'll look at it as you walk in and have the new one up and on the counter before you can even get there. He says it's his most common item for the GE. Hopefully, yours will have a better life span.Huh. The icemaker valve on my 1973 Kenmore (made by GE) failed exactly once in the 19 years I owned it, and the replacement GE (which has two) has over 10 years on the original at this point. And with the amount of minerals in the water here, I'd expect it to be a high-failure-rate item.


Cost, for the GE version, is about $42.00, and replacement is fairly easy - maybe 20 minutes.Assuming the shutoff valve for the water feed isn't seized up, like mine was the last time I had to move the fridge...and of course mine is buried down in the back/bottom of the pantry cabinet.:eek:

Of course there's no guarantee that the Kenmore in question is a GE: Sears flops around between suppliers every five years or so.

[Russ Filtz]

Thanks all! Not looking forward to pulling out the fridge. It's kind of built-in with no access from the sides and very tight fit.

[Jim DeLaney]

Huh. The icemaker valve on my 1973 Kenmore (made by GE) failed exactly once in the 19 years I owned it, and the replacement GE (which has two) has over 10 years on the original at this point. And with the amount of minerals in the water here, I'd expect it to be a high-failure-rate item. ..


My GE Profile is a side-by-side model, about six years old, and the failure part is the solenoid valve assembly for the water-in-the-door feature. The icemaker valve hasn't failed (yet).

[Lee DeRaud]

My GE Profile is a side-by-side model, about six years old, and the failure part is the solenoid valve assembly for the water-in-the-door feature. The icemaker valve hasn't failed (yet).Yup, same model as mine, couple years newer. I suspect the two solenoids (icemaker and door water) are the same part, maybe different brackets.

[Jim DeLaney]

Yup, same model as mine, couple years newer. I suspect the two solenoids (icemaker and door water) are the same part, maybe different brackets.

Yeah, they appear to be identical, except for the color of the (plastic) tubing connections.