Given that your GE refrigerator’s water dispenser and ice maker rely on the same water supply line, you expect both to work or fail simultaneously. That’s what I used to think until only my water dispenser failed. So, is your GE refrigerator water dispenser not working but ice maker is?
Your GE refrigerator only makes ice but doesn’t dispense water because of a frozen water tubing or reservoir tank, an unplugged wire harness, jammed water filter, faulty micro switch, bad water inlet valve, low water pressure, or unfilled water line.
Essentially, there are seven strong possibilities to explain the problem, and the best bit is that these issues are DIY fixable, and I’ll show you exactly how.
The secret is to be keen on the behavior and the condition of your GE unit so that you can identify and fix these issues early enough. Let’s get started!
7 Reasons GE Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working But Ice Maker Is
Below is a table summary of 7 reasons why a GE refrigerator makes ice but does not dispense water:
| Probable Cause | Quick Fix | |
| 1. | Frozen water tubing/reservoir tank | Adjust the temperature and defrost/de-throw the water line |
| 2. | Unplugged wire harness | Ensure you plug in the wire harness |
| 3. | Jammed water filter | Replace the clogged/jammed water filter |
| 4. | Faulty micro switch | Reposition/replace the switch |
| 5. | Bad water inlet valve | Replace the bad water inlet valve |
| 6. | Low water pressure | Adjust your home water pressure |
| 7. | Unfilled water line | Fill up the water tubing/reservoir tank first before switching the ice maker |
GE Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working But Ice Maker Is? Here’s Why:
Discussed are seven possible explanations for a GE refrigerator that only makes ice but does not dispense water (plus their quick fixes):
1. Frozen Water Tubing or Reservoir Tank
The water tubing or reservoir tank, which you can locate just beneath the vegetable drawers, can accumulate ice to block the ejection of water.
So, while the icemaker may run because of the water supply, the water dispenser may fail to dispense water.
In most cases, this happens because of setting the refrigerator’s temperature lower than its recommendation. At times, the water tubing freezes because of inadequate insulation around it.
Quick Fix
It’s essential to check your GE unit’s temperature to ensure it’s not too low. If it is, then adjust it. Usually, the incoming water temperature is about 78 0F, but you can make it warmer between 90 and 185 0F or lower than 78 0F if you want it colder.
Don’t forget, however, to defrost/de-thaw the frozen water line, which you can do in either of these ways:
- Self-defrost/self-de-thaw – Just power off your GE fridge and allow it to sit for a while to enable the water lines to de-thaw by themselves
- Hairdryer defrosting – Pull out your unit’s icemaker and use a hairdryer to melt the ice, freezing the water tubing or reservoir tank.
2. Unplugged Wire Harness
If your GE refrigerator was newly installed and the door removed at the time, the chances are that the installers did not plug in the harness wire correctly.
If so, your unit will fail to dispense water despite the icemaker working well. Depending on your GE model, you can locate the wire harness under the hinge of your top freezer door or at the bottom.
Quick Fix
Consider asking your installer to come and look at the wire harness if it’s a newly installed unit. But if you are handy, look at your manual to see how you can properly install the harness wire.
3. Jammed Water Filter
The GE refrigerator water filter needs changing after six months of usage or as soon as you notice the filter indicator coming on.
After six months, the filter is likely to have clogged, and you wouldn’t want that. Usually, a clogged water filter prevents water from flowing to the ice maker or dispenser.
That means it could be why your GE refrigerator cannot dispense water even though the ice maker is operational.
Quick Fix
Look at the filter indicator on your GE unit to see if it’s indicating any light. If it is, the water filter is dirt-jammed and needs replacing.
Also, consider the last time you changed the water filter. If it has been more than six months, you need to get a new GE water filter.
4. Faulty Micro Switch
The GE refrigerator door has a micro switch that activates the dispenser. If it’s out of position, broken, or faulty, the water dispenser won’t work.
Quick Fix
You can know if your microswitch is faulty if you test for its continuity using a multimeter. If the multimeter does not show any continuity, your microswitch is defective and thus needs replacing.
5. Bad Water Inlet Valve
All GE refrigerators come with a water inlet valve on their back whose job is to allow water to flow into the water dispenser, ice maker, and other parts with water lines.
If this valve is bad, either for being dirt clogged or just worn out, it won’t do its job, which means water may fail to get to the dispenser for dispensing. So, you have to check it for dirt clogging and wearing.
Quick Fix
The easiest way to tell when you have a bad water inlet valve is by testing its continuity using a multi-tester/multimeter. If the multimeter shows no continuity when you test the inlet valve, it means it’s defective and thus needs replacing.
But still, you can know if you have a bad water inlet valve without using a multimeter if you take it out and look for excessive dirt clogging.
Remember to get a GE water inlet valve replacement that matches your model.
6. Low Water Pressure
Ordinarily, you expect both the ice maker and the water dispenser to fail with insufficient water pressure. Sometimes, however, low water pressure does not affect the icemaker but only the water dispenser.
You need the strongest water pressure to dispense water on a GE refrigerator. Low pressure can occur if there’s a problem in the main water supply, such as the valve not being fully open.
It could also be that someone has adjusted your home water pressure without your knowledge.
Quick Fix
Using a home water pressure gauge, you can measure your home water pressure and adjust it accordingly. You can set the pressure at around 20 psi or slightly more for the best performance of the ice maker and water dispenser.
Also, check the main valve to ensure that it’s fully open. But if you cannot fix it, talk to a GE fridge expert.
7. Water Line Not Fully Filled
This is another case applicable to new GE installations. Your ice maker usually starts making ice as soon as you feed it with water and power it on.
So, water doesn’t have to fill the water tubing or reservoir tank fully. In contrast, the dispenser will only dispense if the water tubing is 100% filled.
Quick Fix
It’s essential to wait for the water tubing or reservoir tank to fill up with water before running the dispenser. If that is not the case, press your GE dispenser for some time to purge air out of the tubing.
Air could be preventing the tubing from filling up with water. Once you purge it out, the tubing will start filling up, and when it does, your water dispenser will work.
My GE Refrigerator Water and Ice Dispenser Not Working?
Now suppose it’s not just the dispenser that is not working but also your ice maker. If so, you should consider the possibilities below (some we’ve already covered).
- Frozen water line tubing/reservoir tank – Look at the water tubing to see if its ice is frozen. If it is, you should hair dry it to melt the ice or unplug the unit and allow it to self-defrost.
- Clogged filter – Check your water filter for possible clogging, especially when it has been six months since you last changed it. Replace the water filter if it’s clogged or more than six months old.
- Failed control panel/board – If you can get an expert fridge repairer to check the condition of your control board. The water dispenser and icemaker are likely to fail if the control board is faulty.
- Damaged door switch – Use a multimeter to check for continuity on your door switch. If there’s no continuity, your door switch is faulty and thus needs a replacement.
- Faulty dispenser switch – It’s not just the door switch that you should test for continuity using a multimeter. Do the same to the dispenser switch and if there’s no continuity, change it.
People Also Ask
1. Why Does My GE Fridge Make Ice but Not Water?
There are several reasons why your GE fridge only makes ice but does not dispense water. It could be due to a bad water inlet valve, water filter, or microswitch. It could also be due to a frozen water tubing, low water pressure, or an unfilled water line. So, it’s worth checking out all these possibilities to fix the fridge accordingly.
2. How Do You Reset A GE Refrigerator Water Dispenser?
You can reset a GE refrigerator water dispenser by pressing and holding the auto-lock and lock key on the dispenser simultaneously until the water filter status light indicates/flashes.
3. Why Is My GE Water Dispenser Not Working?
Your GE water dispenser is not working because of low pressure, a bad water filter or valve, or frozen water tubing. So, check everything before powering the dispenser on.
Which GE refrigerator models are affected by the issue?
Based on the available information, the models that are affected by the issue are all metal liner SxS production refrigerators built between January 2003 and January 2007. These models include BSS, DSS, ESH, GSH, GSS, GST, HSS, and SSS. It appears that the ZFSB23DRHSS model is not included in the list of affected refrigerators.
Can the heater solution work for a specific model (ZFSB23DRHSS)?
Based on the provided information, the heater solution mentioned is not designed to work for the specific model ZFSB23DRHSS. The models affected by the heater solution are all metal liner SxS models built between January 2003 and January 2007, with serial numbers AF through AM, including models BSS, DSS, ESH, GSH, GSS, GST, HSS, and SSS. The model ZFSB23DRHSS is not included in this list, indicating that the heater solution may not be suitable for this particular model.
What troubleshooting steps have been taken so far?
The following troubleshooting steps have been taken so far regarding the GE Profile water dispenser issue, which utilizes the ‘water by Culligan’ filter:
1. Swapped the filter, but there was no change in the dispenser’s functionality.
2. Verified that water is reaching the filter when the dispenser switch is depressed by pressing the spring up with an adapter and without the filter. Water was present in this case.
3. When disconnecting the water line at the fitting beneath the freezer door, residual water was found.
4. The user attempted to blow air through the water line towards the dispenser side, and it was successful. However, blowing air through the line towards the filter was not possible.
5. The dispenser button was held for about three minutes, but no water reached the disconnected fitting beneath the doors.
What is the problem with the GE profile water dispenser?
Why can air be blown through the water line towards the dispenser, but not towards the filter?
The inability to blow air through the water line towards the filter indicates a possible blockage or obstruction within the line. This obstruction could be causing the water not to reach the filter and subsequently the dispenser.
What could be causing water to be present when the water line is disconnected at the fitting beneath the freezer door?
The presence of water when the water line is disconnected at the fitting beneath the freezer door suggests that there is water supply and pressure up to that point. This indicates that the issue may lie within the dispenser system itself, rather than the water supply.
What part needs replacement to fix the water dispenser issue?
While it is not explicitly stated which part needs replacement, further investigation is recommended. It is possible that a specific part, such as the water dispenser switch, control board, or door switch, may need to be replaced to resolve the water dispenser issue.
Why is there no water reaching the disconnected fitting beneath the doors even after holding the button for about 3 minutes?
The lack of water reaching the disconnected fitting beneath the doors, even after holding the button for a few minutes, suggests there may be an issue with the water flow or a possible blockage in the water line.
What could be the cause of the water dispenser not working when the ice maker is working fine?
The possible cause of the water dispenser not working when the ice maker is functioning properly could be related to the water filter or a blockage in the water line towards the filter.
“Ice maker not working? Frozen water line tubing/reservoir tank? Look at the water tubing to see if its ice is frozen. If it is, you should hair dry it to melt the ice or unplug the unit and allow it to self-defrost. Clogged filter? Check your water filter for possible clogging, especially when it has been six months since you last changed it. Replace the water filter if it’s clogged or more than six months old. Failed control panel/board? If you can get an expert fridge repairer to check the condition of your control board. The water dispenser and icemaker are likely to fail if the control board is faulty. Damaged door switch? Use a multimeter to check for continuity on your door switch. If there’s no continuity, your door switch is faulty and thus needs a replacement. Faulty dispenser switch? It’s not just the door switch that you should test for continuity using a multimeter. Do the same to the dispenser switch and if there’s no continuity, change it.””
Additionally, based on the symptoms you described, it is important to consider the specific observations you made about your GE profile water dispenser. You mentioned that when you depress the switch, the light turns on but no water comes out. You also noted that you swapped the filter and verified that water is reaching the filter when the switch is depressed, as you can hear the water entering the filter.
Furthermore, you disconnected the water line at the fitting beneath the freezer door and found residual water present. You were able to blow air through the dispenser side of the water line, but not towards the filter. Additionally, holding the button for about three minutes did not result in water reaching the disconnected fitting beneath the doors.
Taking these observations into account, it is possible that the issue may lie with a specific component that needs replacement. While it is not explicitly mentioned in Your article, based on your observations, it is worth considering the possibility of a faulty dispenser switch. Using a multimeter to test for continuity on both the door switch and the dispenser switch can help determine if either of these components is faulty and requires replacement.
In conclusion, while Your article provides valuable general troubleshooting suggestions, it is important to consider the specific symptoms and observations you have described. By thoroughly examining the possibility of a faulty dispenser switch and conducting continuity tests on both the door switch and the dispenser switch, you can identify any potential issues and take appropriate action to resolve the problem with your GE profile water dispenser.”
Closing Thought On GE Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working But Ice Maker Is!
As shared, you should inspect the condition of the water line to see if they are frozen and the water inlet valve, water filter, and micro switch to see if they are faulty.
They could be why your GE unit can only make ice but does not dispense water. Don’t forget to check the water pressure, wire harness, and if the tubing is water-filled, as these are also other possibilities.
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