As a repairman, I have been called more than a dozen times by customers experiencing an LG fridge not dispensing water or ice problem.
If you have a similar problem, should you also call a technician?
Short answer: Not so fast!
In fact, by following the steps in this guide, you should be able to fix your refrigerator without any special equipment or skills.
LG fridge not dispensing water or ice
Below are the possible factors that might be causing your LG refrigerator to misbehave:
Child lock (control lock) might be active
Engaging the child lock will also lock the dispenser functions to prevent accidental use. This will make the dispenser not to dispense water or ice.
To know if your refrigerator’s child lock has been activated, look at the display/control panel… If the lock icon is illuminated, it means that child lock is active.
As such, you will need to disengage the control lock for your dispenser to resume normal functioning.
To disengage control lock in an LG refrigerator, press and hold the lock icon for three seconds.
If successful, the refrigerator will chime and the lock icon will turn off.
The water filter might be clogged
Another possible reason for your LG fridge not dispensing water or ice is a clogged water filter.
If the filter is clogged, it might prevent (or slowdown) water flow to the dispenser thereby stopping it from dispensing.
Here’s the thing: Over time, the filter will become clogged with the contaminants it filters.
That’s why it’s advisable to change the filter every six months – order an OEM replacement filter on Amazon.
Pro tip: Some LG refrigerators have a fresh air filter which you should also replace every six months.
Something else: If you live in an area with hard or silty water, you might need to swap out the filter more often.
LG refrigerator water dispenser not working after replacing filter – the filter might not be properly installed (or it’s not genuine)
Another common reason for LG refrigerator not dispensing water or ice is using generic (non-OEM) dispensers.
For one, generic filters might not fit into the refrigerator nicely.
Also, they can result in leaks which might prevent adequate water flow to the dispenser.
So, when replacing the filter, again be sure to get an OEM filter – check price on Amazon.
To ensure you are properly inserting the filter, be sure to follow the instructions that come with the filter.
Remember: LG has several refrigerator filter types for different refrigerator models with each filter having its own installation instructions.
Nonetheless, when installing your filter, keep the following in mind:
- Remember to remove the protective cap that covers the O-rings.
- Turn the filter till you hear a ‘click’ indicating it has locked into place.
- Once done, remember to turn the water supply back on.
The water supply line might be faulty
As you might know, the refrigerator needs an adequate water supply for the ice and water dispensers to work.
As such, your LG fridge won’t dispense water or ice if it’s not getting enough water.
Here’s how you can troubleshoot the water supply line…
How to troubleshoot LG fridge water supply line (LG water dispenser repair)
Start by straightening any kinks that might be on the water supply line.
While inspecting for kinks, also inspect for signs of leakage – an indication of a torn supply line.
In this case, you should consider replacing it – you can get it inexpensively at Amazon.
Moving on…
If you note your supply line is blocked by frozen water, aim a hairdryer on the line to melt the ice. Alternatively, you can run some warm water through the line to thaw the ice.
Something else: Make sure there’s enough water pressure to the refrigerator water supply line – LG recommends 20 to 120psi.
Next, test the inlet valve for continuity to see if it’s good.
If it lacks continuity, it might be an indication that it’s defective so you should try to change it out– I recommend this part (it’s on Amazon) if you’d like to swap it out.
One final thing: If you are using a reverse osmosis (RO) water system, you might want to change it.
This is because RO water systems are known to reduce water pressure.
The dispenser switch could be bad
The LG refrigerator dispenser switch allows you to select between ice, water, or both when you press the dispenser lever.
As such, if this switch is defective, it might result in your LG fridge not dispensing water or ice.
Fortunately, you can quickly tell if the switch is bad by testing it for continuity – no continuity means it’s bad.
If yours appears bad, consider ordering a replacement switch – they’re dirt cheap on Amazon.
Why is my LG refrigerator not dispensing water or ice – more possible causes
The door switch might be loose or defective
The door switch acts as a safety switch that prevents the unit from dispensing water or ice if it thinks the door is open.
Fortunately, you can quickly test if the switch is faulty without having to disassemble your refrigerator – here’s how to:
How to test LG refrigerator door switch
If your LG refrigerator door has a push switch, push the switch to see if the lights turn off:
On the other hand, if it has a magnetic reed switch, place a magnet over the switch to see if this will turn off the lights:
Something else: If your model has two doors, repeat the above test for the other door too.
If the lights do not turn off, it’s an indication the switch might be faulty hence the dispenser is detecting the door as open.
To fix this, use a Philips head screwdriver to remove the hinge cover as shown below:
After removing the cover, reconnect any wires that might be loose.
If there are no loose connections, use a multimeter to test the door switch for continuity.
If the switch lacks continuity, it could mean it’s defective so your best bet might be swapping it out – Here’s a door switch that fits a majority of LG fridge models.
The control board might have failed
The control board controls all functions of the refrigerator (including the dispenser) and if it fails due to some reason, it might stop the dispenser from functioning.
Since this is not a common cause, first inspect the above parts before inspecting the control board.
If the control board has any visual signs of damage such as burn marks, it means it’s bad and you should replace it – see current control board prices on Amazon.
Pro tip: At times the control board might be defective but lack visual indicators such as burn marks. That’s why you should consider replacing it if all the above parts are good.
LG fridge not dispensing water or ice – recap
To recap, if your LG fridge won’t dispense water or ice, it could be due to:
- Child/control lock is active.
- The water filter might be clogged.
- You might not have installed the water filter properly.
- You might be using a non-OEM water filter.
- Faulty water supply line.
- The dispenser switch could be bad.
- The door switch connectors might be loose or faulty.
- A defective control board.