I have a GE side-by-side refridgerator with a ice maker and water dispenser. In the last 3-4 months the water dispenser shuts off intermittently, but comes back to life on its own. I have changed the water filter as well as cleaned the water line, but haven't been able to identify the problem. The ice maker works fine.
Any thoughts?
Thanks

2fixit

Hi All,
It seems there is a solution from GE for this frozen dispenser water line problem. As per the service rep, GE has come up with this fix recently. GE has made arrangements to have this installed on my refrigerator on 31 Dec 2007. Now the dispenser seem to function fine. Previously it use to freeze everyday and I use to thaw it by turning the freezer off and later used the trimmer line trick suggested in this chain. Hopefully the new heaeter works without problems.

Here are the details:
GE is aware of this problem and has come up with a fix. The fix is called "Water Dispenser Heater". Even though my unit is out of warranty, I have filed a written complaint to GE Consumer Affairs as this seems to be a fleet wide problem. GE responded very quickly (within a week) and resolved the problem.

As per the installation sheet that came with this heater part, some of the new refrigerators seems to have a provision for a water dispenser heater. It calls for the old one to be replaced or add one if one does not exist.

PS: In my case the water line is definitely frozen in the freezer door as I have water flow in the line till it enters the freezer door.

Hope this helps

Good Luck
Suren

sonideal

Suren, do you have warranty on your fridge? Or did you just go ahead with complaining the comsumer affairs and GE responded? I am having the same problem but my 1 year warranty just got over.

2fixit

As I posted earlier, I purchased the unit in Dec 2005. Since this not an isolated incident and is a fleet wide problem I have asked GE to resolve the issue even though the warranty on my unit has expired late 2006.

My phone calls to the GE customer service did not help. I ended up faxing a letter to GE at

Consumer Action Handbook - Corporate Consumer Contacts Beginning with the Letter G

based on the sample letter from the link below.

Consumer Self-Help - Tips & Resources to Resolve Consumer Complaints - California Department of Consumer Affairs

Good Luck
Suren

lesliekirk

Glad I found these posts - as I have just crawled out from behind my GSS25JFPDWW that I bought in 2004. Since the water flows freely after removing the quick disconnect at the bottom of the freezer door, I tried pushing floral wire up the tubing - it made it almost all the way from the bottom up. Tried the same thing through the dispenser spout - it made it in about 4 inches. So now I'm off to grab my hair dryer and try defrosting. If that works, I'll grab some weedeater trim line and rig a freeze line.

Think I'll also contact GE too.

Many thanks!
Leslie

2fixit

Hi Leslie,
the water dispense heater that GE installed on my refrigerator couple of weeks back is just at the back of the water dispenser sprout. This tells me that the water dispenser line freeze is at the top, close to the dispenser sprout. This water dispense heater is a recent fix that GE came up with. The service person installed it and out of our house in less that 30mins.

PS: I tried the trimmer line from the top and it worked fine. As per the GE service guy the freeze is at the top where the inside is exposed more so that the ice cubes can fall info the dispenser.

Good Luck
Suren

lesliekirk

I will be calling GE tomorrow and getting mine taken care of. Note the time of this post and my first post. That's how long it took to get mine unfrozen - with a hairdryer.

Again thanks!
Leslie

hesshouse

I fixed mine by leaving the light on the dispenser on. It took about 6 hrs, but the heat from the light bulb was enough to defrost the water line.

larkin_13

Until I just found this site, I was convinced I was crazy, since the water had stopped and the ice was working fine... I just did a combo of the hair dryer light bulb... it took about an hour, but things seem to be ok now.. (i guess we will see how long it lasts though)...

Thanks all

dhebert

Yep. Problem is definitely frozen ice in the door. Purchased in May 2004 (GSS25WGPD BB) Like many others, I had tried changing filter first.

Fastest way to confirm with out disconnecting anything is to feed test line (weedeater type) into dispenser spout in front of door. There is no valve in the door, so it should go in at least 4 feet. If it stops before that, water is frozen in door.

I tried taping heating pad to inside of door at level where freeze was apparent. After an hour, I was able to advance an additonal 3/4 inch, but not all the way through. I then placed container of boiling water in compartment where water dispenses. After about 10 minutes, I finally broke through. Good to go again.

dhebert

Now implementing timmy_bimmy's freeze line idea for quickly alleviate future frezzing. Thanks Timmy!