Refrigerator Not Dispensing Water

Cultcab

I changed the filter on my GE Profile refrigerator last night, and I can't get it to dispense water now. When I put the new filter on, it made a "gurgling" sound and then it would only dispense a few drops. I tried dispensing for several minutes to clear any air in the line, but it's still not dispensing. It works fine with the bypass inserted, but I've tried draining and refilling the filter several times with no luck. I have another filter that I can try, but before I go this route and waste a filter (either the one I replaced yesterday or this new one if the problem isn't the filter), I wanted to see if there was anything else that I should be looking at.

DannyT

can you blow through the filter? does it have arrows for direction of flow?

hardwareman

Sounds like you got a bad filter, go ahead and try the other one.

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Cultcab

I was suspecting that the filter was bad since the dispenser worked fine with the bypass, but it seemed strange that the new filter and the one that I had pulled out would both be bad. Is there any way to check to see if the new filter is bad? I assume that the two small openings on the side are the "in" sides and the central opening is the "out", but I don't see how I can force water through the "in" ports to check to see if it will flow.

Cultcab

I tried a new filter out of the box and I'm still not getting any flow. When I install the filter, as soon as I turn it to lock it in place, the water lines rumble like there's a water hammer.

Any chance that the sloped ridge inside the mouth of the filter that activates the water valve isn't "tall" enough to fully open it? Comparing the ridges in the filter to the ones in the bypass unit, it seems like there's a small difference in the heighth.

I'm using Brita filters (not GE OEM's), but I've replaced the filter 3 or 4 times before using a Brita and never had a problem - in fact the one that I replaced was a Brita and it was working fine (although I can't get it to work now).

Jacques

Some ramdom thoughts; anything to do with the filter will impact the i/m. if it works fine with the by-pass that means the valve, reservior, wiring and control are ok. so you're left with only the filter and filter head [possibly the head is worn a little from using off-brand filter. i would try an OEM filter first....Everone should post model-serial #. Profile is pretty generic, it's like saying i have a Lexus. which one?? what year??

Cultcab

Jacques - the refrigerator is a GE Profile PSS26SGRD SS (Ser #HH423118).

I purchased a new OEM filter today, but I'm hesitant about installing it unless I'm sure that the other filters were bad. I've tried two new Brita filters ($70) that didn't work, the original Brita that I pulled out doesn't work now, and I don't want to use the $45 OEM unless I'm positive that it's the filter.

Is the filter head supposed to completely depress the small valve when it's installed (when it's rotated)? Maybe I can check the operation of that valve before trying the new OEM filter? If I put tape on the sloped portion of the filter head, it seems like I should be able to trigger that valve to open.

Does that sound reasonable?

hardwareman

I think many people have had trouble with those Brita filters. change it to the OEM and see what happens.

__________________
................."I want a house that has gotten over all its troubles. I dont' want to spend the rest of life bringing up a young and inexperienced house"...........

Cultcab

I installed an OEM filter and it works fine now. There was a noticeable difference in the height of the sloped ridges in the filter head that activate the valve.

Now I have to see if I can get a refund from Brita...

Cultcab

Just an FYI for everyone because this surprised me...

Before I diagnosed this problem as a bad Brita filter, I had submitted a question to GE's technical support site with just a general description of the problem. A couple of days later, I received a response saying that they would be sending me a new filter - no questions asked. This refrigerator is probably 5 years old, obviously out of warranty, and the filter probably isn't covered under the warranty anyway.

I submitted to complaints on Brita's customer service sites (two different ones) and sent a letter to them as well. So far, I haven't heard back from them.

Leah Frances

Don't you love customer service.

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jsmith48

the filter is bad. i wouldn't trust Brita