FIXED KitchenAid Refrigerator KSSC42QVS06 Leak Under Freezer Door

[WaarrEagle]

Model Number

KSSC42QVS06

Brand

KitchenAid

Age

6-10 years

I just purchased a new (to me) home that came with a built in KitchenAid KSSC42QVS06. I am occasionally finding a small pool of water under the freezer door, near the hinge point. At first I thought it was loose ice cubes, etc... but it kept happening. After further investigation, the water appears to be coming from the plastic tube/conduit that goes into the bottom of the freezer door. The leak primarily occurs when the door is open and the tube extends out. When the door is closed, it leaks very little, and what does leak seems to evaporate.

See attached picture where you can see a bit of water dripping from the part in question. I am unable to find this part on any parts diagrams. Has anyone dealt with this before?

 

[rickgburton]

There's a water line inside it. Behind that black panel there should be a coupler. Disconnect the coupler and determine if the water is leaking from the door side or the water tank side. I was just helping another member with the same problem. He had a leak in the water line in the door. The only way to fix it was to replace the door. You can't find that conduit part because it only comes with the door.

 

[WaarrEagle]

Spent some more time on it as the leak has grown much worse. It is definitely dripping from that conduit, so it must be the water line in the door. I am about to try and unscrew the conduit from the door to see if I can tell if the leak is up in the door or at the bend that flexes when the door opens. Below is another picture. There is a bunch of electrical tape wrapped where the conduit ends under the fridge so I wonder if someone has messed with this before.

My car recently had a failure with the trunk electrical wiring that flexes with every open/close. I wonder if this could be something similar.

Will report back soon and thanks for the help!

 

[WaarrEagle]

Got the fridge pulled out and the water turned off so I have some time to deal with the repair. Water absolutely pours out of the black mesh (see arrow in pic below) when the water dispenser is activated. I assume the same happens when the ice maker fills. I was initially confused by this but I guess the actuator is upstream of the door supply line, and any time the line sees pressure it leaks.

Problem diagnosed... what is the best way to repair this? Can the line be replaced by taking the door apart?

 

[rickgburton]

The water line in the door is foamed in and the door doesn't come apart.

He had a leak in the water line in the door. The only way to fix it was to replace the door.

 

[WaarrEagle]

Understand if the line is leaking inside the door, but I suspect the leak is in the flex area underneath the fridge which could be accessed for a repair.

Does this unit allow for turning off the freezer side so I can work on it while keeping the fridge side cold?

 

[rickgburton]

No, you'll need to unplug the machine. Keep the door closed and you won't have any problems.

 

[WaarrEagle]

Back working on this tonight. Took off the stainless steel skin, removed the ice/water dispenser, got good access to the end of the water line but can't budge it. Unsure if it is foamed in or perhaps the tight turns at the bottom of the door are preventing movement. I tried to remove the 90 degree plastic tube/conduit at the bottom of the door but am afraid to break it.

I essentially got as far as this poster: https://www.applianceblog.com/mainf...line-dispenser-replacement.86356/#post-445354

Thankfully, my leak is underneath the fridge where the line flexes, so getting into the door may not be necessary. My next step is to remove the door to enable better access to the loom of wire/water tube underneath and see if I can splice in a new line.

Any other thoughts or suggestions for door removal?

 

[rickgburton]

You probably don't need to remove the door. You don't get that much more room but that's up to you

 

[WaarrEagle]

I couldn't get good access to the wiring/tube bundle coming out of the freezer door so I took the door off. Turned out to be a great decision as the tubing leak was right at the end of the plastic guide/conduit that goes under the unit. Apparently the previous owner had a leak there and it was repaired with a compression fitting. It must have come loose and that is what was leaking. All I could do was install another fitting and hope for the best. If it leaks again perhaps I will try a glue repair. Its really a shame you can't replace the tubing in these doors or even the plastic guide/conduit without buying a whole new door.

 

[rickgburton]

I've never had a problem with john quest couplers.

 

[WaarrEagle]

Hopefully you are right and the repair holds. The previous repair was wrapped in electrical tape which could have been bunching up and putting pressure on the connector as the door opened/closed. I put this one in wire loom. Hoping it holds for many years!

 

[rickgburton]

Hoping it holds for many years!

Probably outlast the machine.