Why Is My LG Refrigerator Leaking Water From the Bottom?

On this LG LSXC22396S in Irvine, the LG refrigerator leaking water from underneath was caused by a failed water inlet valve. The valve body had rusted through after water dripped on it over a long period. Replacing the water valve assembly, part number AJU34125567, stopped the leak completely.

The customer called about water showing up under the refrigerator. That is where most of these jobs start, with a puddle and no obvious source, because the part that is leaking sits at the back of the cabinet near the floor and nobody sees it until the water travels.

What does the water inlet valve actually do?

It is the electrically controlled valve that lets house water into the refrigerator. Your home supply line connects to it, and when the icemaker calls for a fill or you press the dispenser lever, the control board energizes a solenoid inside the valve and it opens for a measured amount of time. The rest of the time it holds back full line pressure.

That matters for leaks. The valve sits under pressure every minute of every day, whether the refrigerator is making ice or not. When the body or a fitting on it gives up, water comes out continuously rather than only when you use the dispenser.

How did I know the valve was the problem on this LG refrigerator leaking water?

I found the old valve wet and leaking during diagnosis, and the body of it was rusted through. It had clearly been weeping for a while, because water dripping on the valve had corroded it badly. Once a valve gets to that condition there is no repair to make on it, the assembly gets replaced.

The replacement valve for this model is LG part AJU34125567. It had to be ordered in, so the repair was completed on a return visit once the water valve assembly arrived. After the swap, the refrigerator ran normally with no water under the cabinet.

Can I check this myself before calling someone?

You can safely check a few things. Pull the refrigerator out far enough to look behind it and see whether the water is coming from the floor area at the back or running down from somewhere higher. Check the compression fitting where the house supply line meets the refrigerator, and look at the shutoff valve under the sink or behind the wall for drips. If you see water pooling anywhere near the back bottom panel, shut off the water supply to the refrigerator.

Replacing the valve itself is not a homeowner job. It involves disconnecting a pressurized water line and line voltage wiring to the solenoid, so call a professional for that part.

Is a leaking water valve worth repairing?

Yes, in nearly every case. The valve is a single bolt-on component with wiring connectors and plumbing fittings, and swapping it restores the dispenser and icemaker water supply without touching the sealed refrigeration system. On this LSXC22396S, the rest of the refrigerator was working fine, so there was no reason to consider replacing the unit over one failed valve.

FAQ

What else can make a refrigerator leak from the bottom?
Besides the water inlet valve, the usual sources are a clogged defrost drain in the freezer, a loose or cracked house supply line fitting, a leaking water filter housing, and a cracked or overfilled drain pan. Each leaves water in a slightly different spot, which is why pulling the unit out and finding where the water starts matters more than guessing at the part.

Why does a refrigerator water valve rust out?
Water valves fail when water sits on them. A slow weep from a fitting or from the valve body itself drips onto the metal and corrodes it, and corrosion opens the leak further, so the problem accelerates. That is exactly what happened on this LG. A valve that is dry on the outside can still fail electrically, with the solenoid sticking open or never opening at all.

Should I shut off the water to my refrigerator if it is leaking?
Yes. Close the shutoff valve feeding the refrigerator, usually under the kitchen sink or behind the unit, and dispense water from the door until pressure drops. The refrigerator will keep cooling normally without water, you just lose ice and the dispenser. This keeps water off your floor and out of your cabinets until the valve is replaced.

Have water showing up under your LG refrigerator in Irvine or nearby? Call us and we will find the source and quote the repair.