You’re eager to brew a cup of coffee, but the “Add Water” light on your Keurig is on. Naturally, you remove the water reservoir, fill it, and place it back. Yet, that persistent blue “Add Water” light remains on.
You’ve tried every solution you can think of; turning the machine on and off, cleaning it, even descaling the entire coffee maker. Still, the Keurig keeps saying add water when it’s clearly full.
There could be several potential problems behind this issue. In this article, we’ll explore all the possible causes and their corresponding solutions.
How To Fix The “Add Water” Light That Stays On?
If the “add water” light on your Keurig stays on, here is what you can do:
- Ensure the water reservoir is full and seated correctly.
- Shake the tank to unstuck the water-level floater.
- Clean the outlet valve in the reservoir using vinegar and a brush.
- Clear any trapped air in the overflow tube by blowing into it.
- Remove and clean any blockages in the tube inside the lid, and blow through to release airlocks.
The ‘add water’ light staying on and not working is a common problem with the Keurig K-Duo, K-Elite, K-Compact, and K-Classic. But these fixes might also work with other models.
Let’s take a closer look at these possible solutions below!
Do The Standard Checks
First and foremost, ensure that your Keurig water reservoir is filled with enough water.
If your Keurig coffee maker persistently displays the “add water” light even when the reservoir is full, it’s possible that the water tank might not be seated correctly.
If you’re certain that the water reservoir is filled and properly placed, but the add water indicator remains illuminated, consider removing and reseating the tank several times.
Occasionally, the “add water” indicator doesn’t go off right away even after the reservoir has been properly refilled and placed. Repeating the seating process might help reset the sensor.
The Floater In The Water Reservoir Is Stuck
If your coffee maker’s “add water” stays on even after you’ve filled the reservoir, it’s likely that the floater, which gauges the water level, is stuck. This can occur due to mineral buildup or if the machine hasn’t been operated for some time.
To address this:
- Remove the water tank from the coffee maker.
- Shake the tank to ensure the float becomes unstuck and can move easily.
- Refill the tank with water. Once you do, the indicator light should turn off.
For future maintenance, periodically clean the area where the float sits. Using a mixture of vinegar and water, along with a brush, can effectively break down and remove any mineral deposits, ensuring the floater doesn’t get stuck again.
Clean The Outlet Valve In The Water Reservoir
The water outlet valve in the tank of the Keurig coffee maker can accumulate limescale and other residues, especially when unfiltered water is used.
To clean this water outlet, remove the reservoir and pour out the water. If you look inside, you’ll see the dispensing hole.
You can’t reach the dispensing hole with your hand, so use a brush and some vinegar to clean it from the inside. Alternatively, you can place the reservoir in the dishwasher. Don’t forget to clean the other side with a brush as well.
Air Stuck In The Overflow Tube
Another reason the “add water” light might remain on is because there is air or water trapped in the overflow tube of the coffee maker.
When you remove the lid from the water tank, you’ll notice a silicon tube sticking out from the coffee maker in the upper left corner when viewed from the side. This tube is the end of the overflow tube.
Remove the water tank and blow into this tube. You can use your mouth or an instrument like a balloon inflator. If you hear the sound of water or air moving, then you’ve likely resolved the issue.
Air And Dirt Clogging The Tube Inside The Lid
In the lid, there is a tube connected to the spout from which coffee comes out. Because this tube is close to the K-cup, it can often get clogged with old coffee residue. Additionally, an airlock can easily occur since the tube is near the spout.
To fix this, you will need to remove the top cover on the front of your Keurig coffee maker. Depending on the model you have, you can do this by either unscrewing two screws from underneath the lid or pressing out two clips that hold the cap in place.
Once you’ve taken the cap off, you will see a tube connected to a white part that directs water to the K-cup. You can pull this tube off the white part.
This is the tube that can become clogged with limescale and coffee residue, you’ll want to clean it out first. You can remove any dirt by pressing it out with your fingers. Alternatively, close the lid and run a cycle to wash away the coffee leftovers. Just be careful not to get the coffee maker wet.
After you have cleaned out the tube, bend it a bit and blow into it firmly. When you blow into it, you will likely hear some gurgling of air bubbles coming out the other side.
I’ve read that this method has fixed the problem of the “add water” light staying on for many people.
Add Water Light Won’t Come On
If, on the other hand, you are experiencing an issue where the ‘add water’ light does not turn on even when the water reservoir is empty. This may also be caused by a stuck floater in the water tank.
In this case, the floater is likely stuck at a higher point, preventing it from going down far enough to indicate an empty tank.
To resolve this, simply remove the water tank and gently shake it until the floater comes loose. Be sure to clean the tank afterward to prevent the floater from getting stuck again in the future.
Though this issue is generally more manageable, if the problem persists after attempting to free the floater, it’s a good idea to keep a closer eye on the water tank’s level. Make it a habit to refill the tank once you notice it’s nearing empty.
Conclusion
The most common reason why the blue add water light stays on is that The floater that indicates the water level to the coffee maker is stuck. Another reason may be that the water tank dispensing hole is clogged or there is a problem with tubes inside the Keurig coffee maker.
To fix these problems you can:
- Shake the water tank to get the floater unstuck.
- Clean the hole in the water tank.
- Clean and blow out the tubes in the coffee maker.
If none of these solutions fixed your problems there might be a different problem like all the lights staying on your Keurig coffee maker for instance.
But I hope one of these fixes worked for your coffee maker and that you can enjoy a nice cup of coffee now!
Thanks for reading!