After changing the water filter on my fridge (which I've done a dozen+ times), the water flow gets nearly completely blocked. I went back to the old, fine filter and water was being blocked too. I got a 2nd replacement filter and that did not fix the issue, so there seems to be something that happened to the fridge filter receptacle.

Anyone have any insights? Here is a picture of the filter.

Try using the bypass plug and if it doesn't flow water there is a valve in the housing where the filter plugs into that is most likely malfunctioning.

My fridge has the same filter and I have had the same issue for years. I finally gave up and bought an ice maker.

Me too. My last refrigerator had the same filter. The water system worked perfectly, until, on one of the replacements, it started flowing slowly and never worked right again. I accidently put it in backwards and pushed it kind of hard before I realized it was put in wrong, and I always wondered if that was the reason.

I read about the bypass deal. I do not have any kind of bypass to insert into the housing, and judging by price I would ask what's the point in a bypass if the water flows just fine without a filter in there anyways.

Thank y'all for the input so far. We are about to move so we may just leave it as is and call it a day.

Chipotlemonger said:

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I read about the bypass deal. I do not have any kind of bypass to insert into the housing, and judging by price I would ask what's the point in a bypass if the water flows just fine without a filter in there anyways.

Thank y'all for the input so far. We are about to move so we may just leave it as is and call it a day.

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Bypass piece suggestion was just to diagnose the problem which I suspect when the bypass is installed, will also not flow water. Most fridge's give you that part - so I assumed you had one.

There is a little valve there where the filter plugs into. Fix would be to replace that part if that is what is causing your problems.

Yes makes sense. This fridge was with the house when we moved in, and I have not seen any bypass plug before.

It could be the intake valve as well. I've replaced that on a whirlpool before (it's not bad DIY and fairly cheap) and it fixed what I thought was a filter issue. It's the part that the water line from the wall connects to.