Just like any other piece of machinery in this world, your coffee maker will also malfunction from time to time. And if you own a Keurig coffee maker, then you need to know everything about Keurig troubleshooting to make your life easier.
As far as the Keurig coffee makers are concerned, they are known to be dependable and reliable brewers keeping their prices in mind for various models and series.
This is the reason why they are the best choice for more than 20 million homes and offices in the US. However, they can develop problems and issues which need to be taken care of in the best possible manner.
If you are a long-time user of Keurig coffee brewers, you would know something is not in the right place due to bad coffee taste or the machine won’t just turn on.
The Most Commonly Known Keurig Issues
Being a true coffee lover, you don’t want your cup of Joe to taste anything that is not in accordance with your preferences. You expect your coffee cup to have the taste that you want it to be, and quite rightly so!
Let us first have a look at the most common problems that Keurig coffee makers are known to have:
- It won’t switch on
- Machine not dispensing water
- Coffee machine just doesn’t brew
- ‘Prime’ Error on the display
- How to reset your coffee maker
- Keurig does not reset
- Can’t brew a full cup
- Machine doesn’t pump water
- Machine won’t stop pumping water
- Keuring coffee maker heating issues
- Coffee tastes bad
- ‘Add more water’ error on display
- Coffee maker leaks water
- Coffee grounds in the cup
- Coffee maker shuts down on it’s own
- Carafe not working
- Machine says brewing but nothing happens
- Keurig machine Stuck at Pre-heating
- Air bubbles issue
- Machine leaking water at the bottom
- Causes the breaker to trip
- Machine too loud while drawing water
Any of these aforementioned issues can give you a real hard time, especially if you do not have time on your side on most occasions.
You are running late for work, you have a presentation to prepare – you just want to click a few buttons and have your coffee ready.
That is quite understandable as this is exactly what you have paid for.
Let us now have a detailed look at all the problems that your Keurig machine can possibly have:
Keurig Won’t Turn On
One of the most commonly faced problems with Keurig coffee makers, whether the older models or the new 2.0 series, is that the users complain of the machine not switching on at all.
Now imagine yourself all geared up for a busy day ahead at work, you come down to your kitchen and you click on the power button and – nothing at all! Not the way you want to start your day, is it?
How Can You Fix It?
Here are a few ways through which this issue can be resolved:
- Your coffee maker might need a restart. Simply unplug the machine and plug back in.
- Check if your machine is plugged in to the socket properly. The power icon at the right side of the touchscreen display should appear once you press the power button and hold for a couple of seconds.
- There is a possibility that the water reservoir is not in the right position. Try removing the reservoir and placing it again, making sure the magnets come into proper contact.
- Another issue might be that the tubes is filled with air bubbles. Since the mechanism shuts down once the coffee maker is switched off, there is a possibility that bubbles have clogged the machine. Fill up the water reservoir a little and give the machine a little shake and switch it on.
Keurig Not Dispensing Water
This is one of the commonly known issues of a Keurig coffee maker. After some time, you might observe that your machine is not dispensing water the way it should and it used to.
If you are facing this issue, that means you won’t be getting any coffee from your Keurig coffee maker.
How Can You Fix This?
To fix this issue, you can follow one of these steps:
- Make sure the water reservoir in its right position and making contact with the magnets.
- If this doesn’t resolve the dispensing issue, then your machine might be clogged. To unclog, you can run a complete brew cycle with water.
- There is a possibility there the machine’s exit needle is clogged. Your Keurig coffee maker might have come with a plastic tool made for cleaning the needle. Make sure you use it gently.
- It could be that your Keurig coffee maker needs cleaning or descaling.
Note: If your coffee maker didn’t come with this cleaning tool, you can still use a straight paperclip or a toothpick and use it gently to clean the exit needle.
Keurig Won’t Brew
If you own a Keurig machine, after some time of usage, you might notice an issue where your coffee maker will make familiar brewing noises, but will not brew your coffee cup. Why is that so?
Well, one of the major reasons for this is that there might be coffee deposits or debris stuck inside your machine that are not allowing the machine mechanism to work normally.
How Can You Fix This?
- A quick fix for this is to allow enough machine warm-up time as it needs specific warm-up time before it can function properly.
- If that doesn’t work, you can try the troubleshooting that we talked about in our ‘machine won’t turn on’ section above – Make sure all machine parts are in proper position and then try again.
Keurig Says “Prime”
If you are seeing the ‘Prime’ error on your Keurig LCD display, don’t worry about it. This is because the water didn’t come out of your reservoir mainly due to clogging or incorrect alignment.
How Can You Fix This?
This error has a rather simple and quick fix:
- You can clean the water reservoir, restart the coffee maker and run a water brew cycle.
How To Reset Keurig
If you are new to Keurig DIY methods and troubleshoot techniques, it might be a little tricky for you to understand how to reset your Keurig coffee maker.
There are two resets – the Basic and the Advanced. Follow the steps below to reset your Keurig using these methods:
Basic Reset
- Switch off your coffee maker, remove the plug and keep it unplugged for a few minutes.
- Plus it back in and run a brew cycle. If unplugging was unsuccessful, try this:
- Remove the reservoir before you plug it back in and keep it unplugged for a few minutes without the water reservoir attached.
- Switch the machine on and replace the water reservoir.
- If you open and close the K-cup holder while brewing cycle is not completed, it will reset the coffee maker.
Advanced Reset
If the basic reset does not work, then you can try the advanced reset option for your Keurig or Keurig 2.0 models. Here is how you can reset the machine using the advanced method:
- Press the ‘small’ and ‘medium’ cups button at the same time and release them at the same time, too.
- After this, press the ‘menu’ button three times.
- If steps 1 & 2 were performed correctly, then your machine’s clock will show ‘6:09’.
- Once you see the ‘6:09’ on your coffee maker’s clock display, you have to press the ‘menu’ button again.
- Now you will see that the display will read as ‘Brew 0:00).
- Press the ‘medium mug’ button on your Keurig touchscreen display and press/release the ‘menu’ button while holding on to the ‘medium mug’ button.
- Now press the ‘small mug’ button while pressing the ‘medium mug’ button.
- Lastly, unplug your coffee maker more than once and plug it back in.
Keurig Does Not Reset
Even after trying out both the basic and advanced reset methods as discussed above, sometimes the Keurig coffee maker might still not reset.
Here are some of the reasons why:
- There is a possibility that the coffee machine is not setup properly or the water reservoir is not making contact with the magnets.
- There is air trapped within machine’s components.
- It could be due to machine’s internal computer mechanisms.
Note: Try not to experiment too much if your Keurig coffee maker is not resetting even after trying out the aforementioned tips. Contact customer support in this case.
Keurig Not Brewing Full Cup
Imagine yourself waking up to a bright, lovely day and you are all ready to take-off and make the most of it – but as soon as you brew your coffee, it doesn’t give you a full hot, aromatic cup.
Not the sort of start you were hoping for, right?
How Can You Fix This
Here are some of the ways through which you can fix the issue of your machine not giving you full cups of coffee:
- If it has been a while since you last descaled your coffee machine, this could be the problem. Try descaling your Keurig coffee machine with a simple mix of water and vinegar.
- Sometimes the reservoir tube is not 100% clear and there is something that is disturbing the machine’s connection with the tube. You can clean it using water pressure in the reservoir and in the tube or high pressure compressed air to be blown through the tube while the reservoir is empty.
Keurig 2.0 Won’t Pump Water
You might experience a known issue with Keurig coffee makers where fill up the water tank, press the button and instead of the machine pumping water like it should, you hear weird noises.
Well, these noises are an indication of the fact that the machine is trying to pump water but it just can’t. This mostly occurs due to:
- Water scaling
- Debris and deposits
- Water pump interference
How Can You Fix This
In order to get rid of the water pumping issue in your Keurig coffee brewer, you can follow these steps and make your life somewhat easier:
- Remove the water reservoir, empty it and refill the tank with almost one-third the capacity.
- Shake the water reservoir and let the water spill.
- Clean the opening where the machine pumps the water into the brewer with a dishtowel. Make sure no debris is interfering with the water pump.
Keurig 2.0 Won’t Stop Pumping Water
As opposed to no water pumping at all, another commonly reported issue with Keurig coffee makers is that at times the machine does not stop pumping water.
This can result in a continuous water stream that might spill out, making a complete mess that you hardly want.
How Can You Fix This
Continuous pumping is often caused by water scaling, and you can resolve this issue by:
- Turn off the coffee maker, unplug it and let it cool down.
- Remove the water reservoir and clean it using dishtowel or any other piece of cloth.
- Remove the pod (if it is still there) and get rid of the needle mechanism.
- Clean the needle with the cleaning tool that it came with or a straightened-out paperclip.
- Lastly, get rid of all the liquid and descale your Keurig coffee machine.
Keurig Not Heating
How can you possibly get a hot cup of Joe when your coffee machine’s heating functionality is not working properly? – That’s right, if you own one of these coffee brewers, there might be days when you do face this issue.
This issue occurs due to one of the following reasons:
- Water pump is not operating properly.
- Due to water pumping issues, the machine sends an indication of overheating to its main computing system that shuts down the heating device.
- Deposits or debris can clog the coffee maker that might cause this.
How Can You Fix This
In order to fix this issue, you can do this:
- Clean your coffee maker and get rid of debris, deposits or any other particles that might be jamming the machine.
- Press the brew button for a couple of seconds so that water pump can work at its full capacity.
Keurig Coffee Machine Giving a Bad Taste
If you are a true coffee lover like I am, the last thing you would want in a day is a cup of Joe that tastes pretty bad. Nobody wants that.
When you really haven’t changed your coffee brand or any other variable, then why is this happened? Let us tell you why:
- Too much scaling has built up in your Keurig coffee maker.
- If you use tap water for coffee brewing, this could result in quick build of scaling.
- Minerals and deposits can affect your coffee taste.
How Can You Fix This
Here are some of the ways through which you can fix this issue:
- If you are unaware of how frequent should you descale your coffee maker, well, you should be doing that once every 2-3 months. Use white vinegar and water for descaling and it will clean the machine from all debris, particles, deposits, residue, etc.
- It is advised that you use filtered or boiled water for coffee brewing. Tap water has a lot of mineral deposits that settle down in the machine over the passage of time and assist in scaling.
- Also, it is recommended to buy a descaling product and thoroughly clean your machine.
The ‘Add More Water’ Error
As it is quite evident from the error message itself, this has to do with your water reservoir. Although, you might also see this same message if your coffee maker has water leakage issues during the heating process.
Moreover, you might also see this message if the water level in the water reservoir is ‘below’ the maximum line. Yes, technically it does not make sense, we know. But this is a fact!
How Can You Fix This
In order to get rid of this annoying message on the LCD touchscreen, you can follow the steps mentioned below:
- Remove the water reservoir and clean it with a soap or any other dishwashing liquid. After that, dry it using a piece of cloth. Place it back and fill the water reservoir till the maximum water level.
- If this doesn’t work, it would be a good idea to give your Keurig coffee maker a reset.
Water Leakage Related Problems
There are consumers who do report the water leakage issue with the Keurig coffee makers, a while after they have bought the machine.
Water leakage is always a mess, regardless of what type of electronic you are really using. You certainly don’t want to walk in to a wet floor at home or at work, do you?
Usually, this occurs when the gasket is not correctly installed. Also, it occurs for the obvious reason – the water reservoir was overfilled.
How Can You Fix This
The solution to the water leakage problem is quite simple:
- The gasket area is where your Keurig puncture needle is. All you need to do is slightly change the position of the gasket and make sure it sits in properly.
- The solution for water filling out from the water reservoir is due to over-filling. Make sure you follow the maximum level line in the reservoir and not go beyond that line.
Machine Leaves Coffee Grounds Behind
Another reason that your coffee is not tasting the way it is supposed to could be that your Keurig coffee maker is leaving ground coffee from the k-cup in your coffee cup.
The reason for this issue is that your machine’s puncture or exit needle is dirty and requires cleaning.
How Can You Fix This
The easy way to fix this problem is by cleaning the needles:
- Selected models of Keurig come with a plastic equipment for cleaning the needles. If yes, use it to gently clean the coffee grounds from the needle.
- If your coffee maker did not come with this tool, you can use a toothpick or a paperclip for this purpose. Do this gently, or else the coffee grounds might go further deep into the needs that will end up in a clogged machine.
Keurig Classic Machine Shuts Down on Its Own
For the classic Keurig models, it is reported that at times the machine shuts down on its own which can be quite annoying, understandably.
This usually happens because the machine in-built timer has been set. Let us have a look at some Keurig classic models:
Keurig Elite – If you own this model, check for the green illuminated ‘Auto Off’ light. If this is own, this means the machine is supposed to switch off two hours after its last brew cycle.
Keurig Mini – If the coffee brewer remains idle for more than 1 and a half minute, it auto shuts down. You will need to press the power button again to start.
Special Edition & Platinum – If your Auto- Off is set, it will switch off your coffee machine. If you do not want this to happen, switch this mode off from the main menu. Press the small cup button a few times until it says ‘Off’, which is an indication that the Auto Off feature is disabled.
Apart from this, at times the machine vibrations make the magnet to get displaced. This interferes with the brewing cycle. If this happens, make sure the magnet is in its right position.
If it doesn’t work, it would be a good idea to call customer support department.
Keurig 2.0 Carafe Issues
The Keurig 2.0 series coffee makers have carafes that are designed to have compatibility with 2.0 coffee makers only.
Here are a few known carafe-related issues and remedies:
- Make sure the carafe is properly aligned with the machine. You can do this by removing the drip tray and fitting in the carafe properly.
- Make sure you are using a perfectly sized k-cup that brews coffee into the carafe. There are a lot of reusable filter pods available these days, so just make sure you’re using the right one.
Machine Says Brewing But Nothing Happens
This is one of the rare issues, but yes had been reported by Keurig coffee maker owners in the past.
The coffee maker LCD display says ‘Brewing’ but you don’t see any coffee coming out. Why does that happen? – This could be an electric or a mechanical issue.
How Can You Fix This
To resolve this issue, you can start off by:
- Unplug the coffee maker and plug it back in after a minute or so.
- If that doesn’t resolves the issue, run the machine with no coffee pod at the top to assess water movement.
- Remove the needle mechanism and clean it using a towel or a piece of cloth. There shouldn’t be any debris or dust particles in the puncture needle.
- Descale the machine to ensure the tubes and needle are completely clear of any dust particles or bubbles.
Keurig Machine Stuck at Pre-heating
Whenever you add new water to the reservoir, the Keurig coffee maker goes into pre-heating mode. However, at times your machine might get stuck while it’s in this particular mode.
The common reason for this is an interference in the water nozzle.
How Can You Fix This
Open the top of the machine and access the water nozzle. Switch off the machine and let the water cool down. Using a Keurig cleaning tool (recommended), clean the needle.
You can also clean it using a straw and use air pressure to clear the needle from dust particles or debris that might have been blocking it. Make sure the machine has been cooled down prior to attempting this.
Air Bubbles Issue
After using your coffee maker on a regular basis, you might notice that there are air bubbles trapped inside the dispensing line. This could adversely affect the performance of your coffee machine.
How Can You Fix This
For this, all you need to do is unplug your machine, fill your water reservoir till the required level and give a gentle shake. This will clear air bubbles and give you smooth coffee brewing once again.
Keurig Leaks at the Bottom
Some users have reported the issue of water leakage at the bottom of the Keurig coffee maker. This problem is usually linked with the rubber band at the bottom of the reservoir or the tear on the seal inside.
How Can You Fix This
This is usually an O-ring and this can be easily replaced with a new one.
If it’s the hose or the seal inside the Keurig machine, it would require disassembly of the machine which is not recommended. In this case, give a call to the customer service department.
Keurig Causes Breaker to Trip
For some AFCI/GFCI electrical breaker circuits, Keurig machines are known to cause problems.
Keurig K-Cafe and K-Elite models can cause the breaker to trip repeatedly, for which there is not real fix. You can return the product according to the terms and conditions.
Too Loud While Drawing Water
Keuring coffee makers are famous for their relatively ‘quiet’ mechanism as compared to rival products. However, if you observe that your machine is making more noise than it probably should, it could be because of a problem.
The most common problem is scaling. Mineral depostis and coffee ground clogs make the machine work harder and that causes it to make noise.
How Can You Fix This
One of the widely accepted and recommended solutions for this is to descale your coffee maker using white vinegar.
Also, as mentioned above, it is advised to use filtered water for coffee brewing. Tap water will pace up the mineral deposits and scaling process.
Keurig Universal Fix for Major Problems
Just like any other gadget or electronic appliance, Keurig coffee makers also have that one-for-all solution that can resolve multiple reported issues among various models and series.
That universal fix is the ‘machine reset’ – Whether basic or advanced reset, you will be able to resolve a number of issues with your coffee maker using the reset option such as:
- Display does not change from “not ready” to “ready”
- The machine does not turn on
- The machine does not heat
- Display gets stuck
- Power loss before the completion of the brew cycle
- Keurig leaking water during heating process
Keurig Warranty Information
Never go above and beyond the manufacturer instructions mentioned on the warranty card. This will void your Keurig warranty.
Read this for more detailed insights on Keurig warranty information.
However, it is not easy as far as Keurig product replacement is concerned. They do not easily replace the product even if it breaks down within the 12-month period.
When To Contact Customer Care
If there is some pretty serious mechanical or electrical issue, which is not included in the aforementioned list, then you should probably give a call to the Keurig customer care department.
They can be reached at 1-866-901-BREW (2739). This is toll-free number and the support line is available from 7am-12am EST throughout the week.
Remember, if you go ahead with an experiment or an instruction from your local repair shop, your Keurig warranty will become void.
Wrapping Up Our Keurig Troubleshooting Guide
It is imperative to understand the fact that coffee makers are one of those machines that are used more often. Whether at home or at work, we all need a nice cup of coffee from time to time in order to keep us fresh and focused.
Due to their regular use, these machines’ vulnerability to issues is also at the higher side. Although Keurig coffee makers are known to be reliable and quality-focused products, still you will need to perform troubleshooting once in a while.
Not knowing the DIY techniques and methodologies for your Keurig coffee maker can easily land you in trouble from time to time. It is not cost-effective or feasible to contact customer support or have it repaired for even those issues that you can easily fix yourself at home, too.
However, at times we tend to forget or ignore the fine line between a DIY procedure and contacting the manufacturer for professional support. You should not experiment with your product that involves modification of technical aspects of your machine.
Enjoy your cup of coffee with your favorite Keurig coffee maker!