Leaking Around the Base

Water Pump Leakage …

In July, Starling wrote to us asking for help to fix a Keurig with water leaking from the base. As a result of her email, we wrote this guide so that others can benefit from what we advised Starling.

Cause of the Problem

A Keurig can spring a leak in various places, although the most common is from the water pump assembly. In particular, the water pump itself or the water inlet pump.

The purpose of the assembly is to draw cold water from the water reservoir and into the boiler unit. When you press the cup size selector, the brewer compares this selection to the level in the boiler unit. If the water level is below what it needs, it instructs the water pump to draw water from the reservoir. It draws this water through the inlet filter and then pumps it up into the boiler unit. Once the water level sensor detects the water level has reached the desired cup size, the inlet and water pump are disengaged. The brewer can then get on with the brew cycle.

As you can see in the photo, these pumps connect through a series of tubes and fasteners. Over time, the pumps themselves can spring a leak, although they tend to be very well sealed units. More often than not, we have found problems with a tube connection. The fasteners are secured tightly, so the leading cause is splitting tube ends connecting to a pump.

We haven’t been able to get to the bottom of why these splits occur. Although we suspect the two leading causes are damage caused by contaminants or poor fitting at assembly time.

There are no quick, easy fixes for this repair. However, we can step you through what is required.

Solution 1 – Water Inlet Inspection / Replacement

First, let’s look at the water inlet assembly and check that the leak is not coming from here. The two places where we have problems are the bottom of the inlet filter itself and the tubing connecting to the main water pump assembly (see the two photos below). If there are no apparent splits or cuts and the seals appear in place, then we can move into Solution Two and look at the water pump assembly.

If there appears to be some damage, then the replacement of this part would be wise. An inlet filter replacement will cost between $15 to $30 from Amazon or eBay (our two preferred spare parts suppliers). We have more details about his part listed on our spare parts replacement page.

The replacement of the inlet filter is one of the more straightforward repairs on a Keurig as it does not require you to remove the outer casing, just the metal base plate, and there is little fuss involved. However, we would suggest moving on to Solution Two to inspect the rest of the water pump assembly to ensure no other problems with it. If you do need to order that part too (or the whole assembly), it may save postage costs doing them simultaneously.

However, if you find it’s just the inlet filter, then check out our repair guide that steps you through the replacement process.

Solution 2 – Water Pump Inspection / Replacement

We are now looking for problems with connectors or pump seals for the main water pump. Three tubes connect to the water pump assembly (see photo below). The first is from the inlet filter and so drawing cold water from the reservoir. The second one is a large tube, which feeds water up into the boiler unit for heating. The third, thinner tube provides pressure relief for the system and dispenses water straight back into the water reservoir. This function works with the brewer’s solenoid unit and air pressure sensor on the primary logic board.

The photo below shows how the inlet and water pump assemblies come together, along with the fasteners that should tightly hold the tube connectors.

If a water pump replacement (photo below) is required, this will typically cost $10 to $20 on eBay or Amazon. And if you need both the inlet filter and water pump, you can buy these as one assembly, saving costs. Or, if you don’t want to worry about fasteners, replace the whole unit and save time.

We have a detailed guide with full photos and descriptions of each step for replacing the water pump. You can find that guide by clicking here or using the “Repair Guides” menu selection on the right or above.