Guide to Troubleshooting Keurig Coffee Maker

A cup of coffee first thing in the morning is an essential item for a lot of people in everyday life.  The ease of using a Keurig coffee maker is not even thought of until you experience issues.

In life, there are no perfect products.  Keurig is very popular for a reason but like any product there are bound to be issues or malfunctions.  Good thing most of the issues you can solve easily.  If you are suffering from malfunctions with your Keurig coffee maker don’t worry. This guide will walk you through troubleshooting the Keurig coffee maker.

Below we list the most common Keurig problems and how to try and fix them.

Most Common Fixes for Keurig Issues

Below are the most common fixes used to solve most Keurig problems.  If you keep reading on to our Keurig symptom section we will most likely mention trying one of the below solutions.

Cleaning the Exit and Entrance needles

1. Lift up the lever to disassemble the K-Cup pod holder and funnel, and wash both parts in the sink. 
2. Take a paperclip and open it up so you have a straight end. 
3. Insert a paperclip into any of the K-cup holder holes to loosen any sediment that may be there.
4. Make sure the lever is still in the upright position.
5. Take the paperclip and poke through the two holes in the needle. This will loosen any sediment that may be there.
6. Be careful around the needle since it’s very sharp.

Watch embedded video below for a visual on how to clean the Keurig exit and entrance needles….

Descaling your Keurig brewer

STEP 1: Descaling Solution Rinse

• Turn the power off on the Keurig.
• Empty the water reservoir. Then pour the entire bottle of Keurig Descaling Solution into the emptied reservoir.
• Then fill the empty bottle of Keurig descaling solution with water. Pour into the water reservoir.
• Press the power button to turn the Keurig brewer back on.
• Place a large mug on the drip tray. Then run a rinsing brew. Do this to make sure there are no K-cups inside. Next, lower the handle and select the largest brew size.

STEP 2: Descaling Rinse & Repeat

• Repeat the rinsing brew process until the added water light is illuminated.
• Do not use a K-Cup pod during any of this process
• Let the brewer sit idle for at least 30 minutes while still on.
• After the time is up, dump the solution from the water reservoir and rinse well.

STEP 3: Fresh Water Rinse

• Fill the water reservoir with fresh water up to but not passed the MAX fill line.
• Place a large mug on the drip tray plate and run a rinsing brew using the largest brew size without inserting a K-Cup.
• Repeat the rinsing brew process. Do this until you have completed at least 12 rinsing brews using the largest brew size
• You may need to refill the water reservoir at least once during this process.

You can also use White Vinegar instead of the Keurig descaling solution.  Click here to learn how to descale Keurig with White Vinegar.

Watch embedded video below for a visual view on how to descale your Keurig….

Resetting your Keurig brewer

Simple Keurig reset instructions

First, try to:

1. Power off your Keurig, and leave it unplugged for several minutes.
2. After several minutes plug the machine back in and try a brew cycle again without a K-Cup.

If the above doesn’t work try the following:

1. Remove the water reservoir and then power off your Keurig. Allow the Keurig to sit unplugged for a few minutes without the water reservoir attached.
2. Plug your Keurig into it’s own designated outlet. Make sure no other devices are plugged into that particular outlet.
3. Power the Keurig back on and then place the reservoir back in.

Advanced Keurig reset instructions

When simple reset steps fail, try the advanced reset techniques. To reset a Keurig brewer with a digital display:

1. First press the small and medium mug buttons at the same time and release at the same time.
2. Then press the “menu” button three times immediately after releasing the buttons.
3. The clock should now read “6:09.”
4. Next press the “menu” button once more and the display should change to say “brew 0:00.”
5. Hold down the “medium mug” button while pressing and releasing the “menu’ button.
6. Then press and release the “medium mug” and “small mug” buttons at the same time.
7. Unplug the machine for several minutes before plugging in again.

 How to disable/enable the Auto Off feature:

To disable the Auto Off feature:

1. Power the brewer off while it is plugged in.
2. Press and hold the Strong and the 10oz. Large Mug buttons for 3 seconds – the green Auto Off light will turn off.
3. Power the brewer on – the green Auto Off light will no longer be lit.

To enable the Auto Off feature, repeat steps 1-3. The green Auto Off light will illuminate.

Troubleshooting Keurig Coffee Maker Guide

Keurig Symptom

1. Grounds in Your Coffee

• Coffee grounds can be gathered in the exit or entrance needles. If this happens you can use a straightened paper clip to clean.
• Clean the exit needle of the K-Cup holder.  See here for easy instructions.
• Clean the brewer entrance needle.  Click Here for easy instructions.

2. The brewer will not brew

• Make sure the handle is down completely after placing the K-cup in the pod holder.
• Then verify that the brew buttons are flashing.
• If the add water light is illuminated then add water to the water reservoir.  Fill up to and not beyond the MAX fill line in the reservoir.
• If the light is still illuminated then check to see if the water reservoir is seated properly. You can do this by removing the water reservoir and placing it back.
• If light continues to be lit contact Keurig Customer Service at 1-866-901-BREW (2739).

3.  Brewing a partial cup

• The exit needle may have a clog and needs to be cleaned.  Refer here for easy instructions.
• The water reservoir may have been moved during the brewing process.  Re-seat the water reservoir and try performing a rinsing brew without a K-cup pod.
• Your brewer may need to need a descaling.  For instructions on descaling your Keurig click here. 
• Contact Keurig Customer Service at 1-866-901-BREW (2739) if descaling doesn’t fix the issue.

4. Brewer Does Not Have Power or Shuts Off

• Make sure the power button is on.
• Plug the Keurig brewer into its own grounded outlet and try turning it on again. Sometimes the electric circuit gets overloaded. When this happens the brewer may not perform well. For best results make sure the Keurig has its own outlet.
• Check the auto-off feature.  Auto Off sets the brewer to turn off 2 hours after the last brew for energy savings.  See how to turn auto-off and on feature.
• If the brewer still doesn’t have power, contact Customer Service at 1-866-901-BREW (2739).

5. The Keurig brewer keeps leaking water

• Check the installation or placement of the upper gasket.  The upper gasket is found near the puncture needle.  Simply correct the position of the upper gasket and try brewing again
• If the upper gasket is missing or appears damaged a replacement is something you need to buy. You can buy one at most hardware stores or online here.

6. Keurig Gives an Error Message Add More Water

• Make sure the water reservoir is up to the Max fill line and no more to see if the problem still persists.
• If the error is still there then you may need to clean the water reservoir with soap and water. 
• Once the reservoir is cleaned with soap and water dry it with a towel.
• Then fill the water reservoir up to the max fill line and turn on the Keurig to see if the error is still present.
• If the error is still present then try resetting your Keurig coffee machine.
• Contact Customer Service at 1-866-901-BREW (2739) if all the above doesn’t work.

7.  Coffee starts tasting bad

• Replace the Keurig water filter.
• Run your Keurig through the descaling process.

8. Keurig not heating

• Hold the brew button for a few seconds so that the water pump can work at its maximum efficiency.
• Burp or spank the machine to release debris or air bubbles.
  1. Unplug your Keurig and remove the water reservoir and drip tray.
  2. Over the sink, turn your Keurig over to pour out as much water as possible.
  3. Firmly tap the bottom of the Keurig. Do this at least ten times to dislodge any coffee grounds or other beverage residue.
  4. Refill, plug-in and try again.
• Try the descaling process as well as cleaning the K-Cup pod holder and funnel as seen in the descaling video above.
• If descaling doesn’t work try performing an advanced reset.
• If all above fail either get water pump repaired or Contact Customer Service. You can call them at 1-866-901-BREW (2739).

“Prime” error message on Keurig machine

• Remove the water reservoir and wash it with mild soap and water.  Either dry with lint lint-free towel or let air dry.  Once the reservoir is dry run 3 water-only cycles.
• Try cleaning the exit and entrance needles as well as the K-Cup pod holder and funnel
• Clean the filter screen:
  1. Take off the water reservoir and pour all the water out.
  2. Use a damp microfiber cloth to clean the reservoir’s base. This is the area of the Keurig base that holds the water reservoir.
  3. You should see a small opening at the base of the water reservoir. Make sure that this opening is completely clear. If not a straightened paper clip works great.
  4. Place the water reservoir under running water. This should make any debris that’s caught in the mesh filter be washed into the water reservoir beneath it.
  5. When you can see residue in your water reservoir, you need to empty it, and make sure all the residue is washed out.  Then fill the reservoir with clean water, and place it on the Keurig.
  6. Next, run a few water-only brew cycles through the machine to rinse it out completely.

10. Keurig Won’t Stop Pumping Water

• Debris can cause clogging. So cleaning the Keurig needles, K-cup pod holder, and funnel could allow the water to flow better.
• Try the descaling process to remove any debris or build-up which could cause clogging as well.
• If these fail Contact Customer Service at 1-866-901-BREW (2739).

Top reasons your Keurig may fail:

Below are some insights on things you can try to avoid or remedy to keep your Keurig in tip-top shape.

1. Scale and Calcium build ups:

If your area has hard water the calcium and scale may build up in spots. This will cause your Keurig to not function properly.  To prevent this try to use bottled or filtered water.  Also, try to descale your machine at least every 6 months.

2. Air Bubbles:

Sometimes air gets into the Keurig lines causing all kinds of issues.  To get rid of the air bubbles in the lines fill the water reservoir to the brim.  Shut off and unplug the machine and give it a few gentle shakes.  This will ensure that there will be no trapped air in the machine.

3. Machine pieces are not seated properly: 

Check to see if all the components are in the right places, and seated properly. It’s common for the magnetic water reservoirs to lose their alignment. So it definitely should be one of the first things to check.

4. Insufficient warm-up time: 

If not enough time is allowed for the water to heat up, then the water won’t get hot enough for a good brew.  Thus leaving very little and insufficient brewed coffee time.  Be patient and the reward is a better cup of coffee.

The Bottom Line

Please only perform whatever maintenance that you feel you would be comfortable with.  Keurig does have a limited 1 year warranty and many of the actions listed above could void the warranty. 

So if you are unsure of something it’s always best to contact Keurig Customer Service. You can reach them at 1-866-901-BREW (2739).

If your warranty is already expired then you would have nothing to lose. Also if support can’t help you performing any of the actions listed above may be the only option.

As always be safe and make sure to unplug your device when performing any actions above with liquid.