Keurig Won’t Power On After Descaling? Common Problems & 7 Best Fixes

Your Keurig won’t power on after descaling? Check out our guide for possible reasons for this problem and how to fix it on your own.

Your Keurig is done descaling, and you’re ready for a fresh cup of coffee.

But now it doesn’t want to turn on!

What could be the case?

I’ve been in your shoes, so I must warn you – the problem could be serious.

But let’s not play a guessing game.

Today I will tell you:

• All the reasons why Keurig won’t power on after descaling and how to fix them
• How to prevent this problem from happening in the future
• How to reset your Keurig after descaling, which can fix minor hiccups

Let’s dive in.

How to Fix a Keurig That Won’t Turn On After Descaling?

When trying to fix your coffee maker, I highly suggest starting by checking the things that are easy to fix, like the power cord not being plugged in. Trust me. You don’t want to spend an hour troubleshooting your coffee maker when it wasn’t connected to the power source all along.

Here are the possible issues with your Keurig not turning on after descaling. You should check them in this order.

The power outlet is not working

If the power outlet you’re using for your Keurig coffee maker has a separate switch, make sure it’s turned out. 

I know that should be the case, given you just descaled your coffee machine. But if you’re not living solo, chances are someone from your household might have accidentally turned the switch off. As a result, your machine won’t turn on. 

There’s a problem with the touchscreen

Older Keurig models feature either a power button or a classic on/off switch. Both are pretty straightforward to use, and it’s very unlikely they can stop working somehow.

But if you own a Keurig 2.0, then your coffee maker has a touch screen. And in its bottom right corner is where the power button icon is supposed to be.

If you don’t see the icon, then there’s a clear problem with the touch screen.

And in that case, your coffee maker probably is working. You just don’t see that on the screen.

Luckily, that’s an easy thing to check. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Remove any leftover K-cup and clean the pod holder with a damp paper towel. Try to avoid touching the exit needle while doing that.
2. Close the lid down and plug in the coffee maker.
3. Press the bottom right corner of the screen, where the power button is typically located. If the machine is working, this is when you’ll hear water starting to bubble up when heating.
4. When it stops bubbling, click the Keurig button.
5. Open and close the lid, then click the Keurig button again. At this point, your coffee maker should start dispensing hot water through the spout.
6. After it’s finished doing that, open the lid and leave it up for around three minutes. When that time is up, unplug the coffee maker and close the lid, then leave it like that for another minute. 
7. Turn the Keurig coffee machine on.

This process should fix the touch screen not showing anything. However, keep in mind that sometimes it requires several cycles before that happens, so be patient.

The thermal switch tripped

This is actually the most common reason why your Keurig has stopped working. 

And it happens when your Keurig coffee maker gets overheated, so the thermal switch is there to prevent it from blowing up. Well, I might be making a mountain out of a molehill by saying that. But it’s not entirely impossible for your machine to burst like a bomb from overheating…

Anyways, when this happens, you need to roll up your sleeves and get your tools. 

Well, just a tool – a screwdriver – but also something long and thin, like a needle or a paper clip.

Here’s what you need to do, step by step:

1. Unplug your Keurig machine from the power outlet and remove the water tank.
2. The side cover of your Keurig coffee machine is attached to the base with six small pins. The pins are pretty easy to unhook by inserting a screwdriver and pushing them in. At the same time, try pulling the side cover for easier removal. 
3. Once the cover is off, you can look at the machine’s interior. You’re searching for a small white cap with a hole in the middle and wires connected from the sides. When you look at the machine from the front, this should be located on the right side, attached to the heating element. 
4. Grab the needle, paper clip, or whatever you have to push into the center hole of the cap. Don’t expect to hear a clicking sound, but when you push it in enough, your coffee maker will be reset.
5. Assemble the Keurig back and try turning it on.

The heating element is faulty

Normally, a thermal switch should trip when your Keurig is getting too hot to prevent overheating. But that might not be the case if the heating element is faulty. 

And if that’s the case, unfortunately, there’s not much you can do at home.

Instead, you need to contact customer support, and they’ll tell you what to do. 

In short, your Keurig will probably need to be fixed by them or even replaced by one that’s working properly.

How to Prevent This Problem

Aside from a few simple-fix mechanical issues that cause your Keurig brewer to not work after descaling, overheating is the main culprit.

This mainly happens because there’s a problem in the descaling program itself. 

Most times, that happens because the water level inside the tank is too low than required for the cycle.

And that’s easily avoided by making sure there’s enough water for the entire descaling cycle.

You did everything right, yet your machine still overheats after descaling?

In some cases, the issue lies in the electrical components. You should definitely contact customer support, as there’s something wrong with your Keurig model. In fact, maybe you own one of the models that were deemed faulty. If that’s the case, contacting Keurig support can solve your problem.

NOTE
Regular descaling can prevent many issues you might have with your Keurig machine. So, don’t hesitate when you see that the descale light is on or even before any light signal alerts you. Pop the Keurig descaling solution in the water tank and run a cleaning cycle as soon as possible!

How to Reset Your Keurig After Descaling

A reset can be useful as a first step in fixing minor problems, including the situation when your Keurig won’t turn on after descaling.

When it comes to resetting, I have a love-hate relationship with the Keurig coffee maker.

I love that resetting is so simple, but I hate that I have to wait several minutes. I could be drinking coffee by that time, you know…

Anyway, here’s how to reset your Keurig brewer after the descaling process is done:

1. Turn off the machine and disconnect it from the power source.
2. Remove the water tank.
3. Wait for about five minutes, then plug the machine back into the power outlet.
4. Turn the coffee maker on.
5. Refill the water reservoir with fresh water and put it back in place.
6. Open and close the pod holder.

And that’s all! You can finally start the brew cycle and make a nice warm cup of Joe.

To Sum Things Up

In most cases, your Keurig coffee machine might not turn off after descaling because it overheated. 

This can happen if you use less water than required for the descaling cycle. But in some cases, the problem lies in the electrical components. And if that’s the case, you need to get your coffee maker serviced or replaced.

Troubleshooting is the first step, so make sure to check out every possible reason that I mentioned before proceeding to fix your machine.

Does the descale light stay on even though you descaled it? Check out our guide and discover how to fix this problem.