RV Water Pump Won’t Shut Off [Reasons & Fixes]

RV water pumps are supposed to turn on every time you flush and off once the job is done. But if your RV water pump is not stopping, you should not get worried. 

Because you are not the first one facing the problem of RV water pump won’t shut off. It’s a common problem for anyone who owns an RV. 

But we are here to make sure you can solve this problem yourself whenever it happens.

So, here is a short guide we’ve created for you about why your RV water pump won’t turn off to help you through it.

Things You’ll Need To Fix Your RV Water Pump

• A wrench
• A Phillips screwdriver 
• A set of waterproof gloves 
• An extra set of dry towels (because you’ll surely get wet) 
• A spare RV water pump (it’s optional)

Now that you know what you need let’s move right into the real deal.

Why Your RV Water Pump Won’t Shut Off?

There might be three possible reasons why your RV water pump won’t shut off. We will discuss the reasons in detail and tell you about possible solutions as we progress.

So, let’s get started.

A Valve Leak

The valve leak is the first thing you must check when you notice that your RV water pump won’t shut off. A broken one can lead to a leak, which might be the root of the problem.

Diagnosis

Find the hose or tube linking the RV water pump to the freshwater tank; that’s the check valve. Now, first, check it, and if you find out it’s broken, we have a 3-step solution for you to fix it.

Solution

You just need to follow these steps carefully to solve this problem quickly.

• Open Old Valve: Put on the rubber gloves and open the old valve carefully, so you don’t damage anything else. 
• Attach New Valve To Tank: Set a new valve in its place. Ensure the valve’s arrow is pointing right at the freshwater tank.
• Attach New Valve To The Water Pump: After connecting one end to the tank, attach the other to the RV water pump and ensure it fits well.

Once you’re done, run the water pump and check again. It should work, but if it doesn’t, you must move to the next probable reason.

A Running Appliance

You must be thinking, what does this mean, right?

Well, it means an appliance in the RV is left running. The possible appliance is usually a kitchen faucet, sink, or toilet.

In this case, the running appliance demands a constant flow of water. That’s the reason why the RV water pump won’t shut off.

Diagnosis

After diagnosis, turn off the main water supply first. If the pump stops, our guess is correct. Now, it’s time to move to the next step for the probable solution.

Solution

First, turn on the main water supply, then search for the running appliance. When you find that appliance, turn the main water supply back off.

Now, it’s time to fix that appliance that keeps running and demanding too much water. After fixing the problem, turn on the main water supply again and check. The RV water pump won’t shut off issue should be solved by now.

Let’s look at another probable reason behind your RV water pump won’t shut off.

Damaged Water Lines

Most of the time, cracks, splits and rots damage the water line. If the lines are damaged, they will cause the water pump to run by depressurizing it.

Diagnosis

In that case, check your unit’s water lines directly for cracks, splits, and rots.

Now, let’s check a possible way of solving this problem.

Solution

Depending on the make and model of your RV, there is no standard solution to this problem. So, we recommend you refer to the handbook when trying to fix this issue or call a professional for this job.

However, these are all the possible reasons why the RV water pump won’t shut off. If you are unable to find a relevant problem till now, you might have to replace the water pump.

So keep reading because, in the next section, we’ll tell you how you can replace an RV water pump in some pretty easy steps.

How To Replace An RV Water Pump

To make it easier for you, we’ve divided the process into four easy steps. Follow them carefully if you don’t want to go through this process again.

Here are the four steps.

Step 1: Drain the water tank so as not to have any water left in the freshwater tank.

Step 2: Make sure the power is turned off. It is a matter of life and death, so you must check this twice.

Step 3: Disconnect the water lines and pump. This is the time when you’ll need the towel.

Step 4: Unscrew and remove the RV water pump. For this, consult the owner’s manual.

Now it’s the time when you can install a new RV water pump in your unit. Choose the water pump carefully before buying it since there are several kinds on the market. Here are the RV water pumps that we recommend to you.

Our Recommendations

With the new RV water pump, pipe tape will be provided to reinforce and tighten the water connection. So, paying extra attention during installation and following the manual is very important.

Conclusion

We tried our best to determine why your RV Pump won’t shut off. RVers, including us, are familiar with the struggle of dealing with messy puddles.

Now, it’s time to fix that pump before things get out of hand and become a bigger mess. After you’ve done that, let us know what you think of our work.

Until then, drive safely.