Kohler is a leading bathroom fixture brand that offers innovative and sophisticated features, like touchless toilets, to enhance your bathroom experience.
Despite the convenience and reliability associated with the toilets, knowing about Kohler touchless toilet troubleshooting helps since they are not flawless.
Your Kohler touchless toilet can grapple with ghost flushing, malfunctioning sensors, and continuous flushing. The unit could also face leaking, the sensor activating prematurely, the toilet beeping, and the actuator wheel failing to make complete turns.
This post aims to give you comprehensive and easy-to-follow guidelines for diagnosing and fixing problems that could arise while using your Kohler touchless toilet.
Kohler Touchless Toilet Troubleshooting (Problems and Fixes)
| Problem | Possible Causes | Recommended Fix | |
| 1. | Ghost flushing | Defective flush valve Damaged flapper Low water levels | Replace the flush valve Replace the damaged flapper Adjust the water levels |
| 2. | Malfunctioned sensor | Items too close to the sensor Placing the tank lid few seconds before flushing | Remove items away from the sensor Remove the tank cover 15 seconds after flushing |
| 3. | Continuous flushing | Small tank Tank refilling too quickly | Reduce the refilling rate |
| 4. | Leaking | Worn -out gaskets Damaged vacuum breakers | Replace the gaskets Replace the vacuum breakers |
| 5. | Touchless module activating prematurely | Items above the tank lid | Remove the items above the tank lid |
| 6. | Beeping | Low batteries | Replace the batteries |
| 7. | Strange noise | Loose connections | Tighten the connections |
| 8. | Poor flush | Faulty wax ring | Replace the wax ring |
1. Ghost Flushing
Ghost flushing is common in modern toilets, where the units flush without human intervention. Kohler toilet problems For a Kohler touchless toilet, you will notice water spilling beneath the tank cover or onto the touchless device during refilling.
A loose or damaged flapper is a chief culprit behind your Kohler touchless toilet’s ghost flushing and other Kohler toilet flush problems. If it wears down or malfunctions, it won’t close properly; and that causes your unit to flush without external provocation.
Another cause of ghost flushing is a defective flush valve. If the valve becomes faulty, it will fail to seal the water getting into the bowl after refilling, resulting in ghost flushing.
Moreover, low water levels in a Kohler touchless toilet contribute to ghost flushing. It is because the manufacturer designed sensors to detect a rise in water levels, as shown by the refill tube.
So, when water levels are lower than recommended levels, the water may still rise due to other causes. It triggers the sensor, which will cause you to hear your fixture flush on its own.
Fix
- Fit the refill hose into the flush based on the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Check the alignment of the hose and adjust it if necessary to avoid splashing during refilling.
- Inspect the flapper for any defects.
- Examine the flapper.
- Check and adjust the water levels in the touchless toilet tank.
2. Malfunctioned Sensor
One thing you’ll love about a Kohler touchless toilet is how it eliminates the need to flush with your hands. That’s possible thanks to the inclusion of the touchless sensor.
However, the sensor can malfunction over time if you do not adhere to some manufacturers’ instructions. For instance, placing cabinets, bars, and toilet cleaning products too close to the sensor will cause intermittent flushing and eventually ruin your toilet’s functionality.
Another malpractice is placing the toilet tank lid just before flushing the unit. It goes against the brand’s recommendation of removing the cover 15 seconds after the previous flush.
It’s also worth mentioning that setting the touchless module lower than the required 2 inches can cause your Kohler touchless sensor not working problem. Fortunately, you can easily fix this problem. Furthermore, dirt and debris buildup on the Kohler touchless sensor can render it useless over time. Hard water containing calcium and lime will also have the same effect on your high-quality fixture.
Fix
- Brand experts recommend waiting at least 15 seconds after flushing the fixture so you can remove the tank cover.
- Raise the module gradually until 2 inches above the toilet tank cover. Do this while testing the sensor until it starts working.
- Clean the sensor regularly to remove dirt, debris, minerals, and lime.
If the three steps don’t yield desired results, buy a replacement module box or a module box cover, then do the following:
- Lift the toilet tank lid to access the module box.
- Remove the chain link and the battery holder from the module box.
- Push the metal tabs until they make contact with the cover’s springs.
- Check if the actuator wheel spins. If it doesn’t, it signifies you have a damaged box begging for replacement. Additionally, the spinning actuator wheel doesn’t negate the need for a new top.
- Buy a Kohler-recommended replacement part and hire an expert to put it in place.
3. Continuous Flushing
A toilet that won’t stop flushing is a nuisance, not only because of the noise but also because of inflated water bills. Unfortunately, the Kohler touchless toilet is not immune from continuous flushing.
If your fixture won’t stop flushing, it shows you have a problem with the toilet tank. Sometimes the manufacturer can blunder and make small toilet tanks that refill faster than regular ones, thus causing your touchless fixture to develop non-stop flushes.
On the other hand, you can have a normal-sized tank that refills faster than usual. Once the tank refills, it will trigger the touchless module to induce continuous flushing.
You may also have to deal with condensation or water splashing onto the touchless sensor. It occurs during refilling because of the incorrect installation of the refill hose.
Fix
- Experts recommend closing the water supply partially to slow down the refilling rate. It applies to scenarios with small toilet tanks and considerably short refilling times.
If the problem arose from incorrect positioning of the refill hose, employ the following tips:
- Reposition the refill hose after inserting it into the flush valve at an appropriate depth.
- At this stage, professionals advise checking the color of the fixture’s cylinder cap, especially if it came with the rest of the system. If the cap on the retrofitted Wellworth or Highline version is black, replace it with K-GP1229656.
- To further reduce the risk of water splashing, reduce the water supply to the toilet tank.
- Another option is getting a K-1219268 chain kit. Install the chain and hang it from the mounting bracket in the water. It reduces the touchless sensor’s sensitivity to water in the toilet tank, which prevents unnecessary flushing.
4. Leaking
Your Kohler touchless toilet can develop leaks primarily because of damaged vacuum breakers. Loose connections between the toilet tank and the bowl, improper installation, and worn-out gaskets could also cause this menace.
A faulty connection in the water supply line and worn-out wax seals can also culminate in water spewing on your restroom floor. A cracked Kohler touchless toilet bowl is also worth investigating.
In a world where water conservation is a topic on the lips of environmental enthusiasts, toilet leaking is an enormous setback. It wastes water, which compounds your bills, not to mention additional costs when repairing the bathroom floor and treating ailments stemming from contact with wastewater.
Fix
- If your touchless toilet leaks after flushing, consider replacing the vacuum breaker unit with component 1192024 from the brand.
- If the problem persists, get the Sloan valve VB6551A and use it instead of the component installed in the previous step.
- Alternatively, fix other possible leakage causes, like cracked toilet bowls and worn-out gaskets.
- Tighten the connection between the toilet bowl and the tank.
- Replace the worn-out wax seal.
5. Touchless Module Activating Prematurely
The Kohler touchless toilet sensor can activate prematurely because of a swaying tank cover or when you are used to sitting and leaning back. Similarly, placing items above the toilet tank lid and pressing the toilet seat against the toilet tank lid can cause the module to activate early.
On top of that, an overly sensitive and misaligned touchless sensor will also suffer premature activation.
Fix
- Install the foam pads purchased with the touchless component on the toilet tank top.
- Remove any item placed (e.g., toiletries) within 8 inches from the sensor.
- Use shims to stabilize the toilet bowl.
- Apply silicone sealant around your toilet bowl’s the base to hold it in place.
- Also, consider adjusting the touchless sensor range.
6. Kohler Touchless Toilet Beeping
Kohler’s touchless toilet embodies innovation and sophistication. Sometimes, the toilet would beep three times to alert you about low batteries.
Additionally, obstructions like debris, dirt, and toilet paper can block your hand-free sensor, causing it to beep. The problem is more pronounced when the Kohler touchless unit refills with water.
Fix
- Get replacement batteries.
- Remove debris, dirt, and other forms of obstruction from the touchless module.
7. Kohler Touchless Toilet Making Strange Noises
If strange noises emanate from your Kohler touchless fixture without ceasing, it’s possible you have worn-out parts. Loose connections and worn-out parts are also to blame for this.
Moreover, a drastic change in environmental conditions could also amount to weird noises from your bathroom.
Fix
- Replace the worn-out parts.
- Tighten loose connections.
- Replace malfunctioned fill valve.
7. Poor Flush
Imagine walking into a bathroom to relieve yourself on a premium touchless unit from Kohler, only to realize it won’t flush properly. Uncomfortable, right?
It’s how it feels when Kohler’s touchless toilet delivers poor flushes. You can trace the problem to a defective wax ring placed around the base of your fixture, low water in the water supply lines, and incorrect installation of accessories inside the toilet tank.
Fix
- Replace the faulty wax ring.
- Check water levels in the supply line and adjust them if necessary.
- Examine whether you installed various components well within the tank.
8. Tarnished Finish
Lack of regular maintenance can make your fixture give up the elegant coating. It happens due to continuous exposure to moist air cleaning products.
Fix
Clean your toilet frequently using products recommended by the manufacturer.
Concluding Thoughts On Kohler Touchless Toilet Troubleshooting
Kohler combines innovativeness and convenience to offer you a hygienic and hands-free solution to using the toilet. However, the imperfections outlined in this post are worth looking at if you want your unit to serve you seamlessly for years.
If problems arise, use the solutions in this guide to get your fixture up and running.
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