Is your refrigerator keeping you up at night with its mysterious noises? A noisy fridge can be more than just an irritation—it may signal a malfunctioning part. Dive into our handy guide, complete with an easy-to-follow how-to video, to help diagnose and silence those unwanted sounds, restoring peace and quiet to your kitchen.

If your refrigerator is making abnormal noises, one of the components inside may not be working correctly. Before you start the process of troubleshooting the issue, you want to be sure the area is safe. This can be done by unplugging the loud refrigerator from the wall or turning off the circuit breaker. Additionally, make sure the water controls under the sink are turned off. Once your refrigerator is safely unplugged, proceed with this easy guide to diagnose which part may have failed on your refrigerator.

Once you have identified the part needed for your refrigerator, search below using your specific fridge model number to identify the exact part needed:

How to Troubleshoot Your Noisy Refrigerator

1. Evaporator Fan Motor

The first part to look at if the refrigerator is making noise is the evaporator fan motor. If it goes bad, it can increase noise and make the refrigerator too warm. This is a part that is used to ensure cold air circulates through the entire refrigerator. While there are many styles of evaporator fan motors, all of them do the same thing. This pat offers a small motor and has a fan blade on a rotating shaft to circulate air. In most cases, it will be in the freezer near the evaporator, but sometimes it could be both in the freezer and the fresh food area.

There are always low temperatures and moisture being exposed to the evaporator fan motor. Because of this, the bearings in the motor will start to break down after some time. When the bearing starts to seize up, this can lead to strange noises in the refrigerator. It may also result in the fan blade no longer spinning. If the motor has failed mechanically or electrically, it will need to be replaced.

When you access the motor, spin it to see if it goes around freely. If it doesn’t spin or is jammed, it’s likely that the bearings are not working and the fan motor will need to be replaced. However, if it spins well, it should be tested for continuity using a multimeter. Refrigerators with a wire harness can have it unplugged. Other fridges can have the wires taken off the terminals using a screwdriver. Take the multimeter probes and place them against the motor and terminals or the harness plug. If there isn’t continuity, this component should be replaced.

2. Condenser Fan Motor

The second thing to check if your refrigerator is making strange noises is the condenser fan motor. When it fails, it can start making noises. This component is designed to keep the condenser coils and compressor cool while the refrigerator is running. While there are many styles of condenser fan motors, each of them does the same thing. The fans have a small motor that spins a shaft attached to a fan blade. This makes cool air come out over the condenser coils and compressor.

Most of the time, you can find the condenser fan motor on the back of the fridge behind the access panel. Because of its location, the fan motor is often exposed to heat and dirt when the refrigerator is on. If a lot of dust and debris accumulates on the fan motor, it isn’t going to run the way that it should. If it’s too slow, hot, or has failed, it can cause overheating. This can result in strange noises coming from this area.

The first step here is to give the motor a good cleaning and see if the noise is improved. You can use a cloth or a specialized cleaning tool to handle this step. If the condenser fan motor has completely failed, it will need to be replaced.

3. Evaporator Motor Fan Blade

The next thing to check is the evaporator motor fan blade on the loud refrigerator, which is responsible for circulating cold air throughout the refrigerator. These can be found on the end of the evaporator motor shaft and most press onto the shaft, but others also incorporate a locking collar. The motor fan blades are typically found in the freezer, but in some cases, they could also be located in the fresh food section.

If the fan blade is making excessive noise, this is often the result of something getting stuck in its way, such as insulation, ice, or a food wrapper. A broken blade or a crack can also lead to vibrations or wobbling that can contribute to a noisy refrigerator. While it’s uncommon, sometimes, a blade can also move down the shaft and scrape up against the motor.

If this occurs, visually inspect the mountain hole to see what is going wrong. Reposition the fan blade into the proper location and see if the refrigerator starts working the way that it should. This is also the time to inspect the blade to look for damage. If it is damaged, it will need to be replaced.

4. Condenser Motor Fan Blade

After ruling out issues with the evaporator motor fan blade, next, you want to check the condenser motor fan blade. This fan blade is similar to the last one but is tasked with moving air so it cools the condenser coils and compressor. The condenser motor fan blade comes in many styles but all of them do the same thing. Depending on which is present, it might be pressed down onto the motor shaft or held by screws or a nut.

You can get access to the condenser motor fan blade by looking in the rear access panel. The part is going to be mounted onto the condenser motor shaft. If your refrigerator noises are coming from this area, something could be obstructing the fan blade. If this is the case, whatever is in the way needs to be removed. The mounting hole can also become rounded out or a blade can become cracked. This can lead to wobbling and vibrations that create sound from the refrigerator. Like the last fan blade we looked at, this one can also fall down on the shaft and contact the motor. If you take a look at the condenser motor fan blade and there is damage, it will need to be replaced.

5. Door Closure Cams

Another component to look at if the refrigerator is being noisy are the door closure cams. These are the parts that the door will ride on as it opens or close. While these door closure cams are found in many styles, most of them have an upper cam and a lower cam and are made out of plastic. The cams feature a smooth surface for the door to ride on and can assist it with closing or remaining open. However, if these parts aren’t working, they can create noise.

If you have a refrigerator that has cams, you’ll typically find the lower one on the bottom door hinge and the upper one attached to the door. When the cams are cracked or otherwise damaged, they can create noises and even prevent the door from opening or closing. When this is the problem, the sound you’ll hear is plastic rubbing up against plastic. Take a look to see if there is damage or wear, which indicates that one of them has gone bad.

Sometimes a door closure cam will be available individually, but other times, the only option is purchasing a full set. It’s recommended that you replace both of the cams at the same time so they both are new and offer the best functionality for your refrigerator.

6. Water Inlet Valve

Another part that can cause refrigerator noise is the water inlet valve, which controls the water that reaches the refrigerator. The water inlet valve includes a solenoid that opens and closes so water is sent to the ice maker and water dispenser. It’s often found behind the access panel on the back of the refrigerator, but it can also be found in the fresh food section on some fridges.

If there is a strange noise coming from the refrigerator, it could be related to a malfunctioning water inlet valve. Problems that are common with this part include bad solenoids, jammed plungers, and clogged valves. The first thing to determine is whether your home’s water pressure is at the right level to do the job. The user manual for the refrigerator will have information about where it should be. If the pressure is low or high, it can prevent water from reaching the fridge and result in strange noises.

One of the parts that can fail and cause problems is the water dispenser solenoid. It will keep the water inlet valve from opening so it can pass water to the dispenser. Find the valve and then look for the solenoid associated with it; it’s usually going to be a 5/16 inch line. Next, use a multimeter to test it for continuity. Take the wiring harness off and press a probe to each of the terminals. If there isn’t a reading, the solenoid isn’t working and the water inlet valve needs a replacement.

7. Compressor

The last thing to check when you’re dealing with a noisy refrigerator is the compressor. This component is responsible for pumping refrigerant around the entire refrigerator. It works as a pump to control the circulation and pressure of the refrigerant through the system. The refrigerant is inside the metal body of the compressor, which has copper tubing that attaches to the unit. It also typically has four rubber grommets that help to prevent vibrations.

What does a bad refrigerator compressor sound like?

Even when it’s in good shape, your fridge’s compressor will emit a low buzz or hum. In a working refrigerator, you may not even notice the noise. However, if that buzzing gets too loud — if you can hear it a room or more away — or if it seems to be making those noises almost constantly, your refrigerator’s compressor may be going bad. If you suspect your fridge’s compressor may be going bad, listen for a knocking noise when it turns on or shuts off; if you hear it, the compressor may be bad.

You can find the compressor in the rear of the refrigerator behind the bottom access panel. First, check that the condenser fan motor is spinning since it cools down the condenser coils and compressor. Next, check to be sure that the compressor coil is clean, and if it isn’t, use a brush or cloth to clean it off. If the compressor is getting too hot, it can start to be louder than usual.

If one or more grommets have failed, this can also create noises when the compressor stops or starts. Do a visual inspection of all of them and then replace any of them that are damaged. If these things are working well, but the noise is still coming from the compressor, the compressor could be failing on the inside. If it fails completely, a technician will be needed to change out the compressor.

More Commonly Asked Questions

Why is my fridge making a humming noise?

A low hum coming from your refrigerator isn’t entirely unusual. There are a lot of components, like fans and the compressor, that will hum and buzz even when running normally. However, if that humming is unusually loud, it could be a sign that something’s up. Dust and debris like pet fur can collect on fans, the compressor coils, and air vents, forcing your fridge’s components to work harder to get their jobs done, resulting in a noisier appliance. This can also be a sign a part needs to be replaced.

Where To Find Us

Still have questions after reading this guide? Please reach out to AppliancePartsPros.com, we are always happy to help walk you through refrigerator repair without a repair technician. Since 1999, AppliancePartsPros.com has helped millions of people repair their broken appliances by providing high-quality original parts at well below retail prices, free tech support and troubleshooting, and award-winning customer service! Visit our site at https://www.appliancepartspros.com or call us at 877-477-7278. Over 90% of orders delivered in 1-2 days with guaranteed overnight shipping available! 365 days to return any part. Expert, friendly, US-based customer support team.