How to Fix Common Refrigerator Noises

Is your refrigerator disrupting the peace of your home with a chorus of clinks, buzzes, or rattles? These irritating sounds could be a sign of a part in need of repair, potentially impacting your fridge’s performance. Fear not, because our comprehensive guide below includes a helpful how-to video that shows you how to tackle these pesky noises yourself and restore tranquility to your kitchen.

Understanding refrigerator noises

Is your refrigerator producing odd and bothersome sounds? Refrigerators are complex appliances with numerous moving parts that can generate noise when they aren’t functioning as they should. That serene hum we’re accustomed to can abruptly change into rattling, buzzing, or clattering that can interrupt the tranquility of our homes. Diagnosing and correcting common refrigerator noises is important for restoring calmness in your kitchen and maintaining great refrigerator performance.

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Identifying and testing the sounds

To start, listen closely to identify where the noise is originating from. Pay attention to whether it’s coming from the top, sides, back, bottom, or inside the fridge.

Next, you’ll want to try to categorize the noise. Determine if it resembles the sound of rattling pans, a constant hum, grinding, gurgling water, or a buzzing tone. These characteristics can give you clues as to which components might be involved. Once you’ve found the source and type of noise, examine the parts associated with that area of the fridge. If the noise seems to come from the bottom or back, it could involve components like the compressor or a fan. If it’s a buzzing or rattling noise from the inside, smaller parts like fans or timers might be to blame.

Try turning various parts on and off to see if the noise changes. Test the ice maker and make sure the water is draining properly. You can also attempt a manual defrost to observe whether the noise stops or alters.

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How to fix rattling and clattering noises

Imagine your quiet fridge suddenly sounding like a box of rocks. Rattling, vibrating, and clattering sounds are among the most common and annoying refrigerator noises. If you’ve been greeted by these sounds, there are several areas to investigate:

Loose drain pan

The drain pan collects the condensation from the evaporator coils and channels it out through a small tube beneath the fridge. Over time, the mounting hardware can loosen or the pan might shift, causing it to rattle against the metal housing surrounding it.

This simple issue can be fixed by making sure the pan is properly seated in its rails and tightening the mounting screws. Adding insulation tape or rubber spacers around the pan’s edges can also help dampen vibrations.

Uneven floor

Sometimes a slightly uneven kitchen floor can set off a chain reaction and cause a refrigerator to rock back and forth as its internal components cycle on and off. This movement causes vibrations that can resonate through the frame and lead to the banging or rattling noises you’re hearing.

Use a bubble leveler to identify any uneven spots and adjust the front leveling legs accordingly. Place taller shims beneath the rear leveling legs to stabilize the fridge and significantly reduce the vibrations and accompanying noise.

READ MORE: How to Level a Refrigerator in 6 Easy Steps

Loose internal tubing

Internal tubing, including refrigerant lines, drain tubes, and water lines, might come loose within the refrigerator and bounce around, which can generate rattling or vibrating noises. If the noise continues even after addressing the drain pan and leveling the unit, it’s possible that loose tubing is to blame.

Correcting this issue requires disassembling the refrigerator’s cabinets, a task best entrusted to a professional technician.

Detached interior parts

The interior of your refrigerator is lined with various plastic parts like shelves, drawers, covers, and caps. These parts can become a source of rattling noises if they become detached. Loose clips, screws, or sliding guides that hold various components in place can lead to drooping or detaching sections that rattle.

Thoroughly inspect your refrigerator to see if you can find any compartments that are missing parts. Look for missing retention clips or screws and re-secure the pieces to eliminate the noise.

How to fix humming and vibrating noises

Another strange sound is a loud hum or pulsating vibration emanating from the back of the refrigerator, which usually indicates a compressor issue.

Failing compressor

The compressor acts as the heart of your refrigerator’s cooling system. Over time, like any mechanical component, it can wear out, and when bearings, pistons, and valves degrade internally, the normal operating sounds might change. You might notice the compressor’s humming becoming progressively louder or higher-pitched. Worn bearings can even lead to grinding noises or rattling vibrations.

If you suspect the compressor is failing, replacing it is the only solution. A faulty compressor must be replaced by an EPA-certified technician.

Loose compressor mounts

The compressor is attached to the rear housing using bolts and rubber grommets that dampen vibrations. When these mounting bolts become loose, the compressor can start shaking and vibrating against the fridge’s frame, resulting in a pronounced pulsing or beating noise.

You can try tightening the compressor mounting bolts to potentially alleviate the noise, but if that doesn’t work, a failing compressor could be the root cause.

READ MORE: Why Is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?

Incorrect refrigerant charge

For the best operation, a refrigeration system requires the correct amount of refrigerant. Over time, refrigerant might slowly leak out and cause low pressures within the system. When refrigerant levels drop, the compressor has to work harder to cool the interior, which can result in excessive effort and noisy sounds like humming, throbbing, or pulsating.

If you suspect low refrigerant levels, consult a technician to inspect and recharge the sealed system.

How to fix grinding or buzzing noises

These sounds typically signify issues with your refrigerator’s fans or defrost timer. Here’s how to diagnose and address them:

Condenser fan problems

The condenser fan, which sits at the back of the fridge, draws air over the condenser coils to dissipate heat. If debris accumulates in the fan blades or the motor bearings wear out, you might hear grinding, rattling, buzzing, or a scraping sound as the fan struggles to rotate.

Try turning off the power to the fridge, removing the access panel, and cleaning out any debris before manually spinning the fan blades to resolve the issue. If the motor still makes noise, you might need to replace it.

Evaporator fan issues

In the freezer compartment, a buzzing or grinding noise might be coming from the evaporator fan. Just like the condenser fan, ice or food particles can obstruct the blades of the evaporator fan and cause strange sounds.

Try defrosting and cleaning the fan blades to resolve this problem. It’s also a good idea to inspect the fan’s mounting and wiring for any damage. Be sure to replace deteriorated rubber grommets or frayed electrical connections as soon as possible. If the fan blade still doesn’t turn smoothly or the motor keeps emitting a buzz, it’s likely time for a new evaporator fan unit.

Malfunctioning defrost timer

The defrost timer regulates the refrigerator’s defrost cycles and helps melt away any ice buildup on the coils. A malfunctioning defrost timer can cause excess frost, leading the evaporator fan blades to freeze and buzz or grind against the ice accumulations.

Replacing a worn-out mechanical defrost timer should take care of unusual sounds.

READ MORE: How To Replace Refrigerator Ice and Water Dispenser Pads for Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Amana and JennAir models

How to fix water dripping or swishing sounds

If you’re hearing gurgling, dripping, or swishing noises from your refrigerator, the likely suspects are issues with the defrost drainage system or the ice maker’s water supply. Here’s how to diagnose and resolve these specific problems:

Clogged defrost drain line

Throughout automatic defrost cycles, water drips from the evaporator coils into a drain pan, eventually flowing out through a small tube. When this tube gets clogged with food particles or other debris, the defrost water can overflow the pan and trickle back into the fridge. This results in dripping or swishing noises as water accumulates inside the unit.

You can unclog the drain tube by gently using a pipe cleaner or compressed air.

READ MORE: Why Is There Water Pooling in My Refrigerator?

Ice maker fill valve leaks

The ice maker depends on a small water valve to fill its mold trays. If this plastic valve cracks or doesn’t close completely, occasional dripping or trickling noises might occur as water leaks from the valve.

Replacing the ice maker fill valve will help stop the water drips.

Broken water supply line

The plastic water supply line that feeds the ice maker can become brittle over time, leading to cracks and water leaks. Listen for dripping noises that occur intermittently, even when the ice maker is turned off.

If the water line is cracked, you’ll need a new supply line kit to replace it.

How to fix clicking noises

The start relay, located on the compressor, helps the compressor to start up. A clicking noise may be coming from a start relay that’s trying to activate the compressor, but something may be preventing it from doing so.

Here are a few reasons why a start relay might click:

Compressor issues

If the compressor is faulty or has issues like a damaged motor or low refrigerant levels, the start relay may repeatedly attempt to start it, resulting in a clicking sound.

Overheating

A start relay can click if it overheats. This can happen if it’s continuously trying to start the compressor without success, which may be due to a malfunctioning compressor or a problem with the relay itself.

Faulty start relay

Sometimes the start relay itself may become defective or fail over time. When this happens, it may make clicking sounds as it unsuccessfully tries to engage the compressor resulting in a noisy refrigerator.

Electrical problems

Issues with the electrical supply to the refrigerator, like loose connections or voltage fluctuations, can lead to clicking noises from the start relay.

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Fixing a noisy refrigerator 

After uncovering the cause(s) of disruptive refrigerator sounds, it’s time to make any necessary repairs and/or replacements.

If a component appears loose, tighten it up. If there’s an obstruction hindering a fan’s rotation, remove it. In the case of a broken or damaged part, replacement might be necessary to restore normal functioning.

After making the required fixes, turn the refrigerator back on and listen carefully. While minor residual noise is normal following repairs, the fridge should operate quietly and similarly to its initial state.

READ MORE: How to Replace A Refrigerator Power Control Board

More information

Managing a noisy refrigerator need not be a source of frustration or lead to substantial repair costs. Armed with a better understanding of common noise sources and how to address them, you’re better prepared for a successful refrigerator repair. Routine maintenance and quick repairs play a significant role in ensuring your refrigerator operates quietly and efficiently for the long haul.

While DIY troubleshooting is empowering, there’s no harm in seeking expert advice when faced with complex or persistent noise issues. We’re here to help! Visit AppliancePartsPros.com with your model number to order replacement parts, chat with a pro and more. You can also find more troubleshooting guides on our DIY blog and hundreds of free tutorial videos on our YouTube channel.

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