What this means on these models
An Amana ART that has become loud is usually transmitting rather than failing. Six model numbers carry this family badge, and the matrix on this page is the list. Levelling, a stray object against a fan blade and a blade catching ice account for most of it, and only one item on the ranked list below is actually urgent.
What the owner reports
- A buzz or hum that has become noticeably louder — A hum you feel through the floor more than you hear in the room, which is transmission rather than a failing motor.
- A knock or thump on start and stop — One thump as the compressor starts and one as it stops is a contact point, not a failure.
- Gurgling, popping or a running-water sound — These are normal on every cabinet of this type and they get louder in a quiet room rather than in a failing appliance.
- NEAR MISS — the noise comes with a warm cabinet — Noise together with a warm cabinet makes the cooling fault primary, and this page is not the one to work from.
What it usually is, in order
- Cabinet levelling and floor contact — First on the ART line because a cabinet that is not square on its feet turns ordinary running vibration into a resonance, and because it costs nothing to rule out.
- Condenser fan obstruction — Second: the machine compartment is where debris ends up, and a fan clipping a stray wire or a piece of packing sounds far worse than it is.
- Evaporator fan bearing or ice contact — Third — it is the first cause that requires anything of the owner, and the door-switch test confirms or clears it immediately.
- Compressor or start device — Fourth because it is the least likely of the four and the only one where continuing to run the appliance is a bad idea.
Check in this order, and why
- Check the cabinet is level and sitting on all its feet — First because it costs nothing and because a cabinet that has been moved is the commonest reason an appliance suddenly sounds worse.
- Make sure nothing touches the sides, the back or the top — A cabinet resting against a wall turns a normal hum into a resonance that fills the room.
- Pull the unit out and watch the condenser fan — With the cabinet itself cleared, the open compartment is the next candidate.
- Open the freezer and hold the door switch in — Last, because it is the check that requires the freezer emptied if it turns into a repair.
Safety first
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch it off at the breaker before working on it; a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Empty the cabinet before you move it, and never break ice off a fan blade with a screwdriver — the tubing immediately behind it punctures easily and takes the sealed system with it.
Models in the ART family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| ART104TFD*0* | amana:refrigerator:art |
| ART106TFD*0* | amana:refrigerator:art |
| ART308FFD* | amana:refrigerator:art |
| ART316TFD*0* | amana:refrigerator:art |
| ART318FFD* | amana:refrigerator:art |
| ART348FFF*** | amana:refrigerator:art |
Where owner work stops
The condition is what the fix turns out to be. An adjustment — levelling, clearing something that fell in, moving the cabinet off a wall — is owner work on these models. A part is not. A repeating click with a warming cabinet should be booked the same day rather than monitored.
Other faults covered for this family
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
