What this means on these models
Noise complaints on the AZM line resolve faster when the sound is placed before it is named. One model number carry this family badge, and the matrix on this page is the list. There are three places a refrigerator can make noise — inside the freezer, in the machine compartment, and through the cabinet into the floor — and each has a short list of its own.
The noises worth acting on
- A rattle or buzz from the back of the cabinet — A buzz behind the cabinet that starts and stops in step with the compressor, which places it in the machine compartment.
- A chirp, squeal or grind from inside the freezer — It changes or stops when the freezer door is opened, because the door switch cuts power to the evaporator fan.
- A clicking that repeats every few minutes — A compressor start relay dropping out and retrying makes an even, repeating click with no cooling to show for it.
- A knock or thump on start and stop — Tubing that has shifted onto the cabinet transmits every compressor start as a single knock.
- 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
- Evaporator fan blade fouling ice or a worn fan bearing — First here because the matrix on this page covers a single build rather than a span of generations — a blade ticking against a frost build-up is the single most common new noise on cabinets of this layout.
- Condenser fan obstructed or bearing worn — Second: it is the other continuously-running motor, it sits where dust and debris collect, and it is reachable without emptying the freezer.
- Compressor mounts and cabinet levelling — Third because a hum that has grown louder without changing pitch is almost always the cabinet transmitting into the floor, which is an adjustment rather than a repair.
- Compressor or start relay fault — Last, and it is the only one of the four where the noise is a warning rather than a nuisance.
What to check first, second, third
- Open the freezer and hold the door switch in — If the noise stops when the door opens and returns when the switch is held, it is the evaporator fan and nothing else. This is first because it is decisive and needs no tools.
- Look for ice behind the bottom basket — A blade ticking against frost and a worn bearing sound alike, and the ice decides which repair you are looking at.
- Pull the unit out and watch the condenser fan run — Second location, same class of fault — an obstruction is usually visible before anything is dismantled.
- Check the cabinet is level and not touching the surround — Last, because it explains a noise that has grown rather than one that appeared, and it is an adjustment rather than a repair.
Safety first
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before any panel comes off; a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. A full cabinet is heavy — empty it before moving it, and get help rather than walking it on its feet across a hard floor. Do not chip ice off a fan blade with anything metal; the tubing behind it punctures easily.
Models in the AZM family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| AZM12X17D* | amana:refrigerator:azm |
The service-call line
Call once the sound has been located behind the freezer rear panel, or when it tracks the compressor exactly. On the AZM line an owner can level the cabinet, clear an obstruction and say which compartment the noise comes from; replacing a fan motor, a relay or a compressor mount is a service call.
Nearest pages of this class
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
