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On the FC models this complaint is most often a drain pan or tray vibrating in its cradle rather than anything deeper. This line is a close pair of models rather than a spread, so the build is effectively uniform and the seal-and-fit causes come forward. The order below is settled by how this line is built, not by what is true of the brand as a whole.
What this looks like from the front
- A clunk followed a minute later by running water — A regular event a few times a day rather than a continuous noise.
- The whole cabinet vibrates against the floor or the cupboard beside it — You can feel it through the worktop as much as hear it.
- NEAR MISS — the noise came with the cabinet getting warm — Then the noise is a symptom and the warm cabinet is the fault.
The ranking that matters here on the FC line
- A drain pan or tray vibrating in its cradle — Ranked first here — it is a loose part rather than a failing one and it usually rattles only when the compressor runs.
- A fan blade catching on frost — Second here — it is the noise owners describe most often and it comes and goes with the cooling cycle, which is the tell.
- A condenser fan fouled by dust or a stray object — Third here — it is reachable in a minute and it produces a hard, regular noise people read as serious.
- Compressor mounts that have gone hard — Fourth here — it builds slowly over years and it is a hum rather than an event.
- An inlet valve buzzing as it fills — Fifth here — easy to place: it happens only while water is running, which none of the other causes depend on.
- Body: Two closely related models means what holds for one holds for the other, which is why the order below is stated without a hedge. Against a ranking that ignored how these are built, a drain pan or tray vibrating in its cradle moves up and a fan blade catching on frost moves down — that is the whole departure.
The order of checks, and the reason for it
- Reach under the cabinet and steady the pan while the compressor is running — If the noise stops under your hand, you have found it.
- Open the freezer and hold the door switch in — A scrape or warble that appears with the switch held in, and stops when you let go, places the noise inside the freezer.
- Pull the cabinet out and look at the fan behind the lower back panel — A fan blade rubbing its shroud, or lint wound onto the hub, is visible without a tool.
- Put a hand on the compressor shell while it runs — A heavy, low buzz felt through the cabinet frame rather than through the air points here.
- Shut the water supply to the cabinet for a day — A buzz that disappears with the water off is the valve, and nothing else needs opening.
- Body: Two closely related models share a layout, so a check that works on one works on the other and the order below does not change between them. Each check answers the cause above it, in the same order, so a clean result moves you down the list rather than sideways.
What to do before you touch it
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel — a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. A refrigerator is a heavy cabinet on small feet: pull it out squarely with a hand on each side and never tip it to look underneath while it is plugged in.
Models in the FC family — Every model this page covers, exactly as the model line is recorded. Nothing outside this table is a model number, and nothing on this page claims to cover a model that is not in it.
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| FC2-671 | amana:refrigerator:fc |
| FC2-671.IM | amana:refrigerator:fc |
The line between a fix and a call
Call when the noise sits behind the freezer rear panel, when it comes with a loss of cooling, or when it has changed from a hum into a knock — a knock is a moving part striking something, and it does not improve. Stop and call at once for a burning smell or a scorch mark at the back of the cabinet.
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Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
