The short answer
On the REF family a good share of noise calls turn out to be water and refrigerant moving, which is normal, and the job of this page is to tell those from the ones that are not. Cabinets in this class are thin-walled and lightly insulated, so normal internal sounds carry into the room.
What you observe on these models
- A buzz or rattle that comes and goes with the compressor — It starts when the machine starts and stops when it stops, which places it at the compressor end rather than inside the cabinet.
- A ticking or clicking every few seconds — Short, repeated and always at the same interval: that is a start device cycling, not a mechanical noise.
- A fan noise that changes when the door is opened — If it stops with the door switch it is the evaporator fan inside; if it carries on it is at the back of the cabinet.
- NEAR MISS - a loud noise with the cabinet also going warm — Noise plus a loss of cooling is not a noise complaint.
Causes, most likely first on this family
- Refrigerant and drain water moving, which is normal — First on this family by frequency, and it is not a fault. Gurgling as the compressor stops, a trickle down the rear wall after a defrost and soft popping from the liner are all the machine working, and on a single-model family there is no configuration question to settle first.
- Drain pan or drain path rattling — Second. The pan sits over the compressor and is held by clips that age; once it is loose it buzzes with the compressor and the owner hears a mechanical noise where there is only a plastic tray.
- Fan blade or fan bearing — Third. A fan is the first genuine fault on this list, and the door-switch test puts it either inside the cabinet or behind it before anything is opened.
- Compressor mounts and the compressor — Last. Knocking and grinding at the compressor are the findings that matter, and they are also the least common of the four on this family.
Check in this order, and why this family dictates it
- Decide first whether the noise is water or machinery — Gurgles, trickles and pops after the compressor stops are normal. Anything that runs with the compressor is worth chasing.
- Press on the drain pan and the rear cover while it runs — Second: a rattle that stops under a hand is a fixing, not a bearing, and it is a screwdriver job.
- Use the door switch to place a fan noise — Third, because this is the point where the diagnosis starts costing parts and it is worth being certain which fan.
- Listen at the compressor for knocking under load — Last. A compressor that knocks when it starts and settles once running is usually its mounts; one that knocks throughout is not.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Never reach behind a running fan to find a noise, and never run the cabinet with its rear cover off to listen: the cover is part of the airflow path and it is also what keeps fingers out of the fan.
Models in the REF family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| REF-21 | aog:refrigerator:ref |
When to call a technician
Call when the noise is a knock or a grind at the compressor, when a fan noise continues after the obstruction and the frost have been dealt with, or when the noise arrives alongside a loss of cooling. Give the technician the model number from the table above so the correct fan or mount kit arrives with them.
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.
