The short answer
On the TMF family a new noise is far more often a fan touching ice or a worn fan bearing than anything wrong with the compressor.
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
- Evaporator fan blade catching ice or a food package — First on this family. The blade runs close to its shroud, and a little frost build-up or a bag pushed to the back of the shelf is enough to give a ticking or a scraping that changes with the door switch, and because the family is one cabinet in several finishes, what is true of one model here is true of the rest.
- Worn fan bearing at either end of the cabinet — Second. A dry bearing whines and then rumbles, and it is the same noise from the evaporator fan and the condenser fan; the door test tells you which one you are listening to.
- Cabinet not level or touching something — Third, and the one most likely to be mistaken for a mechanical failure.
- Compressor and its mounts — Last. Mount rubbers harden and let the compressor knock against the shell, and a failing compressor knocks in its own right.
Check in this order, and why this family dictates it
- Open the door and press the door switch, then listen — If the noise stops with the door open and returns when the switch is pressed, it is inside the cabinet.
- Empty the back of the shelves nearest the air outlet — Second, because a package against the outlet is the single commonest finding on this family and it is free to rule out.
- Rock the cabinet corner to corner and check the feet — Third: a cabinet that moves under hand pressure will drum, and levelling it changes the noise immediately if that is the cause.
- Listen at the compressor end last — Buzzes and hums belong there and are usually normal; a knock or a grind there is the one finding that stops the diagnosis and starts a quote.
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 TMF family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| TMF101TABSS | appliance-basics:refrigerator:tmf |
| TMF18TAB/BLK | appliance-basics:refrigerator:tmf |
| TMF18TAB/SS | appliance-basics:refrigerator:tmf |
| TMF18TAB/WH | appliance-basics:refrigerator:tmf |
| TMF18TABC/** | appliance-basics:refrigerator:tmf |
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.
