The short answer
When a BRF cabinet makes a new noise, work out whether it is continuous, intermittent or only at start-up before doing anything else. Those three patterns split the causes cleanly on this family and they cost nothing to tell apart.
What you observe
- A loud moment at start-up that settles after a few seconds — Start components and the compressor taking load. Loud and brief is different from loud and continuous.
- A whine or whirr that rises and falls — A fan, where the model has one. It changes with the door open on some builds, which is the quickest way to identify it.
- A click or clunk every so often, then silence — Start and stop events. On this platform they are normal in moderation and worth investigating when they repeat quickly.
- A steady buzz or hum that was not there before — Continuous and tied to the compressor running. It points at mounting, level or contact with something rather than at a component that is about to fail.
Causes, most likely first
- The cabinet standing out of level or on a flexing floor — First on this family. A light cabinet does not damp its own vibration the way a heavy one does, so a foot that is not carrying weight lets the whole shell move with the compressor.
- The cabinet touching a wall, a unit or a stored item — Second. On a compact unit sited in a tight space, the sides and back are close to something almost by definition, and any contact turns the shell into a sounding board.
- A refrigerant line touching the shell or another line — A line that has been bent slightly when the cabinet was moved will buzz against whatever it now touches. It is intermittent, it changes with temperature, and it is not a failure - it is contact.
- Compressor mounts that have settled — The rubber mounts under the compressor age and compress, and once they do the compressor transmits into the base instead of floating on it. It gives a steady hum that follows the running cycle exactly.
Check in this order
- Rest a hand firmly on the top and on each side while it runs — If the noise changes, it is the shell transmitting, and the cause is level or contact rather than a component.
- Look at the drip tray and the base cover at the back — Both move easily and both ring.
- Note whether the noise is continuous, intermittent or only at start-up — This splits the list in three before you touch anything, and it is the single most useful thing you can establish.
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. Empty the cabinet before moving it to test for contact - a compact unit is light enough to walk on its corners and heavy enough to tip if it is loaded high.
Models in the BRF family — The models this page covers, as the product spine lists them. The table resolves to more than one model stem, so confirm yours in it before assuming a neighbour fix applies.
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| BRF1600GIMB | black-decker:refrigerator:brf |
| BRF1600GIMS | black-decker:refrigerator:brf |
| BRF1600GIMW | black-decker:refrigerator:brf |
| BRF1800GIMB | black-decker:refrigerator:brf |
| BRF1800GIMS | black-decker:refrigerator:brf |
| BRF1800GIMW | black-decker:refrigerator:brf |
When to call
Call when the cabinet is level, clear of everything around it, and still noisy in the same way. At that point the cause is a mount, a fan or the compressor, and all three sit behind the rear panel.
Other faults on 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.
