The short answer
A BUFK unit that has become noisy is usually resonating rather than failing. The brand-generic page starts at the fan; on this platform the cabinet is lighter, the mounting is closer to the shell, and contact between the unit and what surrounds it is a more common cause than any component.
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.
- The noise changes when you lean on the cabinet — That is the whole diagnosis in one move: the cabinet is transmitting into the floor or into what it is touching.
- 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.
- Gurgling or trickling from inside — Refrigerant moving and condensate running. Both are normal sounds and neither is a fault on their own.
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.
- 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.
- 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 fan blade fouling, or its bearing worn — On the models in this family that use a fan, a blade catching on frost or a worn bearing gives a whirr or a scrape that stops when the fan stops. It is the first cause on this list that needs a panel off.
Check in this order
- Open the door and listen for the noise changing — On models with a fan that stops with the door, this identifies the fan without opening anything.
- 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.
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. Do not bend a refrigerant line to move it away from what it is touching: the tubing on this family is thin, it work-hardens, and a split line ends the appliance.
Models in the BUFK family — The models this page covers, as the product spine lists them. With one model in the family, what you find on it is simply what the platform does.
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| BUFK12W | black-decker:refrigerator:bufk |
| BUFK12W | black-decker:refrigerator:bufk |
When to call
The line on this family is the rear cover. Levelling, clearing, reseating and emptying are all owner work and need no tool.
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.
