The short answer
On a Candor the first test is to open the door while the noise is happening, because the evaporator fan stops on the door switch. If the noise stops, it is the fan. Levelling and cabinet contact come next, then the condenser fan and the compressor last.
What you observe
- A scrape or warble that stops when the door opens — The evaporator fan, which stops on the door switch.
- A whirr that rises and falls with the compressor — A condenser fan, usually dusty rather than failing.
- A buzz you can feel through the floor — A light cabinet not level or not in full contact.
- A rattle only while the compressor runs — Something touching the cabinet or the pipework.
- NEAR MISS - a gurgle after it stops — Refrigerant settling. Normal on any fridge.
Causes, most likely first on this brand
- Frost touching the evaporator fan — First on a forced-air compact cabinet. Frost that should have been cleared by the automatic defrost grows into the blade, which scrapes intermittently and stops when the door is opened.
- A dusty or unbalanced condenser fan — Second. Dust collects unevenly on the blade, and the imbalance produces a whirr that comes and goes with compressor speed.
- A cabinet not level or not in contact — Third. These are light, and one foot barely touching sends compressor vibration into the floor rather than keeping it in the machine.
- Contact with a wall, cupboard or contents — Fourth. A cabinet touching a panel, an unseated shelf and bottles that touch all buzz with the compressor.
- A worn fan motor or a failing compressor — Last. A fan still noisy with no frost present is a part; a loud clunk at start with a warming cabinet is the compressor.
Check in this order, and why
- Open the door while the noise is happening — The evaporator fan stops on the door switch, which identifies it.
- Look behind the interior rear panel for frost — On an auto-defrost cabinet, frost is itself a finding.
- Rock each corner and check the feet — Free, quick and the likeliest cause on a light cabinet.
- Pull the cabinet clear and listen again — Contact with a wall or cupboard is easy to prove.
What an owner can safely check
- Open the door to identify the fan — If the noise stops, it is the evaporator fan.
About 5 min
- Empty the cabinet and let any frost clear — Switch off with the door open rather than chipping it away.
Tools: towels, cool boxAbout 240 min
- Level the cabinet and set the feet — Adjust until it does not rock and the front sits a shade higher.
Tools: spirit levelAbout 20 min
- Vacuum the condenser and clear contact — Clean the coils and pull the cabinet away from anything it touches.
Tools: vacuum, soft brushAbout 25 min
- STOP HERE if the fan is still noisy with no frost — That is a fan motor.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the refrigerator before clearing frost, cleaning the condenser or reaching behind the cabinet, because fans can start at any time while it has power. Never chip ice off an interior surface with a knife or a screwdriver, since the evaporator is directly behind that panel. Get help to move the cabinet, and never tilt a fridge far on its side, because oil can leave the compressor and cause a new fault.
When to call a technician
Call when the frost has cleared, the cabinet is level and clear of contact, the condenser is clean and a scrape or whirr persists - especially if frost returned, which points at the defrost system as well as the fan. Call without further testing if the compressor clunks at start and the cabinet is warming, or if it starts and stops every few seconds.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
This page covers the Candor compact refrigerators with forced-air cooling and automatic defrost. Static cabinets and manual-defrost minis have no evaporator fan and a shorter noise list. Deliberately absent: fan and compressor part identifiers, sound ratings, cabinet dimensions and refrigerant data, which differ by family.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
