The short answer
This page covers Criterion refrigerators whose designation does not resolve to one of the named families in this line. Those models do not share a layout, so a noise cannot be mapped to a component until you know what your cabinet actually contains — one fan, two, or none. Once that is settled, the door test does most of the work: a sound that stops when the freezer door opens is the evaporator fan.
What you observe
- A buzz or warble that stops when the freezer door opens — The door switch cuts the evaporator fan, so the fan is the source.
- A rattle at the base that follows the compressor — The condenser fan, a loose cover, or debris in the machine compartment.
- A hum felt through the floor or the cabinetry — Vibration finding a path rather than a failing part.
- A knock as the compressor starts or stops — Mounts or tubing passing movement into the shell.
- NEAR MISS — gurgling or trickling after the compressor stops — Refrigerant settling, which is normal on every cabinet.
Causes, most likely first on this family
- Vibration path: levelling, feet and contact with cabinetry — First on a generalized page, because it is the one cause that applies to every configuration these models come in and it costs nothing to test.
- Evaporator fan meeting frost, where a cabinet has one — Second, and the top mechanical cause on any fan-cooled unit — but it does not exist at all on a convection cabinet.
- Condenser fan or debris at the base — Third, and identified by a noise that follows the compressor rather than the doors.
- Compressor mounts and tubing contact — Last: a knock rather than a continuous sound, and it grows slowly.
Check in this order, and why
- Work out what your cabinet has — one fan, two, or none — On a page covering models that do not share a layout, this comes before interpreting any sound.
- Rock the cabinet and ease it out of its opening — A hum that changes under hand pressure is a path problem and the fix is free.
- Open the freezer door with the noise running — Stops means the evaporator fan; continues means it is elsewhere.
- Listen at the base, then check level front and back — Last because both need the cabinet moved, and the earlier steps usually answer it.
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, and a fan is the one thing in the cabinet that restarts without warning. Keep fingers clear of the condenser fan blade at the base even with the doors open, and get a second person for any move: these cabinets are front-heavy once the doors swing.
Models in the criterion:refrigerator:? family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| 143(x) | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 18TMF-B | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 18TMF-SS | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 18TMF-W | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 2451(x) | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 453-5418 | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 453-5419 | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 453-5420 | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 453-5421 | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 453-8127 | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 453-8128 | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 453-8129 | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 453-8143 | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 453-8144 | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 453-8145 | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 4538146-18 | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 4538147-18 | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 4538148-18 | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 463-1202 | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 463-1208 | criterion:refrigerator:? |
| 463-1209 | criterion:refrigerator:? |
When to call a technician
Levelling, easing a cabinet out and clearing debris are owner work on any configuration. Call a technician for a noise behind a sealed panel, for a knock that shakes the cabinet, and for any noise that arrives together with a loss of cooling. Call at once for a screech from the compressor or a smell of hot insulation.
Nearest pages of this class
This page generalizes across models
This page is written for Criterion refrigerators whose model designation does not resolve to one of the named families in this line — the assorted designations listed in the matrix above. It is therefore general to the brand: it does not describe a single cabinet layout, a single door arrangement or a single parts list. If the designation on your rating plate matches one of the named Criterion families, the page for that family goes further than this one and should be read instead.
Links: - [Criterion HS Refrigerator: Abnormal Noise or Vibration](/blog/criterion-criterion-refrigerator-hs-refrigerator-abnormal-noise) - [Criterion HD Refrigerator: Abnormal Noise or Vibration](/blog/criterion-criterion-refrigerator-hd-refrigerator-abnormal-noise) - [Criterion URBCD Refrigerator: Abnormal Noise or Vibration](/blog/criterion-criterion-refrigerator-urbcd-refrigerator-abnormal-noise) - [Criterion URBD Refrigerator: Abnormal Noise or Vibration](/blog/criterion-criterion-refrigerator-urbd-refrigerator-abnormal-noise) - [Criterion WF Refrigerator: Abnormal Noise or Vibration](/blog/criterion-criterion-refrigerator-wf-refrigerator-abnormal-noise)
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
