Troubleshooting
Normal Operating Sounds
Improvements in refrigeration design may produce sounds in your new refrigerator that are different or were not present in an older model. These improvements were made to create a refrigerator that is better at preserving food, is more energy efficient, and is quieter overall. Because new units run quieter, sounds may be detected that were present in older units, but were masked by higher sound levels. Many of these sounds are normal. Please note that the surfaces adjacent to a refrigerator, such as hard walls, floors and cabinetry may make these sounds seem even louder. The following are some of the normal sounds that may be noticed in a new refrigerator.
| ICE MAKER: (if equipped) The ice maker |
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| will occasionally generate a rattling sound |
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| when the ice cubes are ready to drop down |
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| into the ice bin. Also, the motor that ejects |
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| the ice from its tray prior to dropping the |
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| ice may also be detectable. These are |
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DEFROST TIMER: | normal sounds necessary for making ice. |
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refrigerators have a defrost timer | DEFROST HEATER: During | |
that will generate a clicking | the automatic defrost cycle, a | |
sound when it cycles the unit | sizzling sound may be heard | |
into and out of defrost cycle. | as water droplets come into | |
| contact | with the defrost |
| heater. This is a normal | |
| sound heard during defrost. | |
| FREEZER | COMPARTMENT |
| CONTRACTION AND EXPAN- | |
| SION: A popping sound may | |
| occur in the freezer when the | |
| unit starts up due to contraction | |
| or expansion of the materials in | |
| the freezer area. | |
| REFRIGERANT FLOW: The flow of the | |
| refrigerant in your refrigerator may cause a | |
| gurgling or rattling sound when the unit is | |
| running or just after the unit cycles off. The | |
| refrigerant is still flowing in the tubing. | |
| AIRFLOW SOUNDS: Both the freezer | |
| evaporator fan and the condenser fan at the | |
| bottom of the cabinet will create airflow | |
| sounds. The evaporator fan is circulating the | |
| cold air throughout the refrigerator and freezer | |
| compartments. The condenser fan is removing | |
| the heat generated when the unit is cooled. |
| WATER VALVE (if equipped): A buzzing | |
| sound may be detected in the back of | |
| the unit when the ice dispenser calls for | |
| the water valve to open to fill the ice | |
| maker tray. Following the ejection of the | |
COMPRESSOR: In order for a new | ice, there may be some water dripping | |
sounds when the trays are being filled. | ||
refrigerator to run more efficiently, | ||
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the refrigeration system may run |
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longer to keep food at the desired | CABINET LEVELING: An unlevel | |
temperatures for freshness. That | ||
cabinet may cause rattling or vibrating | ||
new, high efficiency compressor may | ||
noises. This can be fixed by adjusting | ||
run longer and generate sounds such | ||
the wheels or levelers properly. | ||
as a higher pitched hum or pulsation. | ||
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