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 refrigerators run quieter, sounds may be detected that were present in older refrigerators, 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.
SOUND | POSSIBLE CAUSE |
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Clicking | • Freezer control (A) clicks when starting or | • Normal operation | ||
| stopping compressor. |
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| • Motorized device (B) sounds like an electric | • Normal operation | ||
| clock and snaps in and out. |
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Air rushing or | • Freezer fan (C) and condenser fan (D) make | • Normal operation | ||
whirring | this noise while operating. |
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Gurgling or | • Evaporator (E) and heat exchanger (F) | • Normal operation | ||
boiling sound | refrigerant makes this noise when flowing. |
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Thumping | • Ice cubes from ice maker (select models) drop | • Normal operation | ||
| into ice bucket (G). |
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Vibrating noise | • Compressor (H) makes a pulsating sound | • Normal operation | ||
| while running. |
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| • Refrigerator is not level. | • See page 3 for details on how to level | ||
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| your refrigerator. | ||
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Buzzing | • Ice maker water valve (I) hookup (select | • Normal operation | ||
| models) buzzes when ice maker fills with |
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| water. |
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Humming | • Ice maker (J) is in the ‘on’ position without | • Stop sound by raising ice maker arm | ||
| water connection. | to OFF position. | ||
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| • Compressor (H) can make a | • Normal operation | ||
| while operating. |
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Hissing or | • Defrost heater (K) hisses, sizzles or pops when | • Normal operation | ||
popping | operational. |
| B | |
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| A B |
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I
G J
C E
H D K
F
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