4 Reasons Why Samsung Fridge Is Making Loud Noise

Technically Reviewed by Oleg Chudnovski, CEO on Mar 19, 2024 | Written by Olga Larina

In this article…

• Troubleshooting the Main Causes of Samsung Refrigerator Noise
• Noise caused by ice buildup around the fan
• Faulty evaporator fan
• The condenser fan motor is making a weird noise
• Damaged fan blades
• Abnormal Crackling, Snapping, and Popping Sounds
• Professional Help When Samsung Refrigerator Is Making Loud Noise

The Samsung Group is a South Korean manufacturing conglomerate with approximately one century of history. Numerous affiliated companies are united under the Samsung brand. One of the directions is to manufacture kitchen and laundry home appliances dispersed worldwide. Samsung has started opening dedicated stores to showcase its goods, and some cities in Canada, with the leading commercial store in Toronto, are also on its list.

But today, we’d like to continue discussing the main problems and troubleshooting of Samsung refrigerators that we started in our post 7 Samsung Refrigerator Problems & Troubleshooting. Our Samsung experts at Fix Appliances CA reviewed the main problem with Samsung refrigerators. The Samsung fridge making noise needs additional attention as the reasons vary from simple to serious and difficult. Based on our experience, our skillful technicians pointed out the following:

Based on our experience, our skillful technicians pointed out the following:

• Ice buildup around the fan can cause rattling or grinding sounds.
• A faulty evaporator fan may result in buzzing or whirring noises.
• Problems with the condenser fan motor can lead to rattling or humming sounds.
• Damaged or bent fan blades may cause scraping or knocking noises.

Such issues usually require special knowledge and skills of refrigerator pros. Our appliance repair company, Fix Appliances CA, has licensed and certified fridge technicians ready to define and handle any problems with your Samsung refrigerator making an unusual noise. Considering our experience, we do not advise you to fix them by yourself to avoid causing more damage to your kitchen appliance.

Troubleshooting the Main Causes of Samsung Refrigerator Noise

A refrigerator is a home appliance that can’t run entirely in silence and should be noisy. But that usual noise shouldn’t disrupt your other daily routine. When your fridge runs correctly, you can hear its sound only if you are at your appliance in the same place. Most new models are so quiet that you can hear only when you open or close your refrigerator door. And when you hear unusual sounds, it doesn’t mean your fridge has a problem. Most companies and Samsung provide their list of refrigerator noises considered normal. In this case, they don’t warrant a service call. Nonetheless, if your Samsung refrigerator is annoying or making strange, uncommon noises, you’d like to find the reasons.

Distinguish between fixable and replacement-worthy refrigerator issues, as unusual noises like crackling may be normal, while a faulty evaporator fan or damaged fan blades require professional attention from our licensed technicians at Fix Appliances CA.

Oleg Chudnovski, CEO

Now, let’s discuss the common reasons why your Samsung fridge makes a loud noise.

Noise Caused by Ice Buildup Around the Fan

The noise is caused by ice buildup around the fan. You can perform the defrost process manually to remove the ice buildup and dispose of the noise, and here, the only service will correct the original reason. If only a manual defrost is made, the noise will return later. That is why we recommend service for this issue.

According to the experience of our experts, we can define some more reasons why the noise results from ice buildup:

1. The defect of the thermostat causes the compressor to work at full power. This constant compressor work may lead to frozen coils.
2.  Another thing is when condensation or water collects in an improper place (near the coils) and freezes. Such a problem becomes more compound because the frozen coils prevent airflow throughout, and ice chunks are growing larger. The situation worsens until the compartment turns into a self-contained chunk of ice and must be defrosted. If you level your fridge up, this can help. If the refrigerator sags in any direction, this can be the reason for the prevention of water buildup from draining.
3. Malfunctions in the fan or airflow restrictions could contribute to the issue. When the fan fails to operate properly, air circulation is hindered, potentially leading to excess humidity accumulation within the compartment.

To troubleshoot, move the refrigerator forward by approximately 2 inches. If the noise subsides, it indicates that the refrigerator was in contact with another object, such as the water line or a wall.

Avoid using a hairdryer or any heat source during manual defrosting, as this can harm the refrigerator.

Faulty Evaporator Fan

The fan motor draws air over the evaporator coils when the compressor operates. If your refrigerator emits a loud noise, seemingly originating from the freezer area, a defective evaporator fan motor might be the culprit. You may also observe that your refrigerator is not maintaining its usual cold temperature, and ice is taking longer to freeze. The evaporator fan motor could be faulty, leading to significant noise during operation. Typically, this is attributed to motor bearing failure, resulting in grinding or clicking sounds.

The Condenser Fan Motor Is Making a Weird Noise

Similar to the evaporator fan motor, the bearings within the condenser fan motor can also malfunction. Once again, a malfunctioning condenser fan motor can generate grinding or clicking sounds when the fan motor is active. Most modern frost-free refrigerators will have a fan-cooled condenser coil. The condenser fan circulates air through the coil to remove heat and circulating air over the drain pan to evaporate the defrost water. The condenser fan motor could be blamed if your fridge makes a loud noise. The condenser fan motor runs simultaneously with the evaporator motor and the compressor. In addition to noise, your fridge might not stay as cool as normal and turn on and off regularly.

Damaged Fan Blades

Refrigerators are equipped with a minimum of two fan blades. The first is a condenser fan blade affixed to the condenser fan motor, pulling in air from the front of the refrigerator and directing it past the condenser coils. These coils aid in dissipating heat generated by condensing the appliance’s refrigerant from the gas form into a hot liquid. Subsequently, the fan circulates the air back out through the grill. The second fan blade is an evaporator fan blade attached to the evaporator fan motor.

This fan blade draws air from the refrigerator compartment into the freezer compartment and over the evaporator coils, which are chilled by the refrigerant in liquid form, having expanded back into a gas. The cold evaporator coils extract heat from the air, which is then recirculated back into the refrigerator compartment. Either the condenser or evaporator fan blades can incur damage or become dislodged, causing them to scrape against a panel or mounting bracket as they rotate. The consequence is a squeaking or squealing sound whenever the fan motor operates.

Abnormal Crackling, Snapping, and Popping Sounds

During temperature fluctuations in the fridge, plastic components expand and contract, resulting in various cracking noises. This is particularly noticeable during the defrosting cycle. Additionally, in modern refrigerators, it’s common for these sounds to occur as they adjust to the humidity and temperature levels of a new home. While these noises are considered normal, they may diminish over time.

You can compare this noise with the sounds when you place ice cubes in a glass with warm water, or it can be similar to the sound of Rice Krispies. However, as the Samsung refrigerator is more extensive, all these noises can be louder than you expect but still quiet enough and dismissible.

All these sounds can be normal, but if you have any concerns, don’t hesitate to contact us to diagnose and fix any problems.

Professional Help When Samsung Refrigerator Is Making Loud Noise

The century of high technology has changed our lives forever. We can estimate the advantages and disadvantages. And, of course, the Internet is one of them. It is not quite true if you think using different search systems helps you define and fix the problem with your home appliances. You will surely find and watch all available information and guidelines on these questions. But it’s impossible to maintain and repair your appliances without specific skills, abilities, and special tools.

Don’t be upset when you watch the guide but fail to fix the problem! Professional repairmen from Fix Appliances CA are always ready to help you without any delay if you call 888-242-0777. We provide Samsung refrigerator repair, maintenance and installation services all days a week. Weekends and holidays are not excluded. If you missed our detailed review on basic Samsung refrigerator problems and troubleshooting, look for our experts’ guide here.

Remember that we strive to be readily available for you. Our commitment extends to delivering top-notch appliance installation and repair services in Toronto and the surrounding GTA areas. We specialize in addressing all varieties of kitchen and laundry appliances, resolving complex issues, and providing fully authorized Samsung appliance repair services in Toronto on a same-day basis. Feel free to reach out to us without hesitation!

Oleg Chudnovski, CEO

Oleg Chudnovski is the founder and CEO of Fix Appliances CA. His company is an authorized repair centre for leading manufacturers in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), including Panasonic, Fisher and Paykel, LG, True, Samsung, and Dacor. Oleg leverages his many years of experience to assist technicians and clients in addressing repairs of any complexity.