Do you hear a snapping, cracking, rattling, humming, rumbling, shushing, hissing, or shivering sound from your refrigerator?
A cooling motor (compressor) and an air circulating fan work in the refrigerator. When the temperature inside the refrigerator is high, the cooling motor runs more actively to lower the temperature, which may result in a louder sound. As the temperature inside the refrigerator drops, the sound also decreases.
Causes and Symptoms
- Sometimes a cracking, snapping, or sputtering sound is heard.
- A rattling, thumping, or humming noise occurs.
- A gulping or rumbling sound like running water occurs.
- After opening and closing the door, an air leaking sound like “shuu”, “shhh”, “wheek”, “puush” and “pssst occurs.
- A rattling sound is heard.
Try this
Is a cracking, snapping, or sputtering sound sometimes heard?
➔ This is a natural sound made by plastic parts such as shelves expanding or contracting when the temperature inside the refrigerator changes.
When you put lots of food in the refrigerator so as to hinder the circulation of cold air, or when you open and close the door frequently so that cold air escapes, the temperature inside the refrigerator also changes.
This causes the plastic parts to expand or contract a bit making sounds.
You may hear the sound clearer on a quiet night, but the sound comes from a properly operating refrigerator and is not a product defect.
Do you hear a rattling, thumping, or humming noise?
➔ This is a natural sound that occurs when the cooling motor (compressor) of the refrigerator or the cold air circulating fan is running, which is similar to the sound that occurs when you start or stop a car engine.
The cooling motor runs when it makes cold air and stops when the temperature reaches the set temperature inside the refrigerator.
In the course of starting and stopping operation, a rattling, thumping, or humming sound may occur.
Do you hear a gulping or rumbling sound like running water?
➔ This is a natural sound that occurs when the refrigerant circulates through the system inside your refrigerator.
Refrigerators make cold air by absorbing heat from the air contained inside the cabinet, similar to when ice melts into water or when water evaporates to become vapor.
The refrigerant runs through the piping inside the refrigerator, and makes a sound of running liquid as it turns from liquid to gas, then making a gulping sound when it turns from gas to liquid.
In the course of this process a sound like running water may occur but this is a natural sound that is made when your refrigerator is working.
Right after opening and closing the door fast, do you hear an air leaking sound like “shuu”, “shhh”, “wheek”, “puush” and “pssst?
➔ When you open and close the refrigerator door, warm air from the outside enters and cools down so that the pressure inside the refrigerator is lowered temporarily.
At this time, when air escapes at the back, it may create a noise.
Warm air from the outside meets cold air inside the refrigerator, creating a difference in the pressure inside the refrigerator.
Air inside the refrigerator escapes through a vent at the back of the refrigerator, creating an air escaping sound.
Do you hear a rattling sound?
➔ This sound occurs when your refrigerator is installed on a floor that is not hard and level or the refrigerator is unbalanced.
A rattling sound may occur when the refrigerator is installed on floors such as a wooden floor that is not level.
It is recommended that the refrigerator is installed on a hard and level floor.
If the refrigerator is unbalanced/not level from side to side, level it using the tool (spanner) that came with the refrigerator.
This guide was created for all models, so the images or content may be different from your product.
