Clicking and Buzzing Sounds From an Electrolux Refrigerator

A refrigerator is never silent. Fans spin, refrigerant moves, a defrost heater cycles, plastic cools and contracts. The noises that deserve attention are the ones that are new, louder than before, or tied to a change in cooling. Before you pick up a screwdriver, which you should not, listen carefully and write down what you hear.

Describe the sound before you diagnose it

Stand a few feet from the cabinet and answer four questions. Is it a single click or a repeating one? Does it come from the top, the bottom rear, or inside the freezer? Does it stop when you open a door? And does it happen at a steady rhythm or only now and then? Those answers do most of the sorting.

Sounds that are usually harmless

• A soft hum or a low, rising whir when the compressor starts. Variable-speed compressors ramp up and down smoothly.
• A gurgle or hiss shortly after the compressor stops, as refrigerant equalizes in the lines.
• An occasional tick or pop as interior plastic and shelves change size with temperature.
• A trickle or drip near the back when a defrost cycle finishes and melt water runs to the drain pan.
• One firm click followed by the sound of ice dropping, if your model has an ice maker in the freezer or door.

Sounds that point to a fault

Repeated clicking from the lower rear

Regular clicking every short while, often paired with warm food, can mean a start component is trying to bring the compressor on and failing. The relay clicks, the compressor does not stay running, and the cycle repeats. This is a job for a technician, and the unit should not be left clicking for long.

A buzz that rises when the fan wants to turn

A fan motor with ice on its blades, or a bearing that is wearing out, makes a buzz, rattle or scrape. Inside the freezer, a chirping or scraping that fades after the freezer door has been closed for a while often means frost is touching the fan. Frost that returns is a sign the defrost system is not doing its job. The code Electrolux refrigerator SY EF reports an evaporator fan failure, so a code plus a fan noise together is a clear story.

A hard buzz from the door or ice area

A buzz when someone presses the water or ice lever points to the water inlet valve, which sits near the bottom rear and hums when it opens. A buzz with no water at all can mean the valve is energizing against a closed supply line or a clogged filter. When ice is jammed in the chute, the dispenser may sound an audible tone, matching Electrolux refrigerator DI SP, which indicates an ice jam in the dispenser chute.

A loud knock or rattle at start-up

Vibration against a wall, a loose drain pan, a tube touching the cabinet, or an unlevel cabinet rocking on its feet can all produce a rattle. Pull the unit forward only if it can move freely, and check that nothing is leaning against the back.

Owner checks that are safe

1. Pinpoint the source by listening at the freezer, the fresh-food compartment, and the base grille in turn.
2. Empty and re-seat shelves, bins, and the ice bucket, since loose items buzz against the walls.
3. Look for ice on the freezer floor or around the vents. Note it, and do not chip at it.
4. Check that the cabinet sits firmly on all its feet and does not wobble when you push a corner.
5. Make sure the water supply valve behind the unit is fully open if the noise happens when you dispense water.
6. Check the display for a code and write it down exactly. A communication code such as Electrolux refrigerator CE means the boards are not talking to each other.

If the cabinet is built into cabinetry, as many Bay Area kitchen remodels are, remember that a trim panel or filler strip can transmit vibration and make a harmless noise seem worse.

Please do not

• Do not remove rear or interior covers to hunt for the noise. Live wiring and sealed tubing are behind them.
• Do not bend or move the refrigerant lines, and do not wedge foam between them and the cabinet.
• Do not leave a unit with a repeating click running for days while the food inside warms.
• Do not spray lubricant onto a fan, a motor, or the compressor area.

Deciding whether it can wait

A new rattle that disappears once the unit is level, or a one-off pop, can wait. A repeating click with warm temperatures, a grinding or scraping tied to a stalled fan, a buzz from a valve with no water, or a smell of hot electrical insulation cannot. If you smell burning, switch the refrigerator off at the breaker and request a visit.

When you book, we diagnose first. You receive a written estimate after the cause is identified, and nothing gets repaired until you give your approval.

Where to look next

The layout of the fans, valves and start components differs between a French-door cabinet and a drawer or built-in column, so the label matters. It is usually inside the fresh-food compartment on a side wall or near the door frame. For a cabinet like the Electrolux ERMC2295AS, give us the full model and serial. Our Electrolux refrigerator repair page explains how a visit runs, the Electrolux refrigerators guide covers the lineup, and if the whole unit seems to run without rest, read Electrolux refrigerator runs constantly.

Frequently asked questions