Another noisy compressor problem

**callingh** · October 25th, 2011, 08:25 PM

Brand: KitchenAid

Age: Less than 1 year

This is a french door, freezer on the bottom model with water & ice in the door, sold exclusively by Lowes. We bought it in May 2011. Within a few weeks we began to notice a very loud, variable speed buzzing noise that spins up late at night, usually between 11pm and midnight. It lasts for 20-30 minutes and then gradually fades away. We hear the same buzzing noise at other times throughout the day, but never quite as loud and not at variable speed.

The buzzing sound is the same as the one in the sound file linked in this thread elsewhere in this forum, but the recording does not exhibit the variable speed nature of our sound:

Loud compressor noise
http://www.tcain.com/refrigerator.wav

I had an authorized KitchenAid repairman come out from a local appliance store--I didn't arrange the service call through KA's 800 support number. The repairmanlistened for about 30 minutes, turned the fridge on/off several times, adjusted the temperature settings, etc. but it sounded completely normal during his visit. No buzzing. He did not pull the fridge out from the wall or poke around inside the cabinet. I had recordings of the sound on my iPhone, which he listened to, and he said it sounded like the compressor. It was pretty clear that this repairman was not interested in pursuing the problem further and I sent him on his way.

I then called KA support and they referred me to some recordings on their website of normal operating noises. They say this is a normal compressor sound for a freezer-on-bottom. The noise seems much different than the one in the refrigerator.wav file above:

http://assets.whirlpool.com/files/us...essor16sec.mp3

Any idea what I'm hearing and why it's happening? I would like KA to replace the compressor, just in case, but hard to imagine that happening unless the problem is continuous or unless they camp in my kitchen overnight to hear it first-hand.

Thanks for any help!

***rickgburton*** · October 25th, 2011, 09:32 PM

Have you always had the noise or did it just start? The best thing for you to do is actually pinpoint the noise. If it's coming from the compressor and is a new sound that just started they won't camp in your kitchen. Just make sure you tell them it's a new noise and it's intermittent. Give them an idea how often your hear it so they'll know there's a good chance they won't hear it if they come out.

**callingh** · October 25th, 2011, 10:09 PM

Hi Rick,

We bought the refrigerator in May 2011, so we've only had it for 5 months. We started noticing the noise just a few weeks after the refrigerator was delivered, so we've been hearing it for about 4 months now.

The noise seems regular as clockwork late at night, but otherwise intermittent and much less noticeable.

I can pull the refrigerator out from the wall and remove the back cover and watch and listen to what's happening when the noise occurs late at night, but not sure how to pinpoint the noise as a layman.

Thanks.

***rickgburton*** · October 26th, 2011, 04:17 AM

When you hear the noise, remove the back and if it's comming from the compressor you'll be able to tell.

**callingh** · November 26th, 2011, 12:47 AM

I was able to pull the fridge out from the wall one afternoon when the defrost cycle wrapped up and the compressor started making the usual, loud noise heard in the link above. I took off the metal back cover and it was clearly coming from the compressor. The fan on the left was also running but was very quiet. I could stop the fan blade with my finger and the only noise remaining was that loud metallic buzzing noise coming from the compressor. As it continued to run over the next 10 minutes or so, the compressor gradually slowed down, and the noise decreased in volume and pitch as the motor speed decreased.

So I know it's the compressor. What I can't get anyone to tell me is if it's a normal sound.

Regards,
Chris

***rickgburton*** · November 26th, 2011, 04:28 AM

So call Kitchen Aid and tell them to fix it or replace it.

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