Samsung Refrigerator Noise Stops When Door Opens (FIXED!)

There’s nothing more exciting than sneaking into the kitchen in the wee hours of the night when everything else is quiet. Many times, our midnight fridge raids have gone poorly due to fear of our own shadows.

But on one occasion, we discovered something scarier than ghosts. Those loud noises we kept on hearing in the middle of the night? 

Not ghosts.

After a little inspection, we knew the loud noises were indicating potential damage to the fridge—which can cost an arm and a leg to fix!

Not to worry, we’ll help you troubleshoot your Samsung refrigerator and avoid the hefty repair costs. Our guide will show you the necessary tools and steps to resolve your fridge noise problem.

Why Samsung Refrigerator Noise Stops When Door Opens

Your Samsung refrigerator’s fan makes noises whenever it is running. If you open the door, the fan ceases spinning, causing the noise to stop, which is completely normal.

If the noise is louder than usual, the fan might be obstructed or defective. It will require troubleshooting.

Here’s a little guide to help you determine if troubleshooting is necessary.

• Confirm that the fridge noises are coming from the fan. Fridge noises aren’t always a cause for concern, but loud and repetitive ones usually indicate an underlying problem that needs to be resolved.

• Activate Force Defrost. Ice build-up might be forming inside the unit, preventing the fan from functioning properly.

Keep reading our guide below to find out how to identify the underlying cause of the loud noises. We will also show you step-by-step instructions to help you prevent further issues from arising.

Causes and Solutions

If your Samsung refrigerator makes loud buzzing, whining, and grinding noises that stop when the doors open, the fan most likely has frost or dirt build-up.

Defrosting the fridge should remove the obstruction. However, if there is damage to the fan, a replacement is necessary.

Let’s take a look at the possible causes of the loud noises.

Causes	Solutions
Improper Leveling	• Set a carpenter’s level on top of your fridge’s main compartment—not on the doors. • Open the fridge doors to gain better access to the leveling legs.  • Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the front leg covers. Skip this step if this doesn’t apply to your unit. • Locate the leveling feet underneath the fridge. • Insert a flathead screwdriver into a notch in the leveling foot. Rotate it to the left to raise the fridge or right to lower it. • Use a carpenter’s level to check if the fridge is leveled from left to right. • Make the necessary adjustments until your fridge is level. • Reinstall the leg covers (if you removed them).
Frozen Evaporator Fan	Force Defrost: • Press and hold the Freezer and Lighting button for at least 8 seconds to activate Force Defrost. • When you hear a beep, tap the Lighting button to cycle through the different modes. • Select Fd for Force Defrost.  • Refer to your user manual for the right button combination to activate Force Defrost mode. Manual Defrost: • To manually defrost your fridge, unplug the power cord, then leave the doors open for several hours. • Let the ice thaw out and melt. • Clean your fridge and wipe it dry to prevent excess moisture from refreezing.
Dirty Door Seal	• Mix 1:3 parts vinegar and water in a bowl. • Dip the soft cloth or toothbrush in the mixture and use it to clean the dirty gasket. • We don’t recommend removing the door gasket for cleaning.
Damaged Door Seal	• Prep the new door gasket about 1 to 2 days before installation.  • Take it out of its packaging. Spread it out on a flat surface to remove creases and kinks. • After 1-2 days, install the new gasket.  • Open the fridge door. Pull the rubber seal out, starting from the upper corner of the fridge.  • Work your way around the door until the gasket is fully removed. • Wipe the grooves clean before installing the new gasket. Make sure it is dry as well. • Take the new gasket and push it into the groove, starting from the top corner again. • Repeat the same process for the other doors that might have a bad seal.
Poor Airflow	Stock the door bins with non-perishable items like condiments and sodas. Store deli meat, eggs, cheeses, and party platters in the shallow drawer or the bottom shelf where it’s colder than the rest of the fridge. Keep your vegetable and fruits fresh in the crisper drawers.
Faulty Evaporator Fan	• Buy a replacement for your Samsung fridge’s evaporator fan motor.  • Unplug the fridge, and take out everything inside, including the shelves and bins. • Remove the screws on the fan cover on the inner wall. Detach the wires to remove the cover. • Next, turn the cover over to access the fan motor. Remove the screws attaching the plastic housing to the cover, and remove the wires. • Remove the faulty fan, and install the replacement with the sticker facing your way. • After, reattach the screws and the wires on the plastic housing.  • Then, reattach the screws and the wires on the fan cover.

Improper Leveling

Your Samsung refrigerator must be leveled to perform in optimal condition. If it isn’t, the fan might spin off-center, creating unusually loud noises while it’s running.

The fridge must be level from front to back and from side to side. Once your fridge is leveled correctly from side to side, your unit will be raised in front, tilting slightly toward the back. 

Simply put, you don’t need to make any adjustments to level the fridge from front to back.

What you’ll need:

• Carpenter’s level
• Flathead screwdriver
• Phillips screwdriver

Solution: To adjust the height of the leveling legs on a Samsung fridge, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Set a carpenter’s level on top of the Samsung fridge. Make sure it’s on the main compartment and not on the doors.

Take note of the higher side.

• Step 2: Open the fridge doors to gain better access to the leveling legs. 
• Step 3: Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the front leg covers. 

Some models don’t have them, while on others, they don’t have to be removed. Skip this step if this doesn’t apply to your fridge model.

• Step 4: Crouch down and locate the leveling feet underneath the fridge.
• Step 5: Use a flathead screwdriver to adjust the leveling leg on the higher side. 

Insert the flathead screwdriver into a notch in the leveling foot. Then, rotate it to the left to raise the fridge or right to lower it.

• Step 6: Use a carpenter’s level to check if the fridge is leveled from left to right.

If your fridge still isn’t level, make the necessary adjustments to keep the fridge leveled.

• Step 7: Reinstall the leg covers (if you removed them).

Frozen Evaporator Fan

Do you frequently open your fridge doors? Unfortunately, frequent door openings or leaving it ajar for a long time will allow warm air to enter the compartments, which can cause moisture to build up on the inner walls.

Once your fridge cools down, the excess moisture will freeze and turn into frost. Ice can accumulate around the evaporator fan, obstructing the blades as they rotate, and producing loud repetitive noises that stop when the doors open.

What you’ll need:

• Flathead screwdriver
• Phillips screwdriver

Solution: First, inspect the evaporator fan, which should be mounted behind a panel on the inner fridge wall. Follow these steps carefully to access the fan:

• Step 1: Unplug the fridge, and unload its contents.
• Step 2: Remove all the shelving and bins.
• Step 3: Remove the screw covers using a flathead screwdriver.
• Step 4: Unscrew the fan cover using the Phillips screwdriver. Then, disconnect the wiring to detach the cover.
• Step 5: Turn the cover over to access the fan motor. Rotate the blade with your hand to check if it can move freely.

If the fan is frozen, you should defrost the unit to get rid of the frost build-up. There are two ways to defrost a Samsung refrigerator: a Force Defrost or a manual defrost.

• Force Defrost – Press and hold the Freezer and Lighting button for at least 8 seconds. Once you hear the beep, tap the Lighting button to cycle through the different modes.

Select Fd for Force Defrost. Depending on the thickness of the frost buildup, your unit might take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to defrost it.

The button combination to activate Force Defrost will vary per model. Thus, you should refer to your user manual to find out the right combo for your unit.

• Manual Defrost – Unplug the power cord and open the fridge doors. Transfer perishable goods to coolers to prevent spoilage.

Clean your fridge after defrosting it. Let it fully dry before reconnecting it to power to prevent excess moisture from freezing.

Dirty Door Seal

If you don’t clean the door gasket regularly, dirt, mold, and food scraps will accumulate on the rubber seal and prevent the door from closing properly. When this happens, cool air will seep out and raise the temperature of your unit.

Your fridge must work harder to keep the compartments cool. Aside from loud noises, this can lead to premature failure of internal components.

Not to worry, proper cleaning should resolve your problem. Once you remove all the gunk and grime, the airtight seal should prevent cool air from seeping out, which will help stabilize the fridge’s temperature.

What you’ll need:

• Soft cloth/toothbrush
• Vinegar
• Warm water
• Bowl

Solution: Mix 1:3 parts vinegar and water in a bowl. Dip the soft cloth or toothbrush in the mixture and use it to clean the dirty gasket.

We don’t recommend removing the door gasket for cleaning. Moreover, avoid harsh cleaning products and other abrasive tools to prevent damage to the rubber seal.

Damage Door Seal

A damaged door gasket can no longer offer an airtight seal. Once there are tears and holes in the rubber seal, it must be replaced to prevent cool air from further seeping out of the compartments.

To confirm that your door gasket is defective, do a paper test. Just slip a single sheet of paper or a dollar bill between the door and the seal, then slowly pull it out.

If you don’t feel any resistance, you have a bad door gasket, and you must replace it. Lucky for you, it is a quick fix, which doesn’t require tools.

What you’ll need:

• New rubber gasket
• 1-2 days of prep time

Solution: Take the new door gasket out of its package about 1 to 2 days before installing it. Lay it on a flat surface and leave it untouched to remove any kinks and creases. 

To replace a damaged door seal on a Samsung refrigerator, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Unplug the refrigerator and open the door.
• Step 2: Pull out the rubber gasket on the door, starting from the top corner of the fridge. Work your way around the door until the seal is fully removed.
• Step 3: Position the new door seal over the shelving. Push the gasket into the channel, starting from the top corner again.
• Step 4: Repeat the same process for the other doors that might have a bad seal.
• Step 5: Restore power to your refrigerator.

Poor Airflow

Blocking the vents inside your refrigerator will prevent cool air from circulating properly. This puts a huge strain on your appliance, forcing it to work harder than it should. 

The loud noises are the least of your worries. Unfortunately, poor airflow can lead to higher utility bills and premature failure of internal components 

To prevent further issues, you should always keep your fridge contents organized. Place all the items in their designated areas without blocking the air vents.

Solution: Locate the air vents in your unit. Arrange your fridge’s contents to promote better airflow.

• Door bins: As the warmest zone in the fridge, stock the door bins with non-perishable items like condiments and sodas. You can also add frequently used items and small food jars for easier access and better visibility.

• Cool-zone drawer: Store deli meat, eggs, cheeses, and party platters in the shallow drawer or the bottom shelf where it’s colder than the rest of the fridge.

• Crisper drawers: Keep your vegetable and fruits fresh in the crisper drawers. Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and cucumbers are a few examples of items that should go in the crisper drawers.

• Middle shelves: Add leftovers, yogurts, fruit cups, snacks, and some dairy products in the middle shelves, where the temperature is the most consistent.

• Top shelves: Reserve the second warmest area in the fridge for leftovers, cooked foods, and other ready-to-eat items. Beers and ciders can also go on the upper shelves.

Faulty Evaporator Fan

If an evaporator fan isn’t frozen or obstructed, you should inspect it for signs of damage. Once the fan is defective, you can no longer repair it.

Not to worry, you can purchase a new fan and replace the defective component yourself. 

What you’ll need:

• Phillips screwdriver
• Flathead screwdriver
• New evaporator fan

Solution: To replace a faulty evaporator fan on a Samsung fridge, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Unplug the fridge and unload its contents.
• Step 2: Remove all the shelving and bins.
• Step 3: Remove the screw covers using a flathead screwdriver.
• Step 4: Unscrew the fan cover using the Phillips screwdriver. Then, disconnect the wiring to detach the cover.
• Step 5: Turn the cover over to access the fan motor, and remove the wires from the clips.
• Step 6: Remove the screws attaching the motor’s plastic housing to the cover.
• Step 7: Pull back on the plastic clip, then gently push the motor out of the plastic housing from the back.
• Step 8: Install the new fan motor with the sticker facing you. Position the wires on the bottom right corner of the housing.
• Step 9: Reattach the screws around the plastic housing and insert the wires in the clips. Make sure to tie them around the clip.
• Step 10: Reconnect the wiring that attaches the cover to the fridge and close the cover. Reattach all the screws to keep everything secure.

Frequently Asked Questions

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