How to Fix a Loud GE Refrigerator

An obnoxiously loud GE refrigerator model GSS25JFMWW is a clear indication a component in the appliance is damaged or malfunctioning. Locating the area where the sound is most prominent will help you discover which part is causing your refrigerator’s noise level to increase. If the sound is loudest near the bottom rear of your refrigerator, a faulty condenser fan motor is the likely issue. On the other hand, if the sound grows louder when you open the freezer door, the evaporator fan motor grommet may have slipped off or worn down, leading to excessive noise and vibrations. If you’re looking to replace either the condenser fan motor or the fan motor grommet, follow the repair guides provided below.

To avoid electrocution, unplug your appliance and turn off its water supply line. Work gloves and safety goggles should be worn throughout the repair process. If at any point you feel as though the repair is outside your skill set, please contact an appliance repair technician to finish up the job.

Condenser Fan Motor

Your refrigerator is equipped with a condenser fan. The condenser fan and motor are located near your appliance’s compressor. The fan’s purpose is to circulate air over the condenser coils to cool them down while also blowing air over the drain pan to evaporate the water from the freezer defrosting. As mentioned earlier, if the noise is coming from the bottom rear of your refrigerator, a damaged condenser fan motor is the likely cause. Replacing the fan is a simple enough repair and shouldn’t take long at all.

How to Replace the Condenser Fan Motor in Your GE Refrigerator

1. Move to the back of your refrigerator, and take off the lower access panel. Locate the condenser fan housing, which you’ll find between the compressor and the condenser coils. Unthread the screw that secures the housing to the condenser coils, and carefully detach the fan housing from the bracket securing the other side of the housing to the appliance.
2. Before you can completely remove the condenser fan motor housing from the refrigerator, disconnect the wire harness plug which runs to the top of the component. After the wire harness is removed, pull the housing out of your refrigerator.
3. At this point, take a look at your refrigerator’s condenser coils. If you haven’t cleaned them in a while or you’ve never cleaned them before, grab your vacuum and the appropriate hose attachment, and get rid of the dust and dirt lingering on the coils. This quick and easy task makes your refrigerator more efficient and it also prolongs its life expectancy.
4. Now, back to replacing the condenser fan motor. With the housing in hand, move to a flat work surface. To reach the motor, you’ll need to first pull the fan blade off the motor shaft. After the fan blade is removed, grab a clean rag and bucket of warm soapy water and wipe the blade off.
5. Next, unthread the screws that secure the fan motor to the motor bracket. Then, take the bracket off the motor. With the top half of the bracket removed, pull the motor out of the condenser fan housing and detach the motor wires from the harness clips.
6. Grab your new condenser fan motor, and place it in the housing on top of the bottom motor mounting bracket. Then, slide the top bracket onto the motor shaft and secure the bracket and condenser fan motor by rethreading the screws you removed earlier. Next, snap the fan motor wire harness back into the harness clips.
7. Now pick up the clean fan blade, and slip it onto the condenser fan motor shaft. Rotate the fan blade a few times to make sure it moves freely and doesn’t rub against the housing.
8. Carry the condenser fan housing to your refrigerator, and gently slide it back onto its mounting bracket. Next, replace the screw that secures the fan housing to the condenser coils. To finish up the installation, reconnect the wire harness plug.
9. Close up the back of your refrigerator by reattaching your appliance’s lower access panel. Then, plug-in your appliance and turn its water supply back on. You’ll know whether or not your repair was a success once your refrigerator starts to run and the noise level either returns to normal or your appliance continues to operate at an increased noise level

The Evaporator Fan Motor Grommet

The motor grommet sits between the evaporator fan motor and the mounting bracket. Its job is to stop the motor from rubbing or bumping against the bracket. Over time, the grommet can wear down or slip out of place. When this happens, you’ll notice increased vibrations and excessive noise coming from your appliance.

How to Replace the Evaporator Fan Motor Grommet in Your Ge Refrigerator

1. Open the freezer door and remove all the shelves inside the compartment. Before you can remove the freezer’s back wall, take the rails off the middle wall by unthreading the screws holding them in place.
2. Lift up the freezer’s back panel, and then pull it towards you to release it from its retaining clips. With the panel out of the way, remove the freezer’s light shield by disengaging the locking tabs on both sides of the cover. Next, unscrew the light bulbs found behind the light shield, and take out the light sockets by pressing on the locking tabs and disconnecting the wire harnesses, which run to the top of the sockets.
3. Now it’s time to remove the lower access panel. To do so, simply unthread the screws securing it to the freezer’s back wall. Once the screws are out, push down on the panel, and then pull it out of the appliance.
4. With the lower access panel removed, you can start taking out the upper access panel. To reach the panel, you’ll need to take out the ice bin. After the ice bin is out of the way, unplug the ice maker and unthread the screws that secure the ice maker assembly to the freezer’s back panel. Then, remove the ice maker from the compartment.
5. Next, you’ll need to uninstall the auger motor. First, take out the screws holding it in place, and then disconnect its wire harness. On the wall behind the auger motor, you’ll find a mounting bracket. Loosen the bracket screws before lifting it up and off the freezer wall.
6. Before you unthread the screws securing the upper access panel, locate the wire harness plug sticking out of the panel and push it back behind the wall with a screwdriver. Once you’ve done that, you can remove the access panel screws and take the panel out of the freezer compartment.
7. Now you can start taking apart the evaporator fan to reach the motor grommet. To get started, pull the fan blade off the motor shaft. Next, unthread one of the screws that hold the evaporator motor bracket together. Once you’ve taken the first screw out, loosen the second screw, but don’t remove it. Then, swing the bracket towards you and take out the evaporator motor. Inspect the bottom and top grommet to figure out which one is worn out. Once you spot the one causing all the issues, remove it and replace it with the new grommet you bought.
8. It’s time to start reassembling your freezer compartment. Place the evaporator fan back in the bracket and secure the mounting bracket by tightening the first screw and replacing the second. Then, slide the fan blade make on the motor shaft.
9. Grab the upper access panel and realign it on the freezer’s back wall. Make sure you pull the harness plug through the opening on the panel before you secure the panel to the freezer wall.
10. Reattach the ice maker bracket and reconnect the ice maker auger. Once both components are secure, replace the ice maker assembly, and slide the ice bin back into the freezer compartment.
11. Reinsert the back access panel and reattach the light sockets and light bulbs before securing the freezer’s light shield. To finish off the reassembly of the freezer’s back wall, snap the panel trim into place.
12. Now reattach the side rails to the middle wall, and put the freezer’s shelving back into the compartment.
13. To finish up the repair, plug-in your refrigerator and turn on its water supply. If the repair work, your appliance’s noise level will return to normal.

If you’re dealing with a noisy refrigerator and you can’t figure out the cause behind the sound, please contact us today, and one of our appliance repair technicians will pinpoint the malfunction and replace the faulty component.