Excessive noise from lower left front of 3 year old refrigerator (not compressor). Noise stops when door is opened

Video Repair Guides Refrigerator Repair Videos
1

Please make sure to click on General above and select the correct appliance type first.

Brand: LG
Model Number: LRFS28XBD
Main Symptom: Excessive noise (fan motor?)
What happens & when: Noise stops when door is opened.

Error Code (if any): none
Parts or tests already tried: none
Photos / video link: na

2

For the LG LRFS28XBD with the symptom:

  • Main symptom: Excessive noise
  • When it occurs: Noise stops immediately when either refrigerator door is opened.
  • Location: Lower left front of the refrigerator.
  • Age: About 3 years old.
  • Not the compressor.

The fact that the noise stops when the door is opened is the biggest clue. On this model, opening the door causes the evaporator fan to stop, so the most likely causes are:

Most likely causes (in order)

  1. Evaporator fan motor (most likely)
    • Worn bearings can produce a buzzing, humming, or grinding noise.
    • The fan stops when the door switch opens, so the noise disappears immediately.
  2. Fan blade contacting ice or frost
    • If frost has built up around the evaporator fan, the blade can scrape the ice.
    • This often starts intermittently and becomes more frequent.
    • Possible causes include a defrost issue or an air leak through a door gasket.
  3. Loose fan shroud or air duct
    • A vibrating fan housing can create a loud resonance while the fan is running.
  4. Condenser fan (less likely)
    • The condenser fan normally does not stop when the door is opened, so this is less consistent with your symptom.

Quick checks

  1. Open the refrigerator door while the noise is occurring.
    • If it stops instantly, that’s strong evidence the evaporator fan circuit is involved.
  2. Press and hold the refrigerator door switch.
    • If the fan restarts and the noise returns after a few seconds, you’ve confirmed the noise is related to the evaporator fan.
  3. Look for frost on the back interior panel of the refrigerator or freezer.
    • Heavy frost suggests the fan may be hitting ice.

Recommended repair

Inspect the evaporator fan assembly:

  • Check for ice buildup.
  • Spin the fan blade by hand for rubbing or wobble.
  • Replace the evaporator fan motor if it is noisy or rough.

If ice is present, also determine why it formed (door seal leak, defrost problem, etc.) rather than only replacing the fan.

Most probable diagnosis

Evaporator fan motor failing or the fan blade contacting ice, causing noise that disappears when the door is opened. This symptom pattern is much more consistent with the evaporator fan than with the compressor or condenser fan.