My Refrigerator has a Rattling Sound From the Left Side

Drain Pan

• A loose drain pan is a common cause of a rattle and is the easiest to fix. The drain pan is located under the refrigerator behind the kick plate. It catches condensation. If your refrigerator is older or has been moved around, the brackets may be rusted or bent. If the pan’s left side is loose, it sounds like the rattle is coming from the left side. It's a very tight space, so repairing the drain pan brackets is usually out of the question. A piece of duct tape will hold it in place. If the brackets seem fine but the pan itself is rusted and bent, replace the pan.

Compressor/Condenser

• Move your fridge away from the wall and access the back panel. Locate the condenser fan and the compressor. Listen to see if the noise originates in either of those two places. It's probably whichever one is closest to the left side of the fridge on your model. If it's the condenser fan, unplug the fridge and remove dirt and dust with a vacuum or dry paintbrush. If this doesn't work, the condenser motor may need replacing. If the noise is coming from the compressor, replace it, as these are not serviceable.

Circulating Fan or Evaporator

• If the sound comes from the refrigerator’s inside left side, the problem could be the fan that circulates the cold air. A sure sign is if the sound only happens during active cooling cycles. The circulating fan is located in the freezer, so open the door and listen for the sound to get louder. If it does, the evaporator fan motor may need replacing. Try tightening all the fan connections first, because a single loose screw could cause a rattle. However, the motor is usually the problem.

Icemaker

• The icemaker could also produce a rattle, especially if ice production is less than ideal. Remove the ice bin and see if the works are frozen over. Look closely for loose or broken parts, especially the arm that funnels cubes through the in-door dispenser. If you find damaged parts, replace them with brand- and model-specific parts from the manufacturer. After-market parts potentially cause further problems. The likelihood of having to replace the whole icemaker is low.