Howling Noises in the GSH22SGRE Refrigerator

Evaporator Fan

• Sometimes the evaporator fan can get so clogged with dirt, lint, debris or even ice that the sound of air moving through the fan sounds like a wild howling. Clean the evaporator fan by disconnecting the power to the refrigerator and move the refrigerator away from the wall, then use a vacuum cleaner with a brush tool or a soft brush to clean the evaporator fan. If there is ice built up on the fan, clean with a warm, damp cloth first to remove the ice, and then clean the fan. The fan is located above the coils on the back of the refrigerator.

Condenser Coils

• While you are cleaning the evaporator fan, clean the condenser coils below the fan on the back of the refrigerator, then move around to the front of the refrigerator and remove the toe grille. Clean the coils under the front of the refrigerator as well. While the condenser coils are less likely than the fan or the control board to cause the noise, a dirty set of condenser coils can slow down cooling and make loud noises during use.

Defrost System

• The defrost system may be to blame for the loud noise if the evaporator fan is not covered with frost or dirt. Try a reset by turning the freezer temperature control to “Off” or “0.” Leave the temperature turned off for at least 15 minutes, then turn the temperature back to the previous temperature point. If the reset does not help quiet the sound, the thermostat may need to be serviced or repaired.

Control Board

• Unfortunately, a defective control board is a common problem with many GE refrigerators, resulting in a particular howling sound. If troubleshooting or cleaning efforts do not stop the noise, contact GE for service and inspection of the control board. Note that a failure of the mother board has been the subject of a recall by GE in the past, so mention the recall of mother boards that cause howling noises when you contact GE.