I noticed yesterday that our fridge has started making an odd noise when (I think) it is chilling the main fridge compartment.

It’s difficult to explain the noise, but it sounds like the motor in the compressor is working, but the pump itself is either out of whack or needs a squirt of teflon lube. a sort of squeak/putt-squeak/putt-squeak/putt that stops/winds down quickly when the door to the fridge opens.

Given that this is a big fridge (came with the house) and I don’t want to have to buy a new fridge, does anyone know whether this sounds terminal, repairable, or nothing to worry about?

It’s a Samsung double width one (freezer on left, fridge on right) if that makes any difference.

Pull it out and vacuum all the dust off the heat exchanger on the back of it – might quieten it down a bit.

We have a Neff double and it was making some odd noises and the freezer side went warm at the top. Knackered fan that circulates cold air within the compartment. £120 fix.
Is yours still cold?

possibly the fan getting iced up…

lots of Samsung freezers have had problems…do a search on the web using your model and [fan or de icing problems]

fixed mine using a simple kit with a new sensor , some sealing tape and spacers

Ours makes some mental noises at times. A ten year-old Bosch.

It works fine so I’ve just left it.

Its probably the internal cold air fan that draws up cold air from the freezer.
Theres probably a false wall at the back of the freezer compartment and there’s probably ICE in there. Take the false wall out and use a hairdryer and get the ice out, making sure that any air passages are clear of ice as well.

Ah! Now that makes sense. There was quite a lot of ice build-up around the bit that I assume draws cold air up to the top of the fridge (the lower part is where it chills water for the poncey water/ice thingy).

I’ve cleared some of it off the outside, but inside the plastic cover is another matter. I think I might need it to come aprt tonight so I can have a look.

Yes, it’s still cold by the way.

Or at least it was before I left home after clearing off the ice.

The ice builds up around the back, its prob the fan blades catching the build up.
As well as checking the air ducts, make sure that any drain holes aren’t blocked as well.
Had to do this every two weeks with the MILs fridge until I noticed there were air channels behind the cooling matrix. Moved that out of the way, cleared the ice and its been absolutely fine for best part of a year now.