Ice forms on fan...fan can't function...makes loud noise ...refrigerator ge 6 years old ...been doing it forever

There are two large motors in those. 1 is the fan and the other is the compressor. There is nothing that you can do about the compressor but the fan can get noisy if there is an ice build up from the coils not defrosting right.

Hi,

As the weather is getting warmer for many people their freezer and/or refrigerator do not work right because of a dirty condenser coil...

Check out this tip that I wrote about that... it is a great place to start trouble shooting your unit...and something that you can do rather then calling a repair person to do a simple thing for you...

Refrigerator Condenser Coil Cleaning Refrigerator Repair
http://www.fixya.com/support/r4024657-refrigerator_condenser_coil_cleaning

Refrigerator Troubleshooting Refrigerator Compressor
http://www.fixya.com/support/r3885294-refrigerator_troubleshooting

Refrigerator Compressor Start Capacitor and Start Relay
http://www.fixya.com/support/r4023749-refrigerator_compressor_start_capacitor

heatman101

This is the fan motor making noise but the fan motor is probably ok. The main board supplies voltage to the motor and can cause it to make strange noises.

the noise can be from the fan next to the compressor or the fan in the freezer.
check them when you hear the noise if they tuch something or they might need to be replace b/c of berring problems...

Remove the freezer panel to access the fan motor. Look for any obstruction around the fan or blade. Ice, misplaced wire etc.
Check the fan blade. Sometimes they slip down the shaft too far.
If you find none of these issues, replace the fan motor.

Drain line froze.
Used hair dryer to thaw frozen line, works OK now. 01/07/09
Think the frozen drain line was caused by the light in the refrigerator not shutting off when the door closes, causing excess cooling in the freezer. Poor design on the light shutoff switch, corrected design to make permanent repair
chestnutlee.

If the problem disappears (for a while) when the freezer reaches 32F, then I know what the problem is.

The GE Profile refrigerators (and likely other models as well) often don't defrost properly, especially in humid climates. So they can develop ice buildup internally, especially if the air vents at the back of the freezer are blocked by frozen food. Once that happens, that ice can interfere with the cold air circulation booster fan that runs when the freezer temperature is too warm. Then you get a LOUD buzzing noise from the fan blades, as they bang into the ice.

The immediate "solution" is to be sure nothing blocks the air vents, and then to melt the ice that interferes with the fan. You can turn the fridge off for a while (with the food removed so it doesn't spoil), and/or get a hair dryer and heat the inside back of the freezer, until the ice melts and falls away from the fan. (Just be careful not to block the nozzle of the hair dryer, or it may burn out from overheating!)

But the ultimate solution is to buy another refrigerator, one that is NOT a GE! And that makes me sad, because GE used to make GREAT refrigerators. My last GE refrigerator is nearly 20 years old, and still works well, and it does so QUIETLY.

Sounds like the freezer fan is rubbing some wires or possible some foam insulation around the fan. I would look into the freezer compartment fan and go from there. The fan Will Shut off when you open the doors. Let me know how you make out and if you need anymore help.

Thanks,
Bill

Apparently the digital read out sensor is bad. 45°F is to high for safe food storage. The fact that the milk spoils is another factor which speaks on its own that there is a temperature control problem. There is no "defroster fan". There are two fans in the unit. One is the air circulation fan located inside the freezer compartment and the other is the condenser fan for cooling the refrigeration system. If you had called for service in the first year it would be covered by warranty with the exception of the service call charge. After the first year ends electrical and control problems are not covered. If the evaporator fan in the freezer is noisy there is something wrong with it. It could be the source of your whole problem.

GE Hotpoint has a history of bad fans and poor customer service. Unfortunate and a costly defect. Repair this yearly, forever or trash and buy new???