LG LTCS20020 top-freezer refrigerator makes buzzing, clicking, rattling or knocking noises

The checks in more detail

If you hear them, the sound is coming from somewhere else, such as a neighboring appliance. Learn the normal sounds. A steady hum or a low throb is the compressor running; a whoosh is the evaporator fan moving air through the freezer; a click and a soft hiss mark the start or the end of a cooling cycle; a short crackle or a pop is the plastic parts and the freezer walls expanding and contracting as the temperature changes; and a gurgle is refrigerant moving in the lines.

A buzz at the start of a cycle is the compressor relay. The unit is louder in a quiet kitchen at night. For a sound that is not normal, check the placement. Make sure the refrigerator is level, with its front feet adjusted so the door closes by itself, and that it does not touch the wall or the cabinet on either side; a gap of an inch lets it breathe.

A rattle can be a loose drip pan at the bottom, which sits under the back, so slide it out and refit it. A loose shelf or a bottle can buzz against the glass. A scraping or a chirping from the freezer is often frost on the fan blade, which a defrost clears; empty the freezer and leave the door open for several hours with towels down. A squeal or a loud rattle from the compressor needs a technician. Quote LTCS20020S and the serial number when you contact LG.