Samsung RF261BEAESG Refrigerator - fan noise

[jmm]

My fridge just started making a noise like a fan blade hitting an obstruction. It stops when the door is opened and will restart 5-10 seconds after the door is closed. It seems to be coming from the fridge area - not the freezer. I've moved contents around to be sure its not a jar or something rattling. It has been very warm and humid here for the last few days. Any thoughts on where to start? Thanks.

[Slav]

Sounds like a Defrost Problem. The evaporator accumulated too much frost/ice and the fan blades started to scrape it. Unplug your fridge for about 24 hours to defrost it. This could be a one-time deal due to high humidity, or reoccurring problem due to damaged Defrost System, or clogged drain tube. When it starts to melt, make sure you see water dripping on the back, next to the compressor into Defrost Pan. If you don't see water there, the drain is clogged up.

[jmm]

Thanks - I found a YouTube video and took the back panel off, evaporated the ice with a hair dryer, and put it back together. Plugged it in and it doesnt seem to be working. Could I have overheated it somehow or does it just take some time to kick back in?

[Slav]

I'm sure it works by now!

But if it doesn't, reconnect a wire harness, if you had to unplug it. Also, I suppose, you could overheated the temperature sensor, and now it's out of spec. But I hope your fridge is cold at this point.

[jmm]

Thanks - I was impatient. It came back on and was down to normal operating temp within a few hours. And no fan noise!