Refrigerator Making Clicking Noise — Amsterdam, North Holland

A repetitive clicking sound from your refrigerator usually means the compressor is trying — and failing — to start. The start relay sends voltage to the compressor, which clicks on, immediately overloads, and clicks back off, creating a rhythmic click-pause-click pattern every few minutes. Left unaddressed the compressor motor can overheat and burn out, turning a $150 relay replacement into a $600–$1,200 compressor job — or a full appliance replacement. An appliance repair technician can diagnose whether the fault is in the relay, the overload protector, the compressor windings, or a failing condenser fan motor, and replace only the defective part.