Ridiculously noisy Fridge Freezer!

[dione2284]

Hi all, after 5 months of having to put up with this nightmare of a fridge freezer, I am finally getting an exchange for a different brand (going for Beko) after 3 call outs from engineers who relaced this that and the next thing, I took in to Currys a recording on my ipod of the ridiculous sounds it made, the manager at Currys said 'ok enough is enough, pick another fridge freezer' so I would like to advise everyone you do not have to put up with this, you have consumer rights so just keep on at them!

[k9comment]

Hi Dione, Is the BEKO also a frost free freezer? It'll be interesting to know if you've found a silent frost free freezer or have you chosen a model that is not frost free? Interesting though that the engineers must have accepted that the noise you were getting was unusual otherwise they wouldn't have tried to correct it. Well done to Currys for letting you exchange it but sadly most of the earlier contributors to this thread bought fridges from COMET.

[Cookiesmini]

Hi Dione

 

Good for you............. I will try the same thing. My Hotpoint is still 'clucking' away like a good-un! I will make a recording and use your example in hopes to make an exchange! I just feel that I will not get the same result as you got but I will give it a try.

 

Regards

 

Nick

[Cookiesmini]

Hi again............

 

Are non frost free fridge-freezers i.e. the type that occasionally needed de-icing and more to the point were "....ing quiet' still made? If so, what makes and models please........... Thanks.

 

p.s. I have been told by an 'expert' on Three Counties radio that most frost-free freezers make this noise. Isn't technology a wonderful thing!

 

Nick

[paulypauly]

Hi everyone this my first post and I have been interested in this thread. I too have this Hotpoint fridge freezer and it also has the same noises which are driving me nuts. The engineers seem to be guessing what is wrong with it but I will give a complete update when this is all sorted. I got mine from Currys who I have always found are very polite and nice to deal with but Hotpoint are a different kettle of fish and we seem to be in their hands when it comes to getting refunds on what are obviously poorly designed fridge freezers. I would never advise anyone to buy the FUFL1810P especially if you enjoy peace and quiet. You wont get it with this appliance

[Cookiesmini]

Hi PaulyPauly..........

 

Aaaaahhh another consumer who is being driven 'nuts' by bad design! I would be very interested in hearing what the Hotpoint engineer has to say. I have tried to 'find out' what is causing the 'clucking' sound. I cannot see it is the sound of ice cracking {an explanation given by one of the Hotpoint engineers that visited}. It is {to me} the sound of something mechanical {either a relay or a valve} and it seems to be coming from the area between the fridge and the freezer. I have made a recording and will be visiting Currys in the next day or so.......... any feedback you get would be very useful.

 

What happened to quality control before products were released onto the market?

 

Nick

[paulypauly]

Hi Nick. Did you have any success in obtaining a refund or exchange of your clicking fridge freezer?

[Cookiesmini]

Hi Paulypauly

 

As of yet I haven't been into my local Currys with the recording I have made............... this has reminded me to do that very thing next week

 

PS NO it hasn't got quieter and it still is £$(*...ing annoying. If I don't have any success, I might well donate it to my local Church to have in their outside storage barn!!!

 

Regards

 

Nick

[paulypauly]

Yes I know what you mean. I have had a right hoo haa with Currys and Hotpoint. They sent engineers who were really nice and polite and agreed that there was a fault but couldn't diagnose what it was and after many phone calls to the Currys KnowHow team, Hotpoint are going to exchange it. But only for the same model. My only concern is that I am going to go through this whole rigmarole again. I have found Hotpoint near on impossible to contact due to all of their advisers being constantly busy and when they are supposed to ring you back they never do. On the flip side, Currys have always been very polite and have called me back on several occasions so I would advise you to go through the KnowHow team in Sheffield. There is obviously a design fault with these fridge freezers but Hotpoint will never admit that. Im sure if one of their managers was experiencing these problems then it would be sorted immediately. Will let you know how I get on with the new one and hopefully you can get yours sorted too. Just don't take no for an answer. After all they don't tell you at the time of purchase that you are also getting a free woody woodpecker inside the fridge to annoy you.

[Conniff]

A couple of things I do know about fridges. The drain can make some weird noises when the door is closed and the air inside cools so making a vacuum and drawing air back up the drain, but more than that..........

 

Inside the compressor, the motor is suspended on springs to try and eliminate noise transfer to the outside. On starting and stopping, these springs mean the motor can twist which can be beneficial in that it takes the shock away from the main components, (much like the recoil on a big gun).

However, these springs can (and do) become detached or broken so the whole balance of the motor is upset and a lot of noises are then heard where there were none before.

[paulypauly]

Maybe it is a fault with these springs but the sound is more like a consistent clicking (when the compressor is operating). As Nick said, it sounds like a relay switching on and off. Whatever it is it is really annoying and I would never have bought it if I had known it was so noisy.

[Cookiesmini]

Hi both............

 

Thanks for the feedback......... what will be interesting is that our neighbours have yesterday bought the same Fridge/Freezer. It has the same model number but looks slightly different on the top door {at the top of the door}. I told them of my story and said keep an 'ear' open. Just as I said that......... it started 'clucking'! They had only just installed it and it had been on for only a short time.

 

I still think it sounds like a relay or a control flap........ coming from the area between the fridge and the freezer.

 

ps Loved the 'woody-woodpecker' analogy!

 

pps Still think the product is poorly made!

 

Nick

[paulypauly]

Yes definitely poor design. I am starting to feel like Victor Meldrew as it has been an ongoing saga and I have complained that much. You should tell your neighbour that they shouldn't have a problem with a refund in the first couple of weeks but after that its welcome to our world of comparing clucking. The noise from mine comes from the exact same place as yours and its doing it now. Where is that axe?.....

[paulypauly]

Hi everyone. Just a quick update on the above. I got the fridge freezer replaced by Hotpoint and this one is totally different to my last clucker. Gone are the constant clicking, clucking noises which were so annoying on the last one. It does make a couple of clicks just before the compressor is about to shut off but this is totally acceptable and worlds apart from the last one. There was obviously a problem or defective components on a fair number of these fridge freezers but I would not take no for an answer and would demand an exchange or refund if you can get it. I would not however purchase another Hotpoint appliance as I have banged my head against a brick wall for months trying to deal with these people and believe that they should be a bit more robust in the way that they deal with complaints.

[Cookiesmini]

Well done. Have you got a contact at Hotpoint who will hopefully do the same for me. I intend to go to Currys this week, should have done it a while ago, to ask for a replacement. If they say no, then I will try Hotpoint. My is still clucking away like a good-un. Whoever designed {designed my bottom} this fridge-freezer should be made to listen to it 24 hours a day!!! Very poor design......... and we are not alone in our comments!.

 

So if you have a contact, please let me know and what was the replacement?

 

Regards

 

Clucking Nick {Three Counties Radio Listener!!!}

[paulypauly]

Hi Nick and sorry for the late reply. After numerous visits from engineers and promises of new parts which never arrived. I got the best response from the Currys Knowhow team. Let them know that you are prepared to contact their MD Sebastian James if the matter isn't sorted. These fridges should not be that noisy and are a real pain to live with. If you can get Hotpoint to admit there is a fault then I think it will put you in a better position. They exchanged mine for exactly the same one which is so much quieter than the last one. Hope u get sorted Nick and keep us updated.

[Cookiesmini]

Thanks......... will give it some serious action this week........... as you say, it shouldn't cause annoyance and it 'sure does'.

 

Nick

[Cookiesmini]

Hi again Pauly Pauly............

 

I have called into the Currys store where I purchased the 'clucking fridge/freezer'. All they suggested was to contact the Currys Knowhow Team {as you did}......... this I will be doing today. I did look at the Hotpoint Fridge/Freezer which looks like my Hotpoint FFFL 1810. The difference that I noticed inside the top Fridge section was an 'oxygen activator' {I think that is what it was called. It is a plastic grilled 'bump' hanging down from the top wall of the Fridge section. I noticed that the Fridge / Freezer has a code FFFL 1810 G i.e. the addition of the G.

 

Is your replacement like this with the same type number? How is it performing......... no clucking I hope!

 

Regards

 

Nick

[paulypauly]

Hi Nick. Just checked my fridge and I think it is exactly the same as the last one. FUFL 1810P and there is no grill at the top either. They would only exchange mine on a like for like basis which I was a bit sceptical about agreeing to but in all honesty it has been really quiet in comparison to the other one with only a few quiet clicks just before the motor shuts off which is more than acceptable. Touch wood it will stay that way but I am going to keep hold of that bag of rabbits feet just to be on the safe side. Let me know how you get on Nick and don't let them fob you off. Incidentally, I have just had a look at that model on the currys website and I think the G is the colour graphite grey and the P is polar white. The only grill in mine is the Air Tech Evolution thing on the back wall of it.

[Redletter]

Hi guys mine still clucks like a chicken and I can't do anything about it as I got mine from Comet and they went bust!

[Conniff]

Depending on how old it is and the way you purchased it. If you used a Credit Card then they are the responsible party.

[Firebird063]

Oh dear, I have just read this thread and am now concerned! My new Hotpoint Frost Free fridge freezer arrived Friday, it clucks away as well when the compressor is running, I was hoping that it would settle down but am now not so sure.

 

I read it could be ice, but mine has been making this sound since I first switched it on( along with some very other strange noises which fortunately HAVE gone away), so I can't see how that can be the case.

 

I am going to register it with Hotpoint for the 5 year spares warranty, just incase.

 

This is not my first frost free freezer, and my mother has one as well, neither were Hotpoint models and neither made this clucking sound.

[Cookiesmini]

Hello............. and welcome to the Hotpoint 'clucking' fridge/freezer club.

 

There is no doubt in my mind, that this Hotpoint Fridge/Freezer has a design fault. Too many people {on or off this forum} have the same problem. My next door neighbour has just purchased one {I would have stopped them if I had known they were about to buy one} and surprise, surprise........ IT CLUCKS! The trouble is, Hotpoint will say if you have someone to inspect it......."There is not a fault, it is working as it should do. It keeps food cold etc."

 

We shouldn't have to put up with this........... it is a design 'cock up'. I wonder it the team or person who designed this has this model in their kitchen? I bet not!

 

The situation with me is............ I have followed the advice of paulypauly {see above} and have approached the Currys KnowHow team......... This I did on August 27th. As I had not heard back from them, I phoned on Friday {September 6th} to be told I must get an independent engineer to inspect it. How the hell I was supposed to know this without them telling me is beyond belief. I told them in not so many words that they were unprofessional and totally useless.! I will be attempting to contact Sebastion James {MD of Currys KnowHow team}.............

 

I will not give up.......... that is what Cuurys and Hotpoint would like me to do but spending £499 on something that is 'bloody annoying' is beyond a joke,

 

Nick

[Firebird063]

Hi Nick,

 

Not sure I want to belong to this club!! I arrived home today and so far it has been quiet, but the motor isn't running at the moment so I will wait and see what happens this evening. Hotpoint aren't going be doing themselves any favours if this really is a general fault with the fridge freezers. I've always been happy with their products before, that is one reason I bought this particular one!

 

Chris

[paulypauly]

Hi Nick. Have just read your post and cant believe that they have told you to go to an independent engineer. I can see that scenario unfolding ie. You should not have anybody except Hotpoint engineers tampering with the appliance as this will void your guarantee. Don't take no for an answer Nick. Some of these appliances are obviously defective and need to be exchanged as we have all paid our money in good faith. Did you get the name of the person who told you to do this while its still under guarantee? Send them an email and that should generate a complaint reference number. I would send the email FAO SEBASTIAN JAMES to the KnowHow team tolet them know that you are not bluffing. Im sure they will be back in touch pretty quickly. And Chris, Im sure they will exchange yours if its less than 21 days old so get on their case asap as that fridge will really annoy you after a few weeks. Let us know how you both get on.