Seems to be a fan blade sometimes ticking against the back plate just under the ice maker, as it starts up the noise increases in pitch as a ticking fan blade would, and I can make it stop for awhile by giving the plastic back plate a sharp tug by pulling on the vent openings. Then it either stops or diminishes a lot, but sooner or later it is back.

Does that sound like a do it yourself fix with just a loose fan motor/blade, or does that sound like something worse?

Saw a post in this forum by Steve with instructions that (I think) were for this kind of fridge (to disassemble the ice maker mount and ductwork and evaporator cover) and thus expose and be able to test the fan motor, etc.

Should I give that a shot (is that the way to get to the fan in my model), or is this time to call in the pros? Would new parts likely be needed, or just a tightening?

I would think I could see where the fan was ticking on the plate once I could get it off, if that is causing the noise.

Thanks in advance for your advice on this!

Hi Adam,

No, I didn't. I've procrastinated because I was worried about not being to get the plate off, just as you have found.

I just give the back panel a yank when it gets too noisy, and that stops it for a bit.

Have even thought about cutting a hole in the back panel right where the fan tick noise comes from, then patching the hole over with a piece of white plastic and one of the many strong glues out there. The patch would be set out the width of that back panel itself, and so the fan wouldn't be able to tick on it anymore.

There's got to be somebody on this site, or at GE, who knows how to quickly get the plate off.