How to Fix a Microwave That’s Making Noise

If you want to know how to fix a microwave that’s making noises that it shouldn’t be, you’re in the right place.

In this article, we will discuss all the likely causes and how you can fix them. By the end of this article, hopefully your microwave is working like new again.

Check the Roller Guide

The best place to start is to check the roller guide. If you can hear a strange noise coming from the tray area when it turns, it could be a problem with the roller guide that’s causing it.

Here’s how to check the roller guide:

1. Open the microwave door.
2. Remove the tray.
3. Check the roller guide for any signs of wear and tear that might be causing the tray to not be able to rotate around correctly.
4. If you find any damage, the roller guide will need to be replaced.
5. Once replaced, check to see if the noise has gone. If not, move on to checking the next component.

Check the Drive Coupler

Another cause of an unusual noise coming from your microwave is if there is a problem with the drive coupler. The purpose of this component is to help turn the microwave tray around when you turn the microwave on.

Here’s how to test the drive coupler:

1. Unplug the microwave from the power socket.
2. Open the microwave door.
3. Remove the glass tray and the roller guide.
4. Depending on the make and model of your microwave, you may also need to remove the motor from the bottom of the microwave to be able to access the coupler (check your manual to make sure).
5. Once you have access to the drive coupler, inspect it for any signs of cracks and general wear and tear.
6. If the drive coupler is fine, you can move on to the next component. If it is damaged, it will need to be replaced.
7. Once replaced, check to see if the noise has stopped. If not, move on to checking the next component.

Check the Drive Motor

The next component to check is the drive motor. This may be the culprit especially if the noise is a grinding noise and is coming from the turntable. Please note, you should only carry out checks of the internal components of the microwave if you are qualified to do so. This is because microwaves are very dangerous to inspect given the risk of electric shock. Always make sure the high-voltage capacitor has been discharged when working with the internal components of a microwave.

To check the drive motor, you need to:

1. Turn the power to your microwave off.
2. Remove the microwave cabinet so you can access the internal components.
3. Locate and then remove the drive motor.
4. Use a multimeter to test the motor for continuity.
5. If it doesn’t have continuity, it is defective and needs to be replaced.
6. If it has continuity, inspect the motor for any signs of wear and tear or broken parts. If you find anything wrong with the motor, it will need to be replaced.
7. If the motor is fine, you can move on to checking the next component. If you replace the drive motor, plug your microwave back into the power and check that it has stopped making noises. If not, move on to checking the next component.

Check the Magnetron

If the noise you can hear from your microwave is a humming or buzzing noise, it could be caused by a faulty magnetron.

Here’s how to check the magnetron:

1. Turn the power to your microwave off.
2. Remove the microwave cabinet if you haven’t already.
3. Locate and then disconnect the magnetron.
4. Use a multimeter to test the magnetron for continuity.
5. If it doesn’t have continuity, it is defective and needs to be replaced.
6. If the magnetron is fine, you can move on to checking the next component. If you do replace the magnetron, you need to test the microwave to see if the noise has stopped. If not, move on to checking the next component.

Check the High-Voltage Diode

The next component to check is the high-voltage diode. If the noise is a loud humming noise, the high-voltage diode might be the cause of it.

Here’s how to test the high-voltage diode:

1. Turn the power to your microwave off.
2. Remove the microwave cabinet if you haven’t already.
3. Locate and then remove the high-voltage diode.
4. Use a multimeter to test the high-voltage diode for continuity.
5. If it doesn’t have continuity, it is defective and needs to be replaced.
6. If the component is fine, you can move on to checking the next component. If you do replace the diode, you need to test the microwave to see if the noise has stopped. If not, move on to checking the next component.

Check the Cooling Fan

The final component to check is the cooling fan. The cooling fan helps to cool the magnetron, and sometimes if it becomes defective, a strange noise may be heard coming from it.

Here’s how to check the cooling fan:

1. Make sure the power to the microwave is still turned off.
2. Remove the microwave cabinet if you haven’t already.
3. Locate the cooling fan and remove the cover.
4. Check the fan for any signs of wear and tear and if you’re able to move the blades around without them encountering any objects.
5. If you can, remove any objects that are interfering with the fan. If the fan is defective, it will need to be replaced. Hopefully, by replacing the cooling fan, you have stopped the noise coming from your microwave.