Does the noise sound like a ping-pong ball bouncing? My Kenmore Freezer does that when it is doing self-defrosting. It's 8 yrs old and has been doing it for the past 3 years. Costs too much to just get it looked at! So we're going to let it slide until it dies.

I had to replace the refrigerator last year when the compressor died. It has a counter height drawer between the bottom freezer and upper doors. The energy efficiency difference is amazing... I rarely hear the thing run. It does make a popping/creaking noise when it does self-defrost mode.