How to fix a microwave that makes a humming sound and continues to run when powered off

Our microwave was running intermittently when it wasn't even turned on. Sometimes it would just continue running and we would hear the hum after the timer had ended. Other times it would start humming out of the blue without us using it. The light would be off and the rotating plate wouldn't move, but you could hear it running as long as the door was shut and anything left inside would continue to cook.
Found out this can be caused by the door switch not working correctly. By accessing the switch behind the panel and manually rotating it forward and then back, the problem seems to be fixed.
It started doing it again about a month after I did this. Easy enough to do again though so I gave it another shot and it's been working for a couple of months now. For now it's better then having to buy a new microwave I guess. Hope it helps someone else.

[@TheSunshine1032]

I have a different model with a similar problem. This video gave me the courage to open it up, take a look, and poke around. Don’t know what I did, but the problem has resolved! *Fingers crossed* that it stays that way. Thanks so much!

[@tbene100]

Slamming the door worked for me as well on my Samsung. Thanks!

[@miguelsanchez-dh2zz]

THIS WAS VERY HELPFUL I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THANKS

[@jjmm3945]

Slamming the door worked for ours, looking into buying a new switch. thanks !

[@The_Original_forresttrump]

It running because a relay is stuck not because of a door switch, slamming the door shakes the relay hard enough to unstick. Bad door switches typically keep blowing fuses when bad or loose.

[@forensicpsyguy]

I will add a little something here. At 3:13 you will see the switch assembly (the square black piece). The actual "switch" is the little button seen when you look right through the circular part of the spring. The half-round piece acts like a cam because it rolls around when you open/shut the door and pushes the little "button" in/out on the switch. That switch is almost always the problem in this scenario and it is very cheap to replace. People are quick to blame the manufacturer of the microwave. This is partially correct, but the Samsung or GE did not make the switch. They just made a deal with the manufacturer of the switch. And the name of that manufacturer is on the switch. If something fails under minimal use complaining makes sense. But all mechanical things fail eventually. If you own a car, you know you will be fixing things eventually. It all breaks.

[@armadillo44video]

Thanks for adding this.

[@suhailasaba1051]

The switch is the cause of the fault, but what is the source of the sound is it a fan or the magnitron or what ?

[@suhailasaba1051]

@@armadillo44video You changed the switch because it is causing the problem, but what is the source of the sound ?

[@forensicpsyguy]

@@suhailasaba1051 There are usually 3 switches. Working together they enable correct function. Symptoms will differ based on which switch is bad. The hum may be the transformer, but no magnetron for heat. I have seen videos that demonstrate how the magnetron sounds different when it is bad though.

[@suhailasaba1051]

@@forensicpsyguy Thank you for your explanation.

[@chrisb8932]

i closed it super hard ...NOT slammed.. but 3 times harder than normal and it worked. I tried this just before getting the screwdriver out to open it. I'm glad I did thanks for the help

[@czhang1091]

lol

[@lisarod10]

This worked for me as well. Thank you!

[@animatorstevevyas]

Many Thanks! -Just fixed my GE microwave that was doing this exact same thing.

[@FluffyWolfLord]

mine starts when ever you open it

[@shamimmerrigan2881]

That yakking /TV sound in the back ground.. Jeesh!

[@sophiaman2208]

slamming the door works!

[@quebecredneck666]

Slamming it worked for me . LOL

[@Reneend]

This just saved me a lot of money, thank you!!!

[@alecb5303]

i had same problem with my samsung , find high power relay on the main board and hit it few times, hopefully contacts will be released. or replace that relay

[@soylentgreen9492]

I heated a cup of coffee before I was going to tear apart the oven. It heard this video and straightened up its attitude when it found out what I was going to do.

[@antbar0200]

Worked on my GE microwave Thank you! Model JES1657DM1WW. It was only a year old

[@Davesand2003]

That magnetron noise tho

[@mongo-crypto]

All great information and I had the exact same problem on my GE. Before deciding to take the front panel apart I slammed the door hard one time and it solved the problem. So try slamming it first. Lol

[@AYouTubeChannelwithNoName]

haha

[@husky4481]

It's like disarming a bomb 😂

[@armadillo44video]

Ha ha. Never disarmed a bomb but I'm SURE you are right on this ;-)

[@AsianBoxer1]

will it cause fire if left humming for long?

[@petewhitley1552]

Slamming mine fixed it also.

[@samn8309]

The latch on mine doesn't feel right, and humming when door is closed. I'm sure this is the problem. Thank you Good work filming this, not easy to get in there but you showed the parts well.

[@shoedaka]

Thanks

[@harmonyhut545]

Thanks a million. Slammed the door VERY hard twice and now it is working. Going ahead and ordering the switch assembly, might as well fix it right. Very good troubleshooting on your part. Who designs this garbage anyway?? Certainly not GE, must be Samsung.

[@AYouTubeChannelwithNoName]

haha

[@umat3263]

Mine is GE premium series. It has this issue

[@jamesvincent3894]

I have a GE Profile with the same problem. Slamming the door did NOT work for me. However, I then tried heating a cup of water to see if the microwave still worked, and I discovered that it worked perfectly, and then the humming just stopped. We'll see how long this lasts.

[@burtbacarach5034]

What can I say,the door slamming trick works.

[@pamodonel802]

Thank you so much for sharing about slamming the door it worked AWESOME 👏👏 So am a lady and honestly I couldn’t have fixed it 🤗😘 Thank you so much again very grateful!!❤️❤️

[@mglsite]

Ok, it makes no sense to me why a bad door switch would make the microwave keep running when it it supposed to be off, I can see it no letting it come on but no keep running. Mine was doing the same thing so after reading the comments about some people just slamming the door and fixing it I tried that and low and behold, it worked. Thanks a lot, I was already pricing them.

[@76markpeterson]

Thank you for the video. While my microwave is slightly different, the fix worked. I couldnt see the switch as well as in your video but using a wooden popsicle stick I managed to switch it back and forth. No sparks or smoke to report. Thanks again.

[@hartnetthere]

Slamming the door worked for me on an old Kenmore microwave. Thanks.

[@rosemariegargone4999]

My unplugged Microwave is beeping??

[@LL-fb8wz]

Mine is doing the exact same thing.

[@elijahfranklin6074]

Y'all should know that they'll shock the ever-loving $#!@ out of you even if they're unplugged. The capacitors in it hold thousands of volts charge. Be careful.

[@AYouTubeChannelwithNoName]

Did this happen to you? How do you know?

[@GodWeenSatan]

@@AKZbinChannelwithNoName google it. It's very dangerous!

[@maclapinski7958]

I have a Samsung microwave with similar issue. With closed door it makes buzzing sound and when I put water in it it makes it hot. No light inside when door is closed. In my case a relay on control board was defective. It was sending power constantly to the the element that creates microwaves. The relay model# f5h-dc12v-p1

[@AyeSpare]

How did you fix it

[@maclapinski7958]

I replaced the relay.

[@peggycarmichael9686]

I just had the same issue with my microwave. Thanks so much for your very helpful video. Now my microwave works again, thanks again!

[@donavankossally1124]

Very likely a relay with contacts fused shut. A hard knock sometimes releases it but the problem will return. Solution is to replace the board or a good technician can replace the relay on the board.

[@nrichoh4376]

RUBBISH

[@nrichoh4376]

JUST BUUY A NEW ONE ITS ONLY A MICROWAVE HAHAHHAA

[@Yardoun]

Fuck off dude, not everyone can just drop a few hundred on a new appliance.

[@knmrd7639]

Must be good having rich parents huh

[@jgood1227]

ITS JUST A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS TO WASTE HAHAHHAAA