clues_blues

we have a kenmore dryer that is about 1yr old. on friday, it stopped cooperating. the dryer doesn't continue to run once you've pushed the "start" button (for lack of a better term), but it will if you hold it down. even while holding it down, however, the dryer does not seem to heat up the clothes.

i have checked both the wiring from the outlet to the dryer and the breaker box. any other areas i should look into?

we have a repairman scheduled for wed., but with two kids we go through some clothes... rain is in the forecast too, dammit!

thanks,
c_b

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slant eyes

i'm guessing it's a gas dryer. in the back of the dryer, there is a hose that plugs into a hole in the wall, leading to the outside. this is for the exhaust of the warm air that goes into the dryer. pull your dryer out and see the pipe in the wall where the exhaust hose plugs into is clogged.

we once had a dryer which we thought was broken because there was no longer any heat, but we found that the hole (exhaust) in the wall was just super clogged with lint from use over the years. we washed it out with a garden hose, and it worked again.

maybe the kenmore keeps shutting off because it can't get rid of the used air. hope this helps.

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clues_blues

that is a good point, slant eyes. thanks for your input.

this is actually an electric dryer. I did completely remove the exaust duct to test if that was the case. the dryer still did not run.

thanks again-
c_b

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seethreepo

Kenmore = Sears ? if so I'm sure they will repair it for you if its only 1yr old.

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jbrooks544

If it is gas, then I wouldn't mess with it - you could burn or go boom. Actually, I wouldn't mess with it at all. Make them pay for it. You trying to fix it might actually void the warrantee anyway. repairclinic.com is a cool site

luvsredbeaver

If it is electric, sounds like one of the electric heating elements has burned up. The air is heated by blowing over this heating element. Some dryers have 1 element and others have 2. I'm guessing there is an electrical relay that keeps the motor from turning if the heating element is burned out.

If it is gas - I have no idea....

One good sign is that the motor will turn at all. That is probably the most expensive part on the dryer.

mvassek

It sounds as if the thermostat has gone bad. It is a small round item that is located in the vicinity of the heating coils if it goes bad it will stay in the open position not allowing the heating coils to get hot. The best way to replace it would be to buy a complete heating coil thermostat unit at the same time and change it all out at once. When you handle the coils in the process of taking them out, changing just the thermostat then putting them back in can cause the coils to break. The repeated heating and cooling of the coils makes them brittle. To reduce the trouble of tearing it down replacing thermostat putting it back together and finding out you messed up the coil. Just do them both at once.

briana

if it's only a year old...I agree, call Sears and make them come out and fix it. The life of a dryer should be much longer than that.

Dibbler

It has to be the door switch. The dryer thinks the door is open and therefore won't continue to run when the button is released. The heating elements won't kick in until the button is released and the dryer is running on its own.

My post is on Thursday so I'm assuming it's fixed by now. Let us know what was wrong...

yournamehere

Meh - my post is on Friday and <b>dibbler</b> beat me to it - I'm putting my money on the door switch, also.

Do an internet search whenever your dryer stops working - they are so easy to fix.

If it's not the switch, it's the thermostat, heater, or drum belt - that's about all there is to dryers.

Washers, on the other hand, have many more parts and are more difficult (but far from impossible) for the Do-It-Yourselfer.

BTW - Maytag used to make Kenmores for Sears, but don't any longer - now they're made by GE, I think - a less dependable brand.

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mazak

i have one that is about 2 yrs old. using it one day,dried a load,put in the next and nothing.the light comes on,but when i hit start nothing. i also have power. any ideas on this problem the switch in the door is ok. thanks in advance.

mazak

thanks for all the help with it . it was a naaaaa .

Dibbler

Sorry no one helped ya. I have no idea what it would be since you got power. Since you said "nothing" I'm assuming you don't hear any buzzing or anything. Must be the motor...

Dibbler

Also, what's a naaaaa?

mazak

naaaaaaaaaaa means no nota chance. it turned out to be a thermal fuse.