7 Common Reasons Why Your Dryer Won't Start

Millions of dryers are sold in the United States every year. Dryers last for about 10 years. When you've had a dryer for that long, you're bound to have problems along the way. Nothing stays in perfect condition forever.

Before you try the solutions below, check to see if the circuit breaker has overloaded or shorted. Sometimes flipping your breaker switch will do the trick. If this doesn't appear to be the issue, read on to learn about other common issues your dryer may be experiencing.

Make sure your dryer is off before you take your dryer apart to find the issues.

1. Thermal Fuse

The thermal fuse is the number one reason dryers stop working. When your dryer exhaust temperature gets too high, your dryer will overheat. It's at this point that the thermal fuse will trip.

The main function of the thermal fuse is to prevent fires from starting. When the fuse trips it's shutting off your dryer to keep fires from breaking out.

Most dryers either won't operate or heat your clothes once the thermal fuse has tripped. Test the continuity of your dryer with a multimeter tester to see if the thermal fuse is the issue. If the thermal fuse is the problem, you will need to replace it.

You can locate the thermal fuse on the blower housing or the dryer’s heat element.

2. Start Switch

When you start your dryer, if it doesn't work but you hear a hum, you don't need to worry about the start switch. If it doesn't start and you hear nothing, then it could be an issue with the start switch. The start switch will wear out over time because of repetitive use.

You can find the start switch in the main control panel. As with the thermal fuse, check the continuity with a multimeter tester. That should tell you if the start switch is the problem.

3. Door Switch

Over time, the door switch will deteriorate. When this happens, you won't hear the door switch click. The door switch activates when you close the dryer door. Without that click, your dryer won't operate.

Once more, test with a multimeter tester to see if there is any continuity.

Sometimes a dryer can still operate with a bad door switch. If your dryer is working on and off, check the dryer switch to see if it's the problem.

4. Drive Motor

If the thermal fuse, start switch, or door switch aren't the problem, it may be the drive motor. When the drive motor is not functional, your dryer won't start. Despite that, still hear a humming sound coming from the dryer.

The drive motor controls the drum turn and the blower wheel. If anything is obstructing the blower wheel, that could be your issue. If nothing is blocking it, then the drive motor may just be defective.

Test the dryer without the belt on before replacing the motor. The issue could still be somewhere else and not with the drive motor. If the motor works without the belt, the motor may not be the problem.

5. Drive Belt

If your dryer isn't working properly, your drive belt may be loose, damaged or broken. Many dryers will continue to operate with a faulty drive belt, but the drum may not spin. Yet, some have a belt switch that will turn off if there is something wrong with the belt.

Check the belt to see if there is a problem. If it is in poor condition, or just plain broken, it should be replaced.

If the belt is loose, you can either repair it yourself or hire someone to do it for you. If you're worried about the belt causing problems in the future, you can replace it instead.

Depending on how often you may have this issue, it could end up saving you money to replace it. It depends on whether you plan on fixing the problem yourself or if you're hiring someone to do it for you.

6. Main Control Board

If all other options have not worked, it may be an issue with your main control board. You may see signs of burning on the main control board. Parts of the circuit board could have shorted out.

The main control board is unique to electronic dryers. Mechanical dryers use a timer motor.

Main control boards can't be tested or repaired and must be replaced.

7. Timer Motor

As with the main control board, if the other options aren't the problem, then it may be your timer motor. Inside the timer motor, there are electric contacts which turn off and on. When your timer contacts don't work, power won't be supplied to the drive motor.

The timer motor can be difficult to test. You may test the timer contacts with a multimeter tester. Check for continuity. A timer can't be repaired, it must be replaced.

Typically, when there is an issue with your timer motor your dryer will still be functional.

It's Time to Check Your Dryer

Check to see if any of the above methods are the reason your dryer doesn't want to work. If none of these solutions work you may need to contact someone to help you figure out what the problem is.

Before you get to this step, there are two other areas you can test. These include the terminal block, the belt switch, and the thermostat.

Then again, it could be your dryer is old and in need of replacing. It may be time to upgrade to a new dryer.

Maybe your dryer is still running but isn't working the way it should. Review our blog for troubleshooting techniques. Your dryer will be drying your clothes properly in no time.