Electric Whirlpool dryer not starting: A troubleshooting guide

You’ve sorted the clothes, loaded the dryer, and hit the start button, only to be greeted by… silence. It’s the laundry equivalent of a car that won’t start on a cold morning – frustrating and inconvenient. When your electric dryer decides to take an unexpected day off, it can throw a wrench into your routine, leaving you with a hamper full of damp clothes and a puzzle to solve.

But this doesn’t have to be the end of your laundry saga. Whether you’re a DIY novice or a seasoned home repair enthusiast, let’s tackle this problem together to revive your dryer.

If you find out that you need any parts for your dryer, just enter your model number at AppliancePartsPros.com to find them. Most orders arrive in just a few days, and we have thousands of videos to show you how to install your new parts.

Disclaimer: The troubleshooting information provided in this article is based on general service manuals and may not apply to your specific appliance model. While we strive to offer helpful advice for DIY appliance repairs, variations in models and configurations can lead to differences in troubleshooting steps, error codes and part replacements. For the most accurate guidance, we strongly recommend consulting the technical sheet for your specific appliance model.

What you need

• 1/4-inch nut driver
• 5/16-inch nut driver
• Putty knife
• Phillips head screwdriver
• Multimeter
• Torx 20-bit

Safety precautions

When working on any appliance, remember to keep safety first. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Always power off and unplug your appliance or switch off the circuit breaker before attempting any maintenance or replacement work. This keeps you safe by preventing any risk of electric shock.
• If the appliance has recently been used, give it plenty of time to cool down before working on it.
• Take your time and don’t rush while working to prevent accidents and personal injuries.
• Work in a well-lit area so you can clearly see and access appliance parts.
• Keep your workspace free of clutter and other obstacles. Keep children and pets away from the work area.
• Never work on internal parts with wet hands. Make sure the work area is completely dry.
• Check the user manual to see if there are specific installation or safety instructions related to your appliance or replacement part.
• Be gentle when handling or removing parts. Excessive force might damage the appliance or cause personal injury.
• Wear insulated work gloves to protect your hands from sharp metal parts and debris.
• When working with wires, avoid touching any exposed wires or terminals. If you need to touch a wire, use a non-conductive tool or wear insulating gloves to prevent electrical shock.
• Don’t test live voltage with a multimeter if you’re unfamiliar with how to prevent short-circuiting.
• Consider wearing safety glasses and/or a dust mask when working with chemicals, dust or a large amount of debris to prevent irritation or injury.
• If your appliance has any parts that hold water, turn off the water supply at the outlet before beginning repairs. Keep towels ready to catch any residual water in the system when removing parts.

Troubleshooting steps

Step 1 – Check live voltage

For this test, the dryer will need to be plugged in and powered on. Always take extreme care when checking live voltage so you can protect yourself from electric shock, which has the potential to cause serious injuries. And please don’t ever test live voltage if you’re uncomfortable using a multimeter.

1. Access the terminal block by using a 1/4-inch nut driver to remove the cover.
2. Make sure the dryer is plugged in and turned on.
3. Set your multimeter for voltage.
4. Use the meter probes to check voltage from the red wire to the white wire. You should get a reading of 120 Volts AC here.
5. Use the meter probes to check voltage from the black wire to the white wire. You should get another reading of 120 Volts AC.
6. Use the meter probes to check voltage from the red wire to the black wire. You should get 240 Volts AC here.

The dryer needs 240 Volts AC to run and heat. If you don’t get the right voltage, it might mean that the wrong amount of voltage is coming from the house, or the terminal block is burned or defective. The power cord could also be burned or defective.

If the voltage readings are good, you can check the thermal fuse.

Step 2 – Check the thermal fuse

1. Turn off the dryer and unplug it.
2. To access the thermal fuse, use a putty knife to push in on the clips that hold the bottom panel in place, then remove the panel.
3. Find the thermal fuse on the blower housing. It should have two blue wires going to it.
4. Remove one of the blue wires
5. Set your multimeter to continuity (looks like a sideways WiFi symbol).
6. Check for continuity. If you don’t get continuity (open circuit), then the fuse is bad and needs to be replaced.

A thermal fuse will normally open up if the temperature in the drum has gotten too hot. If that’s the case, then the dryer probably has a blocked vent. If your thermal fuse is good, you can check the door switch.

Step 3 – Check the door switch

1. To access the door switch, use the 1/4-inch inch nut driver to remove the top panel.
2. Find the door switch on the right side.
3. Separate the connecter.
4. Set your multimeter to continuity.
5. Check the two pins going to the switch. There should be continuity (closed circuit) with the door closed. If there’s no continuity, the switch will need to be replaced.

You can also tell if the switch is bad by looking inside the door to see if the tab that contacts the door is broken or missing. If the door switch is good, check the push-to-start switch.

Step 4 – Check the push-to-start switch

1. Access the push-to-start switch in the console by removing the rear console panel with the 1/4-inch nut driver.
2. Use a multimeter to check the blue/black and solid blue connections for continuity when the switch is pushed in. If there’s no continuity, the switch is defective and needs to be replaced.

If the push-to-start switch is good, you can test the timer.

Step 5 – Check the timer

You can test the timer to see if the switch within it is closed and allowing voltage to go to the motor circuit.

1. Remove the rear cover of the console with the 1/4-inch inch nut driver to expose the timer.
2. Find the contacts marked BLK and BU.
3. Turn your dryer to a setting where it would normally be running.
4. Use the multimeter probes to test the contacts here. The meter should read continuity (a closed circuit). If the switch is open so you don’t get continuity, then the timer is defective and needs to be replaced.

If the timer checks out OK, you can move on to check the belt switch.

Step 6 – Check the belt switch

1. To check the belt switch, use your Phillips head screwdriver to remove the two console screws from the back.
2. Push the console forward and up.
3. Remove the 3-1/4-inch screws that hold the top on
4. Slide the top towards the front of the dryer, then remove it.
5. Use a putty knife to push in on the two clips that hold the front panel.
6. Remove the two door springs.
7. Open the door and remove the lint screen.
8. Use the 1/4-inch nut driver to remove the three screws that hold the blower housing, then remove it.
9. Find the yellow wire that attaches to the bottom of the door panel and remove it.
10. Remove the two 1/4-inch screws at the bottom of the door panel.
11. Use the Torx 20-bit to remove the two screws at the top of the outer door panel.
12. Lift the front panel off.
13. Loosen the drum belt and use the belt to lift the drum out of the cabinet.
14. Find the switch at the base of the idler pulley. This switch opens up and stops the motor from running if the belt breaks or comes off the pulley.
15. Test the switch by setting the multimeter to continuity and pulling the tension roller over by hand to activate the microswitch. If there’s no continuity here, the switch has failed and will need to be replaced.

If you get continuity and the belt switch is good, you can check the drive motor.

Step 7 – Check the drive motor

1. Make sure the door switch is connected.
2. Pull the belt switch over so it’s closed.
3. Find the motor, then plug the dryer in or turn the breaker on so you can check voltage.
4. Set your multimeter to the voltage setting.
5. Put one meter probe in the motor switch labeled 4M and the other in the 5M.
6. Press the push-to-start switch. You should get a reading of 120 Volts AC at this point.

If the voltage is good and the motor doesn’t start, replace the motor. When you replace it, make sure the dryer is off and unplugged and that the timer is turned to a position where the dryer would normally run.

More information

Thanks for reading! We hope this guide helped you get your electric Whirlpool dryer working again.

If you still need some replacement parts, grab your model number and head over to AppliancePartsPros.com. We offer over two million parts and most orders arrive in two business days. If you need some help with finding the right part or placing an order, you can contact our team at 1 (877) 477-7278. We can also help you troubleshoot common dryer problems here.

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