How to Troubleshoot & Replace Ge AP4366862 / WE4M415 Dryer Door Switch

Replaced the dryer door switch. 

Ordered a new drum bearing along with the sliders. The original bearing wasn’t bad but because it’s about 12 or so years old, I thought it would be a good thing to do some preventative maintenance on it. Replaced the belt a couple of weeks ago so it’s good for another 12 or so years. 

New timer, new start switch & new door close sensor. 

I found a video online that showed me how to run diagnostics on my unit and was able to determine the parts needed. I had previously used the video on this site to repair the matching washer that was leaking so I came back to AppliancePartsPros'com to get the dryer up and running again. Unfortunately, the dryer in the instructional video did not match the dryer I have so I ordered a service manual to determine how to take apart the dryer to replace the parts. One part came damaged from shipping, and I emailed photos and received a prompt response. I can't say how the follow-up would have been because I was so excited to have the parts so quickly and to fix something that others said they couldn't and that I fixed the damaged part and used it anyway. Now my friends joke that I could add appliance repair to my handy girl business. 

I bought a new belt and a rear bearing kit. The bearing kit consist of two components: 1 attaches to the back of the drum and installed fairly easily. The second component attaches to the rear wall of the dryer and necessitated removing the heating elements. The videos supplied online were very helpful and easy to follow. Unfortunately, the second component came with screws that didn’t fit the part to be attached. The holes were 5/32 in diameter and the coarse-threaded screws provided would not tap into the holes. Thinking the holes were too small I enlarged one to 3/16 but that was too big and the screw wouldn’t tighten. I wasted a lot of time trying to get the new part to fit bit in the end I reused the old rear component. Dryer works great though! 

Replaced the old belt which had snapped after 15 years of use causing the tension pulley to activate the kill switch. Unplugged the dryer, took off the top by removing two screws inside the door of the dryer, then two screws that hold the front of the dryer on from just inside the top. Pulled the drum which just slides out. Threaded the belt over the motor pulley, pulled the tension pulley over to the right of the motor and hooked it on the edge of the motor mount. Replaced the drum sliding the belt on as it went, lined up the belt all the way around the drum in the small groove and released the tension pulley. The door switch was not necessary for this repair, but it had been sticking closed so the light sometimes did not come on, decided to replace while I was in there so it did not cause a problem down the road. 

I watched a GE repair video on youtube and he explains what could be wrong the mention 2 Items may cause problems, so I ordered the door switch, and the rotary start switch first. I installed rotary it didn't work. I installed the door switch. The dyer started to work. I'm more happier than a rooster inside a hen house, maybe my rotary switch is still good so I'll save it for the future in case it goes bad. Thanks to AppliancePartsPros.com my dryer is back to normal Amen to that. 

Easy fix with your guys' videos 

I wish I would have watched the Appliance Parts Pros video first. Instead of some guy on YouTube that left out key steps and had me unnecessarily remove the drum. Following the incorrect instructions actually caused me to destroy the safety button on the door. I ordered the belt and bottom on the Appliance Parts Pros site, watched the video, and the installation went relatively smooth. The belt tensioner was a little tricky, but I paused the video and zoomed in on how it’s supposed to be done. 

ORDER THE PARTS FROM APPLIANCE PARTS PROS.COM VERY EASY