How to Troubleshoot & Replace Whirlpool AP6013115 / WP8544771 Dryer Heating Element

First verified that the heater relay on the control board was not stuck in the "on" position. After that, checked heater element power terminals, and one was shorted to ground. Visual inspection showed that the one of the heating wire connections to the terminal was broken, and the end of the terminal wire was resting on the heater case, grounding it. This explains why the heater was active during air fluff, as it took the heater relay out of the control loop. Replaced the heater element. Also replaced the high limit thermostat, thermistor and thermal cut-off while I had the dryer open. Worked fine after that. 

I had to disassemble the entire dryer to gain access to the area where the heating element was located. Dryer is a bit older so it fairly easy to work on. Just lots of sharp edges. 

Ordered part from excellent Appliance Parts Pro website. The part arrive THE NEXT DAY!!! Replaced element, dryer fixed. 

Replaced heating element by accessing from front using YouTube video. Confirmed it was this component using a multimeter to check continuity in fuses and heating element. 

Replaced heating element, it had fused to the support plate and melted 

Replaced dryer heating element. 

My dryer suddenly stopped heating. Opening it up, I found that the heating element had a break in it, probably from a spot wearing thin and overheating. As the dryer took about an hour for me to open up, I also wanted to fix a squeaky noise that I've had for about six months. I ordered the dryer repair kit, which has all of the support bearings and the belt pulley wheel and a belt. I went ahead and replaced all of those even though only one bearing was squeaking since the price of the kit was not much more than a single bearing and I already had the dryer open. The little plastic triangular wheel holders are a pain to take out and put back, but everything else was simple. Just be sure to keep track of the screws when you disassemble the dryer! 

I ordered the heating element and used the video with step by step instructions and got the bad part replaced. 

I watched the troubleshooting video and was able to trace the issue to the heating element. I could not find the part online e so I called and ordering was easy. The part arrived quickly and was the right part. I had the dryer back together and working perfectly in no time. Great site. 

Dryer was still working but without heat, so we thought that the sensors must still be working but the heating element was not. Researching it on Appliance parts the sensors were a common failure so I decided if I was going to be taking it apart I was going to replace them as well. The videos made it easy and all replacements went smoothly, the heating element had failed and the coil had broken. After replacing the parts it was heating and working again.