Dryer Won't Start?
8 Common Causes and What to Check

1. Control lock, Delay Start or a quick tap on Start Gas & electric

Many dryers that seem dead are simply locked or waiting. A control lock (often labeled Control Lock or Child Lock, with a padlock icon) ignores every button until you switch it off, and Delay Start makes the dryer wait before it runs. Many models also need a firm press and hold on Start: Maytag (opens in a new tab) says to hold it for about two to five seconds, depending on the model, and to use a dry finger on touch controls.

Can you fix it yourself? Yes, and it's worth checking first.

1. Turn off any control lock the way your owner's manual describes, often by holding one button for a few seconds.
2. Cancel any Delay Start setting.
3. Press and hold Start for a few seconds with a dry fingertip.

2. Tripped breaker or one leg of the 240-volt supply down Electric

An electric dryer runs on a 240-volt circuit fed by a double breaker, two switches joined by one handle. When it trips, or one side of the supply is lost to a blown fuse in an older panel or a loose connection at the outlet, the dryer can go completely dead or run without heat, depending on which side is out. A tripped breaker often sits in a middle position that looks almost on.

If the drum turns but there's no heat, see dryer not heating.

Can you fix it yourself? Yes, for the breaker.

1. Push the dryer's double breaker firmly all the way to OFF, then back to ON.
2. If it trips again right away, leave it off and call a technician or electrician: something is drawing too much current.

Don't test a 240-volt dryer outlet or open the cord's terminal block yourself. That's a job for an electrician or a technician with a meter.

3. Dead 120-volt outlet, a tripped GFCI or a loose plug Gas

A gas dryer burns gas for heat but plugs into a standard 120-volt outlet for the motor, the controls and the igniter. If that outlet loses power, from a tripped breaker, a tripped GFCI on the same circuit or a plug that worked loose when the dryer was moved, the dryer does nothing at all. Plug it straight into the wall: the U.S. Fire Administration (opens in a new tab) warns never to use an extension cord with a major appliance, since the cord can overheat and start a fire.

Can you fix it yourself? Yes.

1. Make sure the plug is pushed fully into the wall outlet.
2. Unplug the dryer and plug in a lamp to test the outlet.
3. Press Reset on any GFCI outlet nearby and reset the breaker. If the outlet stays dead, it needs an electrician.

4. Door not latching or a failed door switch Gas & electric

Dryers are designed not to run with the door open, so a door switch has to confirm the door is closed before the motor will start. A worn door catch, a sock caught in the seal or a switch that has failed leaves the dryer thinking the door is open. Some models have two latches, at the top and bottom of the door, and both have to engage.

Can you fix it yourself? Sometimes. Clearing a caught item or a lint-packed catch is easy. A failed switch is a part swap behind a panel, and it should never be taped down or bypassed.

1. Check the seal and the latch for caught clothing or lint.
2. Close the door firmly and listen for a distinct click.
3. Press Start while pressing gently on the door. If it runs only then, the catch or switch is worn.

5. Blown thermal fuse Gas & electric

The thermal fuse is a one-time safety part, usually near the blower housing or exhaust duct at the back of the dryer, that cuts power when the dryer runs too hot. On many dryers it sits in the motor circuit, so a blown fuse means the dryer won't start even though the panel may still light up. On others it cuts only the heat.

A thermal fuse rarely fails on its own: it blows because something made the dryer overheat, most often a lint-clogged vent. The fix is cleaning the full vent run, as described in dryer takes too long to dry, never a bigger or bypassed fuse.

Can you fix it yourself? Sometimes. Testing it takes a multimeter, and replacing it is a simple part swap on many models, but only after the vent is clear.

1. Unplug the dryer. On a gas dryer, slide it out gently and don't strain, kink or disconnect the gas line.
2. Clean the lint screen, the duct behind the dryer and the vent run first.
3. Replace the fuse with the exact part for your model number, never a jumper wire or a higher-rated fuse.

6. Broken drive belt tripping the belt switch Gas & electric

Some dryers have a belt switch that rests against the drive belt and shuts the motor off if the belt breaks. On those models a broken belt looks like a dryer that won't start, rather than one that runs with a still drum. If yours hums or runs and the drum just won't turn, the guide to a dryer not spinning walks through the belt, the idler pulley and the rollers.

Can you fix it yourself? Sometimes. The drum test is safe with the dryer unplugged; replacing the belt means removing panels and threading it around the idler pulley.

7. Frozen or failed control board, timer or Start switch Gas & electric

A dryer's electronic controls can lock up after a power outage or surge and ignore every button until they're reset. When a reset doesn't help, the Start switch, the mechanical timer on knob-style dryers or the electronic control board may have failed. Many electronic dryers show an error code first, and the code narrows down where to look.

Can you fix it yourself? Yes, for the reset. Testing the switch, the timer or the board takes a meter and the wiring diagram, so that part is a technician's job.

1. Unplug the dryer, or switch off its breaker, for a couple of minutes.
2. Restore power and try a cycle. If it still won't start, write down any error code and the model number.

8. Failed drive motor: a click or a hum, then nothing Gas & electric

A dryer's drive motor turns both the drum belt and the blower. When its internal start switch or windings fail, pressing Start gives a click from the controls or a hum from the motor, but the drum never moves. On push-to-start dryers, a motor that runs only while you hold Start and stops when you let go points to the motor's internal centrifugal switch.

Can you fix it yourself? No. Stop pressing Start if the motor hums, since a stalled motor heats up quickly. A seized drum or a jammed blower can stall a healthy motor too, so this one needs a technician's diagnosis.