Maytag Dryer Not Heating? Here’s How to Fix It

Is your Maytag dryer not generating enough heat or no heat at all, leaving your clothes damp and cold? Keep reading if so as this article will outline what the most likely causes are and provide step-by-step instructions for resolving the issue. 

All you need to get started is a little DIY experience and some standard tools, such as a multimeter and a set of screwdrivers. However, keep in mind that some of these troubleshooting steps will require you to disassemble parts of your dryer, so if you’re not comfortable doing this or are worried about how it will affect your warranty, consider consulting a dryer repair specialist.

Here’s why your Maytag dryer might not be heating properly and what steps you can take to fix it.

Thermal Fuse

All dryers are mandated to be fitted with a thermal fuse to prevent fires. These small safety devices work by cutting off power to the heating element when the dryer starts to overheat. However, they can only be activated once. That means when the thermal fuse blows, it must be replaced, otherwise your dryer won’t heat.

To check whether your dryer’s thermal fuse has blown, follow these steps:

1. Unplug your dryer to remove the risk of electrocution.
2. Pull your dryer away from the wall and remove its back panel.
3. Locate the thermal fuse; it’s usually found on the blower housing.
4. Disconnect the wiring on the thermal fuse.
5. Set your multimeter to ohms and press its probes against the thermal fuse’s terminals.
6. Check the reading on the multimeter. If it says 0 or if it beeps, the thermal fuse is fine and can be refitted.
7. If the reading is OL or 1, the thermal fuse has blown and must be replaced with a new one. 

Vent and Lint Screen

Dryers don’t typically overheat and blow their thermal fuses for no reason; there’s usually an underlying issue causing it. This issue is most likely to be a clogged vent, clogged lint screen, or both. When these are clogged, the hot air can’t be expelled effectively, allowing it to build up. This leads to overheating and causes the thermal fuse to blow.

So, if you’ve had to replace your thermal fuse, you’ll also want to clear your dryer vent and lint screen of any blockages to prevent the issue from occuring again. Follow these steps to do that: 

1. Unplug your dryer for safety.
2. Pull out your lint screen, remove the lint with your fingers, and then rinse it with mild soap and water.
3. Put the lint screen back in your dryer.
4. Disconnect the vent from your dryer and remove the vent hood found on the exterior of your house.
5. Attach a dryer vent cleaning kit, including the brush head and extension rods, to an electric drill and insert it into the vent.
6. Use your drill to spin the brush. Keep spinning until you reach the end of the vent.
7. Repeat this process, going all the way in and out of your vent until all lint and blockages have been removed.
8. Vacuum or sweep up any mess created and then reconnect your vent to the dryer.
9. Remember to clean your vent at least once per year and the lint screen after every cycle.

Heating Element

The heating element is what heats the air before it’s circulated around the dryer drum to dry your clothes. So clearly, when this key component breaks, your dryer stands no chance of heating.

You can check if your heating element is broken by following these steps:

1. Unplug your Maytag dryer for safety.
2. Remove the back panel to access the heating element.
3. Look for a metal case with coils of wire inside; this is the heating element.
4. Remove the heating element by disconnecting any wires and mounting screws.
5. Inspect the coils for any damage. If any of the coils are broken, the heating element will need replacing.
6. Set your multimeter to ohms and press its probes against the heating element’s terminals.
7. If the reading on your multimeter is 10 or close to it, or if it beeps, your heating element is fine and can be refitted.
8. If the multimeter doesn’t have the correct reading or if it doesn’t beep, your heating element will need to be replaced with a new one.

Thermostats 

Maytag dryers typically have a few thermostats. They’re responsible for regulating the dryer temperature by cycling the heat on and off (cycling thermostat) and cutting off the heat entirely when the appliance overheats (high-limit thermostat).

If any of the thermostats becomes defective, the dryer likely will not heat. Here’s how to check the thermostats:

1. Unplug the dryer for safety.
2. Remove the back panel.
3. Look for the thermostats; they’re usually found on the blower housing or near the heating element.
4. Only remove, test, and replace one thermostat at a time to avoid confusion.
5. Remove a thermostat by unfastening any mounting screws or clips and disconnecting any connected wires.
6. Set your multimeter to ohms and press its probes against the thermostat’s terminals.
7. If the multimeter beeps or its reading is 0 or near 0, the thermostat is likely fine and can be refitted.
8. If the multimeter doesn’t beep or its reading is OL or 1, the thermostat will need to be replaced with a new one. 
9. Repeat this process for all of the thermostats.

Other Possible Causes

Now we’ve gotten the most likely causes out of the way, there are also a few other potential causes you should be aware of. These include:

• Thermistor: A faulty thermistor can cause the dryer not to heat. You can use a multimeter, a hairdryer, and your dryer’s tech sheet to test its functionality.
• Power: Maytag dryers require a 240-volt supply to heat properly. You can use a multimeter set to AC voltage to test the wall outlet.
• Gas supply: A gas dryer won’t heat if the gas supply is off or restricted. Check the gas supply line for damage or kinks and ensure the gas supply valve is in the on position.
• Load size: If a load is too big, it can restrict air flow, creating the illusion that your dryer isn’t heating. Try reducing the load size.
• Wet clothes: If the load is soaking wet, it can be difficult for your machine to dry the clothes, making it seem like your dryer isn’t heating. When you wash your clothes, run a spin cycle to remove excess moisture from a soaking-wet load.
• Cycle setting: Many Maytag dryers have a no-heat setting for fluffing pillows or drying delicate items. Ensure your dryer is not accidentally set to this.