Feeling uneasy because your Samsung dryer has been making strange squeaking noises? It may feel like it isn’t much of an issue at first, but it will surely become a troublesome one if you don’t do something about it.
No need to worry because we wrote this article to provide you with all the information you need to troubleshoot your Samsung dryer’s squeaking noises. We also included answers to some frequently asked questions and maintenance tips for your dryer.
Each guide will be straightforward and easy to follow. You can do most of the troubleshooting by yourself, but a few will require professional assistance if you find difficulty completing any necessary replacements and/or repairs.
Reasons Why Your Samsung Dryer is Squeaking [Problems and Solutions]
Your Samsung dryer is squeaking because the dryer load is too heavy for it to handle. Reduce the load and make sure there is no excess water from the clothes.
It is also possible that the squeaking comes from problems in the dryer’s door, belt, drum, motor, and the dryer being unleveled.
Problem | Solution |
Heavy Dryer Load | Reduce the weight of the load inside the dryer when being used. This can be done by removing some clothing or by making sure that the clothes are drained of excess water that contributes to the heavy weight. |
Squeaky Dryer Doors | If the squeaking comes from the doors, the door felt is worn out or damaged. Remove the old pieces of door felt from the dryer’s door pocket and then apply hot glue and stick the new pieces of felt. |
Broken Dryer Belt | Replace the old damaged dryer belt with a new one. Unplug the dryer and remove the top and front panels of the dryer to access the drum and belt. Disconnect the old belt and attach the new belt. Make sure everything is intact and then close up the dryer. You should call for professional help if you find the steps to be difficult. |
Faulty Drum Rollers | Open up the dryer by removing the top and front panels. Detach the front drum assembly and the electronics around it. Apply lubricant to the drum rollers. These are a pair of greased wheels that allow the dryer drum to spin smoothly. There is a pair on the front drum assembly and behind the drum. If there is any sort of wear or damage found on the drum bearings, replace them with new ones. Call for professional help if you find the replacement process to be troublesome. |
Defective Idler Pulley | The idler pulley may need some lubrication to stop the squeaking noise it creates. Access it by removing the top and front panels of the dryer. Then remove the filter and air duct, followed by the front drum assembly. To finally access the idler pulley, detach the belt and drum from the dryer. If the idler pulley has any visible signs of severe damage, it needs to be replaced. Disconnect the electronics in the way of the pulley, and then unscrew the pulley from the dryer. Attach the new pulley to the dryer, reconnect all the electronics, and close up the dryer by attaching all the removed parts. It is highly recommended to call for professional help to replace or repair the idler pulley. |
Unleveled Dryer | Adjust the dryer’s legs until all legs are leveled. Use a carpenter’s level (or any other measuring tool) to verify if the dryer is leveled after the adjustments and make sure it is firmly planted on the floor. |
Quick Note: You can easily determine which specific parts and tools you need to purchase for the repairs and replacement of your Samsung dryer’s parts by checking its user manual. Identifying the dryer’s serial number can also help you identify which exact model of parts and tools you need. |
Heavy Dryer Load
Your Samsung dryer makes squeaking noises whenever the dryer load becomes too heavy. Overloading the dryer leads it to reduce its performance and can eventually create other problems apart from the squeaking noises.
Solution: Reduce the weight of the dryer’s load as soon as any squeaking noises occur while operating the dryer.
Make sure the dryer’s drum is never full. The maximum load should only occupy ¾ of the drum space.
It is also ideal to drain excess water from any piece of clothing you plan to place inside the dryer to further reduce the weight of the load.
Squeaky Dryer Doors
The dryer doors can make squeaking noises if the door felt found in the door pocket is worn and damaged.
This is because the metal parts of the doors grind against each other, causing the troublesome squeaking.
Solution: Replace the old door felt with new ones. Here are the instructions for it:
- Step 1: Remove the old door felt by peeling it off the door pocket.
- Step 2: Using sandpaper, sand off the glue residue.
- Step 3: Apply high-heat glue using a glue gun and wait 30 seconds for the glue to set.
- Step 4: Afterward, apply the new door felt on the glue. This should be able to soften the dryer door’s contact and stop the squeaking noise.
Broken Dryer Belt
The belt is responsible for transferring the energy generated by the dryer to allow the drum to spin and tumble the clothes inside.
Slipping or squeaking sounds can mean that the dryer belt is worn out.
Solution: Replace the old dryer belt with a new one. Here are the instructions to do so:
- Step 1: Unplug and empty the dryer.
- Step 2: Using a screwdriver set, remove the top and front covers of the dryer.
- Step 3: Disconnect any electronics in the way of the dryer’s drum.
- Step 4: Detach the drum’s front panel assembly using a screwdriver set.
- Step 5: Remove the old dryer belt and fit the new dryer belt in its place. Make sure to secure the belt tightly so that it doesn’t cause any malfunctions.
- Step 6: Reconnect all the electronics and accessories that were detached from the process.
- Step 7: Reassemble the covers and close the dryer up.
- Step 8: Check if the dryer functions as intended.
You will be opening up and accessing the deeper parts of the dryer, so call for professional help if you find the process to be difficult.
Faulty Drum Rollers
The drum rollers of a Samsung dryer are responsible for the smooth turning of the drum when the dryer is in operation.
Faulty rollers result in high friction with the drum, causing squeaking noises and potentially damaging the drum itself.
Solution: Lubricate the drum rollers to make sure it rolls smoothly.
If there is visible wear on the drum rollers, replace them with new ones by following these steps:
- Step 1: Unplug the dryer and make sure that it is empty.
- Step 2: Use a screwdriver set to remove the top and front covers of the dryer.
- Step 3: Remove the filter inside the drum’s front assembly by grabbing it and lifting it up.
- Step 4: Disconnect the electronics from the top and front covers (e.g. the control panel, moisture sensor wiring, and the drum light wire).
- Step 5: Unscrew the air duct from the front drum assembly.
- Step 6: Remove the four screws of the front drum assembly and detach it from the dryer.
- Step 7: Remove the belt by slowly pushing the idler pulley forward to create space for the belt to fit through. Lift the drum up slightly to fully release the belt.
- Step 8: Carefully lift up the drum from the dryer to remove it.
- Step 9: The drum rollers are located behind the front drum panel and at the very back of the dryer. Remove the rollers by detaching the front clip that’s holding them in place.
- Step 10: Inspect the pins of the rollers if they are also damaged since they can cause the rollers to perform poorly if faulty. If found to be damaged, replace them by using a wrench to remove the nut holding them in place.
- Step 11: Attach the new pins and rollers while carefully securing them into place.
- Step 12: Repeat all the previous steps in reverse to fully reassemble the dryer.
- Step 13: Test if the dryer functions as intended to make sure it was repaired successfully.
The entire process of accessing the entire dryer takes many steps and requires the temporary removal of many of the dryer’s parts. It is highly recommended to call a professional to do this to ensure an easier experience addressing this problem.
Defective Idler Pulley
The idler pulley is responsible for keeping the dryer belt tight to prevent it from coming loose and slipping against the dryer’s drum.
The squeaking noise comes from the belt constantly rubbing against the drum due to the idler pulley being defective.
Solution: Check the condition of the idler pulley. If it looks to be in good condition, then simply make sure that the belt is properly aligned with the idler pulley and give the pulley an oil treatment (using a special silicone spray).
If you find that there is visible damage on the idler pulley, replace it with a new one. Here are the instructions to replace the idler pulley:
- Step 1: Unplug the dryer and make sure that it is empty.
- Step 2: Use a screwdriver set to remove the top and front covers of the dryer.
- Step 3: Detach the filter inside the drum’s front assembly by grabbing it and lifting it up.
- Step 4: Disconnect any electronics such as the control panel, moisture sensor wiring, and the drum light wire.
- Step 5: Unscrew the air duct from the front drum assembly.
- Step 6: Remove the four screws of the front drum assembly and detach it from the dryer.
- Step 7: Remove the belt by slowly pushing the idler pulley forward to create space for the belt to fit through. Lift the drum up slightly to fully release the belt.
- Step 8: Carefully pull out the drum from the dryer.
- Step 9: Disconnect the idler pulley’s electronics and detach its tension spring from the steel bracket it’s connected to.
- Step 10: Unscrew the idler pulley to fully remove it from the dryer.
- Step 11: Attach the new idler pulley and secure it.
- Step 12: Repeat all the previous steps in reverse to reconnect all the electronics and reassemble all the parts and covers.
- Step 13: Check if the dryer functions as intended to make sure it doesn’t encounter any other problems.
Unleveled Dryer
The dryer needs to be leveled to perform optimally and avoid any unnecessary problems such as vibrating and strange noises.
Solution: Level your Samsung dryer by following these instructions:
- Step 1: Unplug the dryer and make sure it is empty.
- Step 2: Use a carpenter’s level to check the level from front to back and side to side.
- Step 3: If the dryer is not leveled, access the leveling feet. You can do this by tilting the dryer back and placing blocks to support it while it rests in place.
- Step 4: Turn the leveling feet left or right to increase or decrease their heights respectively. Do this until the dryer is leveled.
- Step 5: Measure if the dryer is leveled after the adjustment, and make sure that the dryer is firmly planted on the floor.
Frequently Asked Questions
A squeaking dryer is not ideal for use.
There are some cases where it can be used without consequences (e.g. if the problem is from the dryer doors squeaking), but in most cases, it is unsafe to use the dryer without addressing the squeaking problem first.
This is because the squeaking can mean unlubricated parts, which will continuously grind and wear themselves down if no maintenance is done.
It’s also possible that some parts are damaged, which can cause the dryer to malfunction more with prolonged use.
Make sure to perform the necessary maintenance on your dryer to prevent squeaking. Do not overwork it, and regularly check it for wear and damage.
The cost to fix a squeaking dryer varies depending on what’s causing the problem. Although, on average, the repair can range from $100 to $400, including maintenance, part replacement, and professional assistance.
If the problem isn’t as related to the internal components of the dryer, such as overloading the dryer load or the dryer doors causing the squeaking noise, then the cost to fix it should be minimal.
However, if the internal components are the ones causing the dryer’s squeaking, then be prepared as the price to fix the problem can potentially be expensive. Lubrication and maintenance will cost the least and part replacements will cost the most.
Hiring professional help to assist you in fixing the dryer’s squeaking problem will contribute to the overall cost. It may be pricey, though it is advised to always seek professional assistance if you have difficulty fixing the problem alone.
Now that you know why your Samsung dryer could be making those squeaking noises, you should be able to pinpoint which exact problems your dryer is experiencing and be able to address them with ease.