One of the most common issues among dryers is failing to heat correctly. And even a top appliance brand like Samsung isn’t exempted from this issue.
So what causes your Samsung dryer not to heat and how can you fix it? Let’s jump right into it.
Why is your Samsung dryer not heating?
Samsung dryers won’t heat up if the heating coil is damaged, the cut-off fuse is blown, or the thermostat is faulty. A malfunctioning control board can also be an issue.
To fix it, unplug your dryer and replace the damaged heating components. Cycle the circuit breaker and remove some items from your dryer.
If you need a more comprehensive guide, keep reading below to learn how to perform these repairs step-by-step.
Important Note: Unplug your dishwasher first before making any repairs to avoid injury by electrocution. Press the start or power button and make sure the panel no longer lights up.
Causes and Solutions
There are 6 possible reasons why your dryer isn’t heating correctly.
- The heating elements are damaged.
- The thermal cut-off fuse is blown.
- The cycling thermostat is faulty.
- The control board heater relay is malfunctioning.
- The power supply is insufficient.
- The dryer is overloaded with clothes.
And here’s a quick overview of how to troubleshoot these errors.
| Cause | Solution |
| Damaged Heating Elements | Unplug your dryer and check your model’s user manual. Locate the heating element in your dryer and inspect it for signs of damage. Replace the heating element by uninstalling the old one from its housing and disconnecting the electrical wires. |
| Blown Thermal Cut-Off Fuse | Check your manual to locate and access the thermal assembly. Wait for the fuse to cool down completely before removing it. Once you located the fuse, disconnect it and replace it with a new one. Also, clean the air vents and make sure they are not clogged with dust and other small particles. |
| Faulty Cycling Thermostat | Refer to your dishwasher’s tech sheet and locate the heating element. Next, remove its electrical connectors and unthread the screws to remove the thermostat from the heating element. Install the new thermostat and secure it in place. |
| Malfunctioning Control Board | Call a professional repair service to fix your control board heater relay. You can also opt to change the entire board if the damage is severe. |
| Insufficient Power Supply | Perform a cycle on your circuit breaker by turning it off for 30 seconds and turning it back on again. If the circuit breaker keeps on tripping, call a professional electrician for help. |
| Overloaded Dryer | Check your manual and verify the recommended loading capacity for your dryer. If you don’t have the manual, only load 75% of your dryer’s height to allow the hot air to circulate inside your machine. |
Now let’s talk about them one by one.
Damaged Heating Elements
Heat is necessary to dry your clothes effectively. This is why Samsung dryers have a built-in heating element to meet the required temperature.
The heating elements for each Samsung model may differ slightly but they generally work the same way. The main control sends power to the heating element and a blower fan pushes the hot air into your dryer.
The hot air circulates inside the dryer’s tub and dries your wet clothes.
If your Samsung dryer isn’t heating up, it is most likely caused by a damaged heating element. The coils may be burnt out or no longer have continuity.
Solution: First, make sure that your dryer is unplugged and no longer has any power. Press the power button and verify that it no longer lights up.
Next, check your dryer’s manual and technical sheet to help you locate the heating element for your dryer model. Although most models install their heating elements on the bottom front side, it’s best to be certain.
If your model is the same way, follow the steps below to access the heating element.
- Step 1: Unplug your dryer and create enough space to access the rear panel.
- Step 2: Unscrew the top panel, remove it, and set it aside.
- Step 3: Release the locking tab on the control panel and lift the panel off and set it on the top.
- Step 4: Open the dryer door and unthread the screws located at the bottom of the door. Unthread the upper screws that are holding the front panel.
- Step 5: Disconnect the wire harness by pulling it off from the front panel.
- Step 6: Remove the front panel by lifting it from the mounting brackets on the bottom of the dryer. Set the panel aside.
- Step 7: Locate the heating element. Once you’ve found it, disconnect the moisture sensor.
- Step 8: Unthread the screws on the heating element. Lift the heating element and remove the locking tab.
- Step 9: Slowly pull the heating element out of the duct in the back. Make sure the wire harness comes out from below the lint screen duct.
- Step 10: Disconnect all the wire harnesses connected to the heating element. Take note of the position of the wires to guide you in reinstalling them later.
Once the heating element is completely uninstalled, first, check it for visible signs of damage. If the coils are discolored, burnt-out, or broken, you’ll need to replace your dryer’s heating element.
Test the heating element if there are no visible signs of damage. To perform a continuity test, follow these steps:
Single Coil Heating Element:
- Step 1: Turn your multimeter to the continuity setting.
- Step 2: Touch each of the probes into each of the wire terminals.
- Step 3: Wait for an audible beeping sound indicating that your heating element is still in working condition. If you don’t hear any noise, it no longer has continuity.
Multi-Coil Heating Element
- Step 1: Locate the common wire terminal. To do this, look at where the coil attaches to the wires and check which terminal has 2 or 3 coils joined together.
- Step 2: Touch one of the probes of your multitester on the common wire terminal and the other probe on the other terminal.
- Step 3: Repeat the process on the remaining wire terminals. The tester won’t make any noise if the heating element is bad.
- Step 4: Check if your heating element is shorted by touching one of the probes on the wire terminals and the other on the metal housing.
- Step 5: Repeat the process on each of the wire terminals. If you have continuity on your wire terminals and the housing element, then your heating element is shorted.
Remember not to plug your dishwasher in before replacing the damaged heating element. Bring the damaged part to your local appliance parts for replacement.
Simply retrace the steps above on how to access your heating element to install a new one.
Blown Thermal Cut-Off Fuse
The thermal cut-off fuse is an important part that prevents your dryer from overheating and damaging the entire appliance.
If the temperature inside your dryer goes beyond the limit, the fuse will burn out and stop the heating element from generating more heat.
Because of its function, the thermal cut-off fuse is also known as a sacrificial device. But when it’s blown, your heating element won’t also generate heat unless the fuse is replaced.
One of the reasons why your dryer gets too hot is because the air vents are clogged, which prevents proper airflow. This traps the heat inside the drum and triggers the cut-off fuse.
Solution: Since the thermal cut-off fuse is a disposable part, it’s not fixable. However, it can be replaced quite easily.
Follow these steps to perform a replacement:
- Step 1: Unplug your dryer and have your manual and technical sheet handy for reference.
- Step 2: Locate the thermal cut-off fuse and heating element in your dryer. Follow the steps to access it.
- Step 3: Remove both wires from the terminals. Unscrew the cut-off fuse to remove it entirely.
- Step 4: Install the new thermal cut-off fuse and screw it in place. Reconnect the wires on the new fuse and reinstall your dryer back into place.
Also, clean the air vents of your dryer from the inside and the outside. Make sure to remove dust particles, cobwebs, and other causes of clogging.
Faulty Cycling Thermostat
The heating element in your dryer is not designed to work continuously for the entire duration of the drying cycle. If it heats non-stop, your machine will break down from overheating.
When the maximum safe temperature is reached, the heating element shuts off to prevent overheating. it switches back on again if the temperature is too low.
To regulate the heat generated by the heating element, it’s the cycling thermostat’s responsibility to detect the temperature inside your dryer.
However, if the thermostat becomes faulty or worn out, it may read the temperature incorrectly, which will cause your dryer to overheat or not heat at all.
Solution: Test your thermostat to verify if it’s working correctly. To do this, you’ll first need to access the cycling thermostat.
Following these steps to access the cycling thermostat.
- Step 1: Unplug the appliance before starting your repair.
- Step 2: Unthread the screws at the back that are securing the top panel of your dryer.
- Step 3: Lift the panel off and set it aside.
- Step 4: Remove the control panel and disconnect the wire harness.
- Step 5: Unthread the screws of the front panel from the top side and inside the door.
- Step 6: Depress the locking tabs of the front panel and pull the panel out slightly.
- Step 7: Disconnect the door switch wires and lift off the front panel completely.
- Step 8: Disconnect the moisture sensor harness and move it out of the way.
- Step 9: Unscrew the heating element and detach the mounting bracket.
- Step 10: Unscrew the mounting bracket and pull it out to access the heating element.
- Step 11: Slowly pull the heating element out of the dryer and disconnect the wires attached to the thermostat.
- Step 12: Unthread the screws securing the thermostat on the heating element and remove it.
Next, visually check the thermostat for any signs of damage. If there are none, do a continuity test on the thermostat.
This is how you do a continuity test on your thermostat:
- Step 1: Set your analog multitester to the lowest setting of ohms of resistance.
- Step 2: Calibrate the tester by touching the probes together and adjusting the needle to read zero.
- Step 3: Use each probe to touch each terminal in the thermostat.
- Step 4: Check the multitester. If the reading shows zero ohms of resistance, then the thermostat is working fine.
However, if the needle does not move significantly or at all, then the thermostat is already damaged.
Bring your old thermostat to an appliance part shop and install a new one on your dryer.
Malfunctioning Control Board
Another likely reason why your dryer isn’t heating is that the main control board isn’t sending power to the heating element.
Every function in your dryer is connected to the main control board. It reads the signals from the sensors, controls the start and duration of the cycle, and sends power to all the other components of the appliance.
Your dryer’s ability to generate heat is also handled by the main control board. It has a heater relay system that triggers the heating element to start or stop working.
However, the main control board is also vulnerable to electrical damage, especially due to a power surge after a blackout.
When this happens, it may fail to send power to the heating element, causing your dryer to not heat at all.
Solution: Access your control board and check it for damage. To do this, follow the steps below.
- Step 1: Unplug your dishwasher from the power supply.
- Step 2: Unscrew the top panel of your dryer.
- Step 3: Remove the control panel and locate the main control board.
- Step 4: Check the control board for loose connections or damaged circuits.
- Step 5: Replace the control board if you find any damage to it. Disconnect the wire connections and bring your old control board to an appliance parts shop.
- Step 6: Reinstall the new control board by reversing the steps above.
Insufficient Power Supply
Another likely reason why your dryer’s heating element does not have power is that your appliance isn’t getting enough power to function correctly.
Samsung dryers require more power to operate than your normal appliances. That is why it commonly requires a two-phase power supply to run smoothly.
If your dryer is connected to two circuit breakers, one of them could trip and reduce the power your machine is receiving.
When this happens, the control panel may still turn on and function normally but the heating element won’t be able to receive enough electricity to generate heat.
Solution: First, identify which circuit breakers are connected to your Samsung dryer. Then check the switches on both breakers and make sure that they are turned on.
Perform a cycle on your breakers by turning them off for 30 seconds and turning them back on again.
If the breakers keep on tripping after performing a cycle, you may need to ask a professional electrician to check them.
Overloaded Dryer
A wet laundry after a cycle in your Samsung dryer may seem to indicate that the machine isn’t heating correctly. However, it can also be an effect of an overloaded dryer.
Your dryer requires extra room inside the drum so that the hot air can circulate properly. However, if you have loaded more than the recommended amount, it still remain damp after the cycle.
Solution: Check your manual and read the loading limit and recommendations for your model. If you don’t have a manual or have lost it, it’s recommended to only load your dryer at about 75% of its capacity.
Also, utilize your model’s options and functions to help dry your laundry better. While some fabrics only need low-drying temperatures, others may require a hotter drying option.
If you have more laundry to dry, load them on a separate cycle instead of squeezing everything into your dryer.
With enough experience in tools and repairs, you’ll be able to DIY the repair of your Samsung dryer and get it back in tip-top shape in no time.
However, if some of these steps seem a little overwhelming, don’t hesitate to call Samsung Support Center or hire an appliance repair professional for help.
