How to Fix A Whirlpool Dryer That Won't Heat Up

A dryer that no longer produces heat quickly turns the simple task of doing laundry into a stressful day of troubleshooting a malfunctioning appliance. While a number of defective parts can stop your dryer from heating up, some issues are more common than others, such as, a tripped thermal fuse, or faulty gas valve coils. If you’ve discovered either of the components previously mentioned are preventing your Whirlpool dryer model WGD4815EW from generating heat, please continue reading to learn how to replace them.

Unplug your dryer to avoid electrocution while you’re repairing it, and turn off the appliance’s gas supply valve. Work gloves and goggles should always be worn while troubleshooting and fixing a malfunctioning clothes dryer.

The Thermal Fuse

When a dryer overheats, the thermal fuse acts as a safety device, meaning it cuts off the electricity running to the motor. Oftentimes, a clogged vent can cause a dryer to overheat and the fuse to trip. Unfortunately, once the thermal fuse is blown, you cannot reset it. A tripped fuse can prevent your dryer from turning on or cause your appliance to stop generating heat. Replacing the thermal fuse and cleaning out your dryer’s venting tube is the only way to correct this issue.

How to Replace the Thermal Fuse in Your Whirlpool Gas Dryer

Either by yourself or with the help of another person, slide your dryer forward and away from your laundry room wall, and then move to the back of your appliance. Using a Phillips screwdriver, take out the screws holding the rear access panel to the dryer. Next, separate the panel from the back of the dryer and place it somewhere safe.
After the rear panel is removed, locate the thermal fuse, which is usually found on the blower housing. Once you find the fuse, disconnect the wires from the thermal fuse terminals. Then unthread the mounting screw holding the fuse to the blower housing. Next, pull the fuse off the housing.
Now that the old thermal fuse is removed, you can grab your new fuse and start installing it. To do so, simply place the fuse into the small slot on the blower housing. Then, secure the component with a mounting screw. Once the fuse is properly installed, connect the wires to the fuse terminals. Don’t worry about which wire goes to which terminal. The wire connections are interchangeable.
With the new thermal fuse installed, it’s time to reattach the dryer’s rear panel. Align the panel with the back of your dryer and rethread the screws you took out earlier.
If you haven’t already cleaned out your dryer’s venting tube, please take a minute to do so; otherwise, your appliance will once again overheat, causing the thermal fuse to trip.
Once you’ve finished cleaning out the venting tube, push your dryer back against your laundry room wall, and then plug-in your appliance and turn its gas supply valve on.

The Gas Valve Coils

When the flame sensor in your dryer is activated it sends a signal to the gas valve coils, which then open your dryer’s gas valve. If one or both of the coils are malfunctioning, the gas valve in your appliance won’t open, meaning your dryer won’t generate heat. Resolving this issue requires you replace the gas valve coils in your appliance.

How to Replace the Gas Valve Coils in Your Whirlpool Dryer

Start your repair by pulling out the lint screen from your appliance’s top panel. Next, unthread the screws found on the edge of the lint screen housing. Once the screws are out, insert a putty knife between the top panel and front panel of your dryer, near the left corner. Slide the putty knife towards the center of the appliance until you run into one of two spring clips holding the panels together. Once you hit the first spring clip, push down on it with our putty knife to disengage the locking mechanism. After the first spring clip is free, perform the same routine near the right corner of your dryer to disengage the second clip. Then, rotate the top panel backwards and rest it against your laundry room wall.
Locate the door switch wire harness, and pull it apart. Then, unthread the screws found inside the cabinet which secure the front panel to the dryer’s side panels. Next, carefully lift the panel up and off your appliance.
At this point, you’ll need to reach underneath the dryer drum to release the drive belt from the idler pulley and motor pulley. Once the belt is free, lift the dryer drum out of the dryer cabinet.
Now that you have a clear view of the gas valve, locate the two gas valve coils, which should be installed near the top of the valve. Once you’ve found the component, disconnect the wire harnesses from the coils. Then, using a Phillips screwdriver, loosen and remove the mounting screw securing the gas valve coils to the gas valve, and remove the faulty coils from your dryer.
Grab your new gas valve coils, and start installing them by sliding the component down the two shafts on-top of the gas valve. Once the coils are in place, rethread the mounting screw to secure the gas valve coils to the gas valve, and then connect the wire harnesses to the coils.
With your new gas valve coils installed, you can start putting your dryer back together. First, retrieve your dryer drum and carefully guide it back into the appliance cabinet. Next, reach under the drum and rethread the drive belt around the idler pulley and motor pulley in a “Z” formation. Then, stand up, and rotate the drum to align the drive belt.
Place the front panel back on your dryer, and rethread the panel screws to secure it to the dryer’s side panels. Once the screws are in, reconnect the door switch harness. Flip the main, top panel back around and push down on the panel to engage the spring clips that lock the main top and front panel together. After that, reinstall the screws on the edge of the lint screen housing, and slide the lint screen back into its slot.
To finish up your repair, plug-in your dryer and turn its gas supply valve back on.

If you’re dealing with a non-heating dryer and the repairs provided above do not fix your appliance’s malfunction, please contact us today and we’ll be happy to send an appliance repair technician to your home to service your dryer.

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