Thread: Amana dryer (model #LEA60AW), possible overheating problem

I have been experiencing some problems with my Amana dryer. It runs for a few minutes and then shuts off. It starts back up once it has cooled down. If I try to start it up before it has cooled down, it sort of buzzes, almost like when trying to start a car with a dead battery. If I hold the start button down for, say, 30 seconds, it will quit buzzing altogether, and I will have to wait another length of time before it works again.

One other clue is after the dryer runs for a time, I can detect a faint burning smell, which seems stronger in the back of the dryer then in the front. I opened the dryer up tonight and nothing inside looks burned, and each of the switches seems to be intact. The metal grill in the back of the cylinder (part # 2 in this diagram http://edge.maytag.com/B2C/diagrams/28635.jpg) is darker in the middle as though it has sustained some burns (it could be some burned lent residue, come to think of it; I'm not sure), but it has been there since I bought it, and I don't know if it's related. For what it's worth, I got inside and smelled it and am fairly certain that's not where the smell is coming from.

While I had it on the operating table, I thoroughly cleaned the ventilation system, from the lint trap to the outside vent, and it didn't help.

I bought it used four months ago. I can't tell how old it is, though it appears to be in very good shape, being as I have spelunked virtually every duct and cranny of it now. I noticed the problem almost immediately after I bought it. However, initially it would run fine nearly the entire cycle before shutting off, so I ignored it. Since then, it has gotten much worse. It now shuts off after running for only ten minutes or so.

I Googled the model number and found someone else who appears to have had the same problem (applianceguru.com/forum2/1281.html). However, no one was able to solve her problems. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

And now, a few keywords to help future Googling Amana owners find their way: amana dryer model number LEA60AW overheat hot shuts turns off shuts down