I have a Frigidaire dryer, model FSE446RHS0, that suddenly stopped heating.I suspected a problem with the high limit thermostat since it went out shortly after we bought the dryer 3 or 4 years ago and it had the same symptoms. However, rather than the thermostat being bad, one of the wires leading to the thermostat burned completely through at the thermostat.

I plan to replace the thermostat even though it seems to test out OK. However I'm not sure what to do about the wiring. Can I just cut off the burnt portion and reuse or should I replace the entire length of wire? Also, are there any additional concerns about the wire burning, e.g. a short somewhere else. My wife said all she did between loads was clean the lint filter and in the filter housing area.

Thanks for the great service you are providing!

I always just cut off any damaged wiring and replace the connector.If the wiring is too short then I replace all of it. Changing the thermostat is a good idea damage is not always visible.As far as other concerns I would ohm out the element and do a good visual inspectionon the rest of the heating circuit.

Thanks for the quick reply, appliancetec. I really appreciate it.

This failure suggests a vent restriction or air flow problem

Thanks for the info. I checked the air duct and it had a little buildup but not too bad.

The last load being dried was a load of towels. I wonder if part of the problem is a design problem on these dryers. The surface area of the lint screen located under the door opening is very small, especially compared to our previous dryer that had a long screen that was accessed from the top. We seem to get the most amount of lint with towels and so if it builds up enough and covers the screen, I can see how the air flow is getting restricted.

Yes, I do believe the design does play a big part in this problem