FIXED Whirlpool Dryer LER6636PW1 Runs, Won't Heat

[stacia]

Model Number

LER6636PW1

Brand

Whirlpool

Age

More than 10 years

Good morning all. We have a Whirlpool Dryer Model # LER6636PW1 that is about 16 years old which is running but has no heat.

The first thing we noticed is that it was kicking on by itself. The "wrinkle shield" option does that, but we didn't have wrinkle shield turned on. I'd turned on the dryer just before bed and when we got up, we heard it kick on by itself. At that point I realized the laundry wasn't fully dry (mostly, but not quite) and the dryer wasn't heating up at all.

The basket inside moves as normal, best I can tell. There aren't any weird noises when it runs. The timer seems to work just fine. It's just that there's no heat on any temperature setting.

My husband checked the breaker and it hadn't tripped, and he said the 220 outlet was working fine. We then checked the lint catcher and the exterior vent and air is coming through just fine, but it's not hot, of course.

What should we check next?

 

[Jake]

Ok next UNPLUG THE DRYER then ohm test your thermal cut-off and high limit thermostat for continuity, If that's bad it will not heat either.

Here's the thermal cut-off for your model, it includes your hi-limit thermostat as well, that MUST be changed too:
279816 Thermal Fuse(aka Thermal Cut-Off Kit)


Here is a photo of the back of your dryer without the back access panel on, the thermal cut-off is #1 here:

Unplug your dryer first before removing the back access panel and parts testing!

Watch this video for how to access them:



Watch this video for how to ohm test them:



Let us know what you find.

Jake

 

[stacia]

It's the heating element! We tested the thermal cut off, the thermal fuse, the thermostat, and they were all fine, so we went to test the heating element and saw that about half of it looked, er, charred. Tested it to make sure it was dead and it was, so we've ordered a new one.

I do have one more question: the thermostat that fits into the heating element is hard to get off, we haven't actually gotten the jumper wire off of the heating element prong yet. What would you recommend? We don't want to break the thermostat. Can we loosen it with WD-40 or something?

 

[Jake]

Good job finding it was the heating element, that's what I was going to have you check next.

Here's the heating element for your model:
279838 Heating Element

I do have one more question: the thermostat that fits into the heating element is hard to get off, we haven't actually gotten the jumper wire off of the heating element prong yet. What would you recommend? We don't want to break the thermostat. Can we loosen it with WD-40 or something?

It should just pry off, get a flathead screwdriver or needle nose pliers and pry it off.

Let us know how it goes.

Jake

 

[stacia]

We got the part Saturday and put it in Sunday and our dryer works again! This was probably one of the easiest repairs we've ever done. The only halfway tricky thing about it was getting the jumper wire off the heating element but a flat head screwdriver popped it off in no time.

Your posts were a big help and so were the videos, thanks!

 

[Jake]

Excellent, glad to hear the new heating element fixed it.

Thanks for the update!

Jake