How to Get at the Igniter on a Whirlpool Dryer

Whirlpool gas dryers work with an electronic igniter that produces a spark over flowing gas to light the burner, which provides heat for drying the clothes. The igniter is located at the bottom of the appliance, toward the front. To get at the igniter, you must partially disassemble the Whirlpool cabinet using basic hand tools. Removing the panels to access the igniter typically takes less than half an hour.

Screwdriver
Needle nose pliers

Instructions

- 1
  Pull the Whirlpool dryer away from the wall far enough to reach and unplug the power cord. Shut off the gas to the appliance by turning the red handle on the gas line at a 90-degree angle.
- 2
  Lift the lint screen cover on top of the dryer to pull out the screen and extract the two screws underneath. Skip this step if your lint screen is built into the door.
- 3
  Pry up the corners of the Whirlpool dryer's top to make a gap of 1 inch, leveraging a flat-blade screwdriver into the crack between the top of the appliance and the front panel to raise the top.
- 4
  Pull the clip in the left corner inside the gap between the top panel and front panel of the Whirlpool, using needle nose pliers. Remove the clip in the right corner in the same way.
- 5
  Remove the screws in both sides of the front panel as well as the screws in the access panel below it.
- 6
  Pull the front panel off the cabinet carefully. Disconnect the door switch from the wiring harness by pulling the plug connected to the back of the front panel near the door portal.
- 7
  Remove the bottom kick plate to expose the igniter, which is in between the gas valve on the left and the burner on the right at the bottom of the appliance.

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