How to Troubleshoot Fuses on a Kenmore Front Load Dryer

Kenmore front load dryers use a control knob and cycle timer wired to the heating element. Selecting a cycle also sets the heat level for that particular cycle. As a safety feature, the dryer's heating element is wired to a thermal fuse that trips and shuts down the element if it overheats. Under normal operation, the dryer will work once the appliance cools down and the thermal fuse closes again. If the fuse burns out, though, the dryer might not heat at all. Testing this small part takes less than an hour.

Screwdriver
Ohmmeter

Instructions

- 1
  Disconnect the Kenmore's power plug from the wall outlet.
- 2
  Unscrew the clamp holding the vent tube on the back of the Kenmore to pull off the tube.
- 3
  Take out the screws that hold the back panel to the Kenmore cabinet. Pull the cabinet off the back, and slide the power cord through the opening near the bottom. Set the panel to one side.
- 4
  Remove the two wires clipped to the fuse terminals inside the Kenmore. Each wire slides off. The fuse is mounted on the left side of a metal canister near the top. The canister contains the heating element.
- 5
  Attach the two test wands on the ohmmeter to the two fuse terminals. The ohmmeter should display zero if the fuse is working. Any other ohm reading means the fuse is bad and must be replaced.
- 6
  Take out the two screws in the mounting plate underneath the fuse to remove it. Take the fuse, which is attached to the mounting plate, to an appliance repair shop for a replacement.

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