Troubleshooting a Kenmore Elite HE3 Gas Dryer

Won’t Run/No Heat

• 1

  Push on the dryer door to make sure that it is closed tightly and give the “Start” button a firm push. You should hold the button between two and five seconds to get it to start.

• 2

  Go to your household breaker box or fuse box to check for blown fuses or tripped breakers. Replace any blown fuses with time-delay fuses only. For tripped breakers, you just need to flip to reset.

• 3

  Open the gas supply valve, if it is not already open. This is usually the cause of no heat if the dryer is a new installation.

Odd Sounds

• 4

  Listen closely to determine if the sound resembles a clicking. If so, this is the normal noise of the gas valve clicking.

• 5

  Open the dryer and separate any laundry that has gotten tangled together and its bouncing off the dryer sides is causing a noise.

• 6

  Push on the dryer to see if it rocks. If so, it is not level and that may be the cause of the noise. Adjusting the legs of the dryer with a wrench will get it level and stop the associated noise. With the wrench, you have to loosen the nuts on the legs so that you can extend or shorten each leg. When done, use the wrench again to tighten the nuts to keep the legs in place.

Error Messages

• 7

  Look on the dryer display panel for an error code.

• 8

  Push and hold the “Start” button if the error code is “PF.” This will restart the dryer.

• 9

  Consult with a qualified service technician if the error code starts with an “F,” which means an internal failure.

Drying Performance Problems

• 10

  Lift out the lint screen and roll off the lint buildup with your hands. This keeps the dryer heating satisfactorily and should be done before each load of laundry.

• 11

  Run the dryer and go outside to hold your hand under the exhaust hood. If you feel little or no air movement, there is a clog that needs cleaned out for the dryer to work properly. Stop the dryer and carefully reach in to the hood to remove the buildup.

• 12

  Take out any extra fabric softener sheets because these can block the grill in the dryer drum. Only use one per load of laundry.

• 13

  Move the dryer to a more suitable room if the temperature in your laundry room is below 45 degrees Fahrenheit or if there are no ventilation openings for the dryer. For dryers in a laundry closet, you need ventilation openings at the top and bottom of the closet door.

• 14

  Remove some items from the dryer if it is an oversized load, which makes it harder for the laundry to get dry.