2 days ago I purchased a used KitchenAid dryer (not sure how old this model is). Apparently, I may have been cheated. ~:(
Heated dryer cycles start but don’t complete, shutting off after only a handful of minutes running. I can feel the air from the vent in these heated cycles begin to heat up, but the cycle then shuts off. The only cycles that appear will run their full timed cycle are the ones that use little to no heat.
The dryer was real clean, but I’ve thoroughly gone over it with a vacuum from all points inside the drum, and outside the housing that I can see. I haven’t opened up the back at all, so don’t know if there’s lint issues inside. Why would some cycles run and others shut off?
I have no manual. The $80 I paid was all I had – none to offer a repairman. I’ve no one else to call upon to help, so I’m here looking for some. I’m a fairly mechanically minded woman, so I can fix most things if I can understand what’s needed to do. I greatly appreciate easy to understand, step-by-step instructions.
Thank you so much!
Spent the last 3.5 hours following your excellent directions, cleaned it all thoroughly and managed to get it put back together. Although I will say that door, drum, belt thing is best as a 2-man job, isn’t it?
Alas, lint appears not to be the problem upon testing it on the Reg/High Heat cycle. Once again, as it began to heat up in the first 5-8 minutes or so, the dryer shut off. 
Perhaps I’ll have renewed energy tomorrow to tackle locating and replacing that Thermistor part you mentioned, but today I’ve worn my little self out and need to walk away.
Thank you again for your help, sir.
Well, sorry that did not work, worth a try and glad you were able to handle that by yourself. It is a two person job but usually we all have to do it by ourselves, and I am an old guy.
Hate to have you just throw money in parts, but if the control unit is ok there is a good chance the thermistor will fix it.
Let us know how it turns out.
Sir,
Yes, I’m sorry it didn’t work out either I was so hopefully optimistic that lint was the culprit.
When you say this part is located on the blower housing… does that mean I can get to it by taking the back panel off again? I won’t have to take apart the front of the dryer (door, drum, belt, etc…) I hope, I hope, I hope?
I’ve got bad weather here today and tomorrow, but Wednesday’s looking good for trying this next and final step.
Thank you!
Yes, you can get to it from the back, just take off the back panel if you put it back on to test it. In fact the hard physical work is done, the only question now is whether or not we can find out that it is an inexpensive part that will fix it. I suggested the cleaning out first because there was a chance that excess lint in the machine was causing the motor to overheat and shut down temporarily (it has a thermal protection device to do this so the motor does not burn out) and it was a cost free fix, if it had worked.
If you click on your model number you will see exploded views of your machine. The thermistor should be readily visible on the blower housing in back.
Good luck, hope this one works out.
Oh! Thank you! I hadn’t realized the model number was a hyperlink to a diagram. 
So, if I’m reading the diagram correctly, the Thermisor is behind the blower wheel, inside the blower housing?
Well, have not seen that model in a while but it should be on the outside. If you do not see it then it is on the inside, but I think you will find it sitting right there on the outside.