Maytag dryer does not work...

Dryer Repair
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1

Maytag dryer SDE 3606AYW will not turn on, but the interior door light works. What could be the problem?

Thanks!

3

You will need to test your door switch, and all your thermal fuses. They should read closed or 0 for contunity. The door switch will read closed when the door is closed. Here is the part for door switch, and a link to the parts diagram.AP4319999

http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/model.aspx?model_id=5176992&diagram_id=28538432

4

Here are your parts, includes wiring diagrams
http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/model.aspx?model_id=5176992

You will need a meter.
I am assuming the unit does not hum when tying to start.

You will need a meter.

Thinks to check are the door switch, the start switch and the thermal fuse (Item 4 in Section 5).

If the fuse is blown be sure to check/clean your vent system.

Also check the heater itself.
Check the heating coil.
Unplug the unit and both wires to the coil.
Check it with a meter, should be around 10 to 12 ohms.
Then check from each side of the coil to the case/frame, both should be infinite ohms (open). If not the coil may have sagged or broken and is touching the case. This can cause it to run on high and the thermostats cannot regulate it so the thermal cut-off blows.

The hi-limit should have regulated the temperature so the fuse did not blow.
Note: That unless there is another problem in the unit the hi-limit should never have to open. It is just a safety device with the fuse being a backup safety device.

Just in case it is not a grounded element.
With all the below the high limit will also have to be replaced.
Check that the belt is OK.
Check the seals (drum etc) in the unit. The air is pulled over the heating coils, through the drum and pushed out the exhaust. So any large seal leak will pull in room air and the cycling thermostat on the blower will run the unit hot.
Check that the lint filter is not coated with fabric softener residue which greatly reduces air flow.
Check/clean your vent system.
Check/clean the blower wheel.

If all OK you may want to replace the cycling thermostat as it’s contacts may not be opening (welded shut)

If you do not own a meter, I would suggest you purchase a one. You can get a decent digital multimeter for under $20.00. You do not need fancy though it is nice if the leads are a couple feet long.
If it saves ordering one unnecessary part it has paid for itself and you end up owning a useful tool.
Most places will not let you return electrical parts so if you order it, you own it.
A couple things to watch when measuring ohms and continuity

  1. Always remove power from the machine otherwise you could blow your meter.
  2. Always disconnect at least one side of any device you are checking. This eliminates the possibility of measuring an alternate/parallel circuit path.
  3. When checking for closed contacts and continuity use the lowest scale (Usually 200 ohms). Then try higher scales. This scale is 0 to 200 ohms so if the device you are measuring is 300 ohms this scale would show an open circuit which it is not, you are just measuring outside the scale’s dynamic range.

There is a good STICKY at the start of this forum about it’s use.