20 Most Recent Kenmore 659 Electric Dryer - Page 4 Questions & Answers

It could be possibly your rear roller bearings expanding with heat causing them to not spin as freely? Im not really too sure but its an idea you dont have many moving parts on the unit. Just your idler pulley, blower wheel, and rollers. Hope this helps.

MJ

It is on the one end of the motor.

This sounds like the motor is bad. Hope you didn't pay too much for it. ;-)

This could be a couple of things. But more than likely the motor has burned out. It could be a wire has burned off, or even the timer has burned. Since you say it "shut off completely", I would have the power cord checked where it connects inside the dryer. UNPLUG it from the wall first! I have seen one wire burn off there from being a loose connection. There is a cover plate you can take off and look inside.

Some start buttons do not click. But it sounds like maybe the door switch.

It sounds like the timer is bad. Easy to replace and cheap. Maybe 15-30 dollars for the new one. Not difficult to install yourself, just open up the top console and unscrew the old on and slap the new one in. Takes maybe 15 minutes. Just be careful to put all the wires in the same spot as the old one. Even if you have a repair guy come and do it it will be much cheaper to fix than get a new machine.

Before you toss your dryer to the curb, here's some simple advice. I know you said you cleaned your dryer, but when was the last time you inspected the dryer vent and/or inside the dryer for lint? The symptom sounds like you could have a couple of possible issues. The dryer may have restricted air flow (Meaning, the vent hose is clogged from where it leaves the dryer to the vent outside. Or...the dryer may be clogged inside the air baffle inside the dryer where the lint screen goes.) You may also have a high limit thermostat that is malfunctioning or a blower fan not working properly. Here's some recommendations:

1. Remove the dryer vent hose from the dryer and turn the dryer on. Is the air leaving the dryer forceful and warm? (The air should measure about 140 degrees F) If so...you probably have a clog or kink in the ducting somewhere between the dryer and where it exits the house. If the air is weak and cool, you will need to inspect your dryer interior to find what is obstructing the air flow. Rodents are notorious for building nests inside the vent line or air baffle. Check the air blower fan to see if it is rotating. If enough lint is allowed to build up, it can obstruct the rotation of the blower fan. It some cases, the fan can shear off on the motor shaft and must be replaced.

2. Can you access the heating element so you can see it? Start the dryer with the casing removed so you can watch the heating element. The element should glow red, but not so bright that it glows like the sun, and it should cycle on and off. If it glows continuously, the high limit thermostat is a likely suspect and should be replaced. (NOTE: It is recommended that you replace the high limit thermostat and thermal cut-out at the same time. Some manufacturers will sell the two as a pair).

HINTS: If you have a lint screen in the door, you should be able to access the heating element by removing a panel under the door or by removing the entire front panel. If your lint screen is on top of the washer, you will have to remove the rear panel of the dryer to see the heating element.

If the dryer is left to run in an overheated or clogged condition, the thermal cut-out and/or heating element will eventually blow. It is recommended that you inspect the dryer to see what is causing your current problem. You should inspect the dryer ducting and exhaust about once per season and keep it cleaned. Clogged dryers are a hazard and can contribute to house fires.

CAUTION: Always unplug the dryer if you are servicing the inside of the unit. Dangerous voltages are present even with the unit turned off. Also, unplug the dryer if you have to remove the rear panel. The 220VAC terminal is directly behind the panel and can cause electric shock if touched.

I hope this information helps you. Post back if you need any further assistance.

PS I hope I'm not insulting your intelligence with this, but improper sorting of laundry can also attribute to longer dry times. Try not to dry dense or heavy items (i.e., towels and jeans) with lighter items like cottons and linens. More dense material holds moisture longer and can transfer this moisture to other articles you are attempting to dry.

Normally inside the air duct you will find the heating coil and the thermostats/thermistor.
Once you have located the heating coil, remove the two wires from it and check the coil with an ohm meter across the two terminals of the coil.
You should read continuity across the terminals, if not you will need to replace the coil as it is faulty.
If the heating coil is ok, then:
You can check the thermostat/thermistor by removing the two wires and taping them together with electrical tape.
If the coil heats up then replace the thermostat/thermistor.
DO NOT LEAVE THE WIRES TAPED TOGETHER AFTER THE TEST. This could cause a fire, as you have removed the safety of overheat from the machine.
I will include these two websites for parts and further help:
http://www.partselect.com/
http://www.appliancepartspros.com/index.aspx
Both also have chat assistance 24/7.
Good Luck,
Hope this helps

Hi Tim, I am not sure what kind of problem with the blue wires you are having? I believe the lower front panel is spring loaded and difficult to remove. Most dryers parts and repairs are done through the back, by removing both the large panel and the top small panel to excess the timer and other controls.I have never had to remove front panels unless it was to repair the door switch. Let me know more if you would like.
Shastalaker7

find the heater. The thermostat will be the larger round thing screwed to the housing the other smaller one is the thermal cut off. both have two wires. when you replace the larger round thing take it to a appliance parts store and make sure they give you the right degrees thermostat which can be found on the thermostat.

Hello there:
I would have to tell you that i dont think that the two would fail at the same time but it can happen but not too often
deffinatly replacethe timer and the heating element and this will solve the problem
also since you have the unit opened i would inspect all of the wiring for loose connections and moisture cause this will cause things like these to fail prematuraly ok?
I hope that this has peeb very helpfull for you
best regards michael

have you changed the coils?

It sucks to be you, doesn't it. Next time, don't put your pen in the dryer.

Check for a blown thermal fuse. It's about an inch long and is located inside the rear of the dryer, usually attached to or near the exhaust duct. It can be tested using a multimeter or ohmmeter. Check for continuity. A lack of continuity means a blown thermal fuse. Sorry for your trouble and I hope this helped. Best wishes.

The start button is also known as an infinity switch... and could have failed.
There is also a thermal fuse that may have gone bad if you overheated/overused it.
Please reply with a model # for more exact help.

Thanks for using FixYa - a 4 THUMB rating is appreciated for answering your FREE question.

Open the lower panel under the dryer door. You will need to insert a putty knife about two inches in from each side, along the front seam, to depress and release the panel retaining clips. With the panel open, the heating circuits are located on the right hand side. The Thermal Cut-Out (TCO) will be mounted on the outside of the heater box at the opposite end of the heating element terminals (towards the rear of the dryer). The Hi-Limit Thermostat will be located on the outside of the heater box as well, adjacent to the heating element terminals. To take a reading of either one of these components, you will need to unplug the dryer and disconnect the wires from each component (one-at-a-time) to properly isolate it from any parallel resistance paths. A good reading on either component should be 0 ohms. If either one of these components is found to be defective it is recommended that you replace BOTH of them. Failure to do so can result in pemature failure of any components you replace.

The replacement kit part number (if required) is 279769. You can purchase parts at any of the of the following websites:

searspartsdirect.com
appliancepartspros.com
pcappliancerepair.com
repairclinic.com

Prices vary between these sites, so shop around for the best deals. If you do not wish to order on line, take the part number provided, to the nearest appliance parts retailer. This is a common part they should carry in their store inventory.

If you need further assistance, please let me know. I hope this helps you.

I have a E1 code on my Kenmore H3 dryer. it runs great and then 15 mins into it E1 appears and it stops. Help!

First, make sure that there is no ventilation issue and that the vent is clean and clear. If the dryer isn't heating, check for a blown thermal fuse or a faulty heating element. Both components can be tested using a multimeter or ohmmeter. Check for continuity. A lack of continuity indicates a faulty component. Both components are located in the rear of the dryer. The thermal fuse is about an inch long and is usually attached to or near the exhaust duct. Remember to disconnect the dryer from the power source before attempting any repair.Sorry for your trouble and I hope this helped. Best wishes.