When you press start on my electric dryer the drum will not close. It is making noise like it wants to and it closes when you manually close it but it still wont run. The lights for extra dry and cool down are on.

the motor could be weak or the little pulley the belt goes around could be bad

Possible problem may be broken belt or misaligned door switch. Try carefully holding the door switch closed to see if the dryer starts. If the dryer turns while manually pressing the door switch, but not when the door is closed, then the switch is misaligned. Make switch alignment to fix.

I need more info about the dryer. Does you dryer make any noise when the start button is pressed, if you can hear the motor turning then more than likely your belt is either after slipping off the drum or breaking. you should be able to access the belt either by the back of the macine or the top to see if the belt is broke or just after slipping. Another problem it could be is that the capacitor in your dryer could have blown. To test this you press start, open the door of the machine, spin the drum by hand and close the door before the drum comes to a stop, if the drum continues to rotate after you close the door then you know it is the capacitor that is blown, this needs to be replaced either by an electrician or a specialist as it is possibe to connect the capacitor wrong and the result would be the capacitor exploding damaging your hand. Always plug out the machine before opening the top or back of the machine.

open door and turn drum clockwise by hand,listen for scraping"something hung in front or rear drum seal"close door and try start.if it still hums you may have a bad timer or motor ,or switch on motor.you may need to call for service on this one

or just a bad belt cheap but labor intensive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OVBi0LcrzQ

Instructions

1
Check that the dryer door is closing completely. Remove anything that blocks the dryer door from closing.
2
Ensure the "Start" button is pressed firmly to start the dryer cycle, the dryer is not overloaded and the clothing is not balled up. Any of these things can prevent the dryer from operating and/or drying the clothes.

3
Use a level to confirm your Whirlpool dryer is sitting flatly and evenly on the ground. Adjust the dryer as necessary for it to be level as the dryer will vibrate and make unnecessary noise when sitting unevenly.
4
Examine the inside of the Whirlpool dryer drum and in the space around the drum for loose change, pens, hair ties and other items that could have been left in the pockets of clothing. These items will cause noise and potentially cause the dryer to become inoperable.
5
Examine the Whirlpool dryer's lint trap for excess lint. Remove any lint from the trap and place it back into position. Always clean the lint trap between dryer cycles. Inspect the area around the dryer and in the ventilation and exhaust systems. Remove any built up lint and clean the area thoroughly. Built up lint is a fire hazard and can cause operating issues.
6
Check the gas shutoff valve if your Whirlpool dryer is gas powered. Ensure the shutoff valve is turned all the way to the "On" position.
7Check the electric plug and ensure it fits securely in the outlet.
8
inspect both the fuse box and circuit breaker for any electrical problems. Replace any blown fuses, if necessary, and reset the circuit breaker if it has been tripp

See if you can spin the drum with little resistance or is it really hard to spin?

The bearing slides and/or the bearings are either dirty or worn out. To repair or replace these, need to remove the drum.

Look closely at the seam of the dryer drum, at the very front and the very back. I suspect that the seam has developed a crack, and makes a thumping noise each time the crack passes over the drum support rollers. You will have to replace the drum to eliminate the problem

You most likely have a bad motor. Try to spin the dryer drum by hand with the door open, door swich held or taped down, and while pressing start. This will likely get the motor going. If this works try closing the door and starting it again. If it works now the motor may have just had a hard time starting do to it's position or the drum's postition. If it only works when you help it out manually you have a bad motor or maybe a sticky drum/jammed belt/etc. Good luck!