Whirlpool Duet dryers are considered some of the most high-end appliances on the market. They employ cutting-edge sensing technology to intelligently adjust drying times and ensure your drying cycle finishes as soon as the clothes are dry, making them very energy-efficient.
However, as with all appliances that use complicated technology, they can run into some problems or error codes from time to time that you might need to address.
These issues can certainly be frustrating to deal with if you don’t know what to look for. So in this article, I will simplify the troubleshooting process by listing all the most common problems and giving you easy-to-follow steps on how to fix these issues.
Common Whirlpool Duet Dryer Problems
There are several issues that can crop up on a Whirlpool dryer, so let’s first take a look at these problems in detail so you can get a better idea of what steps you should take to address a given dryer issue.
1. Whirlpool Dryer Won’t Start
At first glance, this can seem like a catastrophic issue, and you might already be planning to replace the entire appliance. But oftentimes this is due to something much simpler such as the child lock being enabled or the power might have been tripped.
In some cases, there may be a component failure which might include a blown thermal fuse, a faulty door latch, or start button. In some rarer cases, the motor may have blown, which will require replacing by a trained technician.
2. The Dryer Keeps Beeping
Sometimes you may find that your dryer keeps beeping, and it will either not begin a wash cycle or the drum will not spin. While this may certainly be one of the more annoying issues to have, but is usually a control panel issue and may need to be replaced.
However, if you just hear 3 beeps in sequence it means the door isn’t shut. You may have just forgotten to shut the door, or something is blocking it from closing fully, such as a piece of clothing.
But it’s also possible the door lock may be experiencing a fault or the door switch has failed.
3. Dryer is Loud and Vibrating Heavily When Operating
Washers/dryers have a lot of systems in place to keep the appliance nice and quiet when operating. This is not only for your convenience; no one wants to be disturbed by a loud dryer.
Excessive vibration can damage the internal components over time, so it’s best to get it addressed as soon as possible. Common causes of loud noises or high vibrations are the drive belt becoming worn down or frayed which may require replacing.
The drum rollers, which help support the drum as it spins, may also wear down and develop flat spots, which cause loud rumbles as the drum spins. You’ll need to inspect both the drive belt and roller support systems for signs or wear and replace them as needed.
4. The Clothes are Not Drying Properly
Dryers dry clothes by passing hot air around them which then evaporates the water into the air that is then ejected through the exhaust. So if the air vent has become blocked up, it will cause the hot air to stay in the dryer drum, keeping your clothes wet.
While cleaning out the dryer vents is a good first step, the real cause of why they have become clogged up in the first place is due to the lint filter becoming clogged.
The lint filter or lint trap is designed to catch the small clothing fibers that get pulled out of your clothes and like to bundle up and accumulate inside your dryer.
This lint trap needs to be cleaned out every few weeks, otherwise, the lint will end up accumulating somewhere else in the dryer. If you’ve been neglecting this for a while now’s a good time to clean out the lint filter.
You should see a significant increase in performance after doing so.
Additionally, if you are overloading the Whirlpool dryer and trying to dry too many clothes at once there might not be enough room for the warm air to circulate around the clothes. So drying a smaller load of laundry can also help with this problem.
5. Dryer isn’t Heating Well
Dryers produce heat by heating up a heating element which the air then passes over.
This heating element can sometimes burn out and no longer produce heat due to something like a power surge. So you’ll need to inspect the heating element and replace it accordingly.
6. Dryer Stopping Mid-Cycle
When your dryer stops mid-cycle, it can be very confusing. It might be caused by the power cable not being fully plugged into the outlet and accidentally knocked out.
But more often, it’s due to the dryer overheating. Once it detects excessive heat inside the drum, the dryer will pause the wash cycle to protect itself.
This is most often caused by lint accumulation which restricts airflow, so once again it’ll need to be cleaned out. However, in some very rare cases, it’s caused by a defective control panel in which case the whole board may need to be replaced.
How to Troubleshoot a Whirlpool Duet Dryer
Now that you have a better understanding of the most common problems that can occur on a Whirlpool Duet Dryer, now we can take a look at how to get these problems fixed up and restore your dryer back to working order.
1. Fix a Dryer that’s Not Starting
The culprits behind a Duet Dryer not starting are wide and varied; here’s a quick step-by-step guide on how to ensure your dryer can start:
- Check that it’s plugged in and the power cable is seated correctly. It’s also worth double-checking the circuit breaker to ensure a power surge hasn’t tripped it.
- Make sure the child lock is disabled. You can disable the child lock by holding the corresponding button down for 3 seconds, you should hear an audible beep which confirms that it’s now disabled.
- Ensure the door can close properly. This will include making sure no clothes are getting pinched, the door is fully latching, and the door sensor is functional. It’s worth cleaning the sensor connection points with a cotton swab and some rubbing alcohol to ensure it can make a positive connection.
- It’s possible the thermal fuse has blown due to overheating. These are single-use components so once it’s blown the only option is to install a new one yourself.
- If you suspect the motor isn’t working, you can try to clear out any obstructions, such as lint buildups, or remove any small pieces of clothing that have become stuck. But if the motor is faulty the whole unit will need to be replaced.
2. Fixing Constant Beeping Sounds
When your dryer beeps constantly, it may indicate a problem with the control panel, which just needs to be replaced. This is very difficult to replace yourself so here our recommendation is to contact Whirlpool customer support who will arrange for a trained technician to come out and replace it for you.
If you are hearing 3 consecutive beeps instead of just single beeps, it means the door isn’t closing correctly. You should check that no clothes or items are falling out and preventing the door from latching.
If there is nothing in the way, it may indicate that the door latch has become damaged, in which case you should replace it with a new one.
3. Address Excessive Vibration
If your dryer is vibrating loudly or making clunking noises, the first thing to check is the drive belt. If it looks frayed or worn, it’s time to replace the belt with a new one, as it may eventually snap.
Additionally, you should also inspect the drum rollers for low spots which may also contribute to increased vibration and drum wear, these should also be replaced.
4. Poor Drying of Clothes
If your clothes are not drying properly and you find they’re still wet after the wash cycle has finished, here are some simple steps to fix the problem:
- Start by cleaning out the lint filter. This can be just removed from the dryer and washed under some warm running water. This will then catch the lint and stop it from building up elsewhere. Ideally, you should clean out the lint screen every few weeks before it clogs completely.
- Next, you should clean the dryer vents by disconnecting them and brushing them clean. This will allow the moist hot air to be expelled from the dryer properly.
- You should also ensure you don’t overload the Whirlpool washer; when there are too many clothes inside the drum or there won’t be enough room for the hot air to circulate. Try not to fill the drum more than 75% full on a single dry cycle.
5. Replace the Faulty Heating Element
If your dryer is not heating up properly it may indicate that the heating element is burned out. You can usually inspect the heating coils for signs of a physical break, if the connection has been severed, it won’t be able to heat up.
If a break isn’t easily visible, you can use a voltmeter to test it for continuity. However, if the heating element is found to be broken or faulty, you will need to remove the old one and install a new one in its place.
6. Address Dryer Stopping Mid-Cycle
There are 3 main steps to preventing your electric dryer from stopping mid dry cycle. Firstly you should check the lint screen housing is cleared out to ensure it’s not overheating.
Secondly, this issue can sometimes occur due to a control board failure. You should once again contact Whirlpool customer support, who will assist in installing the new control board.
Adrian is an ISCET licensed professional that has completed the National Appliance Service Technician Certification Exam and has the expertise to diagnose and repair any appliance. He is well-versed in the latest technologies and techniques and is always up-to-date on the latest industry standards.
