Who doesn’t use a dryer these days, right? It has become a vital appliance in our household. Using a dryer, you can dry your clothes in a matter of minutes without any effort.
However, since the dryer is an electrical appliance, some parts of it can malfunction sometimes. One of those malfunctions is that the dryer keeps running even when the door is open.
You might be wondering why it happens and how you can fix it. Let’s find the answers to all your questions regarding it one after another.
Dryer keeps running when the door is open
If the dryer keeps running when the door is open, the door switch of the dryer is malfunctioning or stuck in the closed position. It can also occur due to malfunctioning timer motor, cycling thermostat, and cool down thermostat. You can however fix this issue quite effortlessly in a very short time.
When your dryer keeps running even when the door is open, it can result in severe accidents. If you place your hand inside the dryer when it is on, you can injure your hand. This can be very frustrating and annoying.
The dryer can stay on even when you open the door for numerous reasons. It can mainly occur if the switch of the door is malfunctioning.
A defective timer motor and cycling thermostat can also cause the dryer to remain on even after the door is opened. Let’s take a look at why your dryer keeps running when the door is open in detail.
Defective door switch:
When you open the door of the dryer in the middle of a dryer cycle to stop it, it should stop right away. As a safety feature, every model and type of dryer comes equipped with a door switch.
This switch prevents the dryer from spinning when it detects that the door is open. It ensures that no one gets injured by a tumbling dryer and prevents energy loss.
If you open the door of the dryer and it still continues to run, the door switch of the unit is definitely defective.
When the unit keeps running after the door is open, it means that the dryer hasn’t detected that the door is open, and this is due to a faulty door switch. However, in this case, your dryer will not run eternally.
Fix the door switch:
Every drying machine comes with a safety feature that ensures that the unit doesn’t turn on or spin when the door is not closed.
If it keeps running after you close the door, it means that the door switch is damaged. The best way to fix a defective door switch is to replace it.
To replace the faulty door switch, you will have to remove it, which can be somewhat difficult. At the dryer’s front side, beside the door, wires link the door switch to the dryer.
To get to it, you might need to take out the dryer’s top as well as the control panel. You can remove the door switch by unplugging the cables and unscrewing the mounting screws.
Malfunctioning timer motor:
The timer of a dryer is basically responsible for setting the drying cycle time. However, the timer motor of the dryer can malfunction sometimes and when it happens the dryer may not receive the proper on or off signals.
As a result, the dryer won’t start, switch, or stop a cycle correctly.
Repair the timer motor:
If you want your dryer to stop immediately when you open the door, then you should repair the malfunctioning timer motor. After turning off the dryer, you can check the continuity of the timer.
The timer in a dryer is usually situated by the cycle-setting knob. You will also have to remove the control knob of the unit to replace the timer motor.
Malfunctioning cycling thermostat:
If the cycling thermostat of your dryer is malfunctioning, the thermostat won’t be able to detect the temperature of the drum accurately. In addition to that, it won’t be able to signal the timer motor how long the clothes should dry.
As a result, the dryer will keep on running even if the door is open due to the defective cycling thermostat.
Replace the cycling thermostat:
The best way to fix a defective cycling thermostat is to replace it. This part is placed near the exhaust vent system of the dryer which is beside the thermal fuse. You can simply unscrew the thermostat after removing the wires to replace the unit.
While replacing the thermostat, you should make sure that the new unit is of the same model as the previous one.
Is the dryer running while opening the door a common problem?
The dryer running while the door is open is actually not a very common problem. It happens once in a while if there is a problem with some specific parts of the dryer.
Let’s take a look if the dryer running while opening the door is a common problem in dryers of different brands.
Whirlpool dryer:
The dryers manufactured by Whirlpool are one of the best units available on the market. The Whirlpool dryer usually doesn’t run while the door is open and this is not a common problem for this brand’s dryer.
LG dryer:
The dryer running while opening the door is not a common problem for LG dryers. However, if this issue occurs in the LG dryer you can fix it quite easily in a matter of minutes.
Kenmore dryer:
The door switch of the Kenmore dryer doesn’t malfunction or get jammed usually. As a result, the Kenmore dryer running while the door is open is not a very common problem.
Amana dryer:
The door switch of the Amana dryer can often malfunction. As a result, the dryer running while the door is open is a common problem for the Amana dryer.
Samsung dryer:
The Samsung dryer will rarely remain on even if you open the door. This is because the timer motor, thermostat, and door switch are of top-notch quality, so they won’t malfunction normally.
How do you test a dryer door switch?
Testing a dryer door switch is not as complicated as it may seem to you at first. You can test the door switch of the dryer in a matter of minutes by following the right method. Let’s find out how you can test a dryer door switch step by step.
Unplug the door switch:
To test a dryer door switch, at first you will have to unplug the drying machine. You shouldn’t start to dismantle the dryer when it isn’t unplugged, you can get electrocuted. So, unplugging the dryer is very important.
Remove the lid and the control panel:
You will have to remove the lid of the dryer to access the door switch of the unit. You might also have to remove the control panel to unplug the wires of the dryer. You will have to then unscrew the door switch to start testing it.
Test the door switch:
You should use a multimeter to test the door switch of the dryer. You should set the reading of the multimeter to ohm.
Touch the two probes of the multimeter to the two wires of the door switch. If the reading of the meter changes when you touch the multimeter, then the door switch is fully functional and doesn’t need to be replaced.
How do you fix a dryer door sensor?
The best and the most effective way to fix a dryer door sensor is to replace it. You can replace the dryer door switch quite effortlessly in the shortest period of time.
You will need to do it in the right process to prevent any damage to the dryer. Here is how you can fix a dryer door switch:
Turn off the dryer:
To fix the dryer without being electrocuted you should turn off the dryer. You can easily unplug the dryer by pulling the unit away from the wall.
Remove the front panel:
To remove the dryer door sensor, you will have to remove the front panel of the unit first. You will also have to remove the control panel to unplug the wires of the door sensor.
Replace the door sensor:
You should unscrew the door sensor after unplugging it. Now, you should replace the door sensor with a new one to make the door sensor work properly again. While replacing the door sensor, make sure to get the same model sensor.
Final Thoughts
A dryer will keep running if there is a malfunctioning part in the unit. The dryer will stay on even when the door is open if the door switch is defective, and a malfunctioning timer. If you can detect the issue that is causing it, you can fix the problem in a very short time with minimum effort.