How To Replace A Thermal Fuse in a Dryer - AppliancePartsPros Blog (2024)

APP Expert / Friday June 2, 2023

What is a Thermal Fuse and How Does it Keep You Safe?

A thermal fuse is a part designed to break, and you can find one in most heat-producing appliances. That may sound like a design flaw, but it’s actually an important safety measure, cutting power to the appliance or its heating element if things get too hot, and preventing fires or other damage to internal components in the process. It’s a handy little failsafe, but it will need to be replaced once its purpose has been served!

Don’t worry, though. Replacing these little fuses is an incredibly easy job and you can do it yourself with a few basic tools. Want to know more? Today we’ll show you how to replace a tripped thermal fuse in your Whirlpool dryer. After reading, don’t forget to check out the video guide for a closer look at each step!

How To Tell If My Dryer’s Thermal Fuse Is Bad

Thermal fuses usually work in one of two ways, by cutting off power to just the heating element or to the entire appliance.

The model that we worked on for this tutorial specifically was one that only cuts power to the heating element, meaning the dryer still runs but doesn’t get hot. You’ll notice this pretty quickly. The dryer will stay relatively cool and clothes will take much longer to dry.

If your dryer runs, but doesn’t produce heat, or isn’t running at all, it could be a faulty or tripped thermal fuse. Checking the fuse for continuity is a good way to definitively confirm that the fuse is the root of your dryer issues.

A Failed Fuse Could Be A Symptom, Not The Main Problem

Thermal fuses are safety measures. They trip when conditions aren’t just right, so if you’re dealing with a blown fuse, you should check the rest of your appliance for other issues. Are the vents clear? Is the heating element working as it should? Do you notice any scorching around the thermal fuses terminals? These are all signs that something else is up in your dryer or wiring.

Finding The Right Replacement Thermal Fuse

Thermal fuses are safety devices, so it’s extra important that you opt for a part you know is high quality. A genuine OEM replacement thermal fuse will fit your dryer exactly and likely comes with a warranty if something goes wrong with it. Now, how do you go about getting the right one?

Start with the model number. You’ll find the full number on a sticker on your dryer. It’s usually found on the inside of the dryer door, on the sides near a corner, or on the back near the top.

Write that full number down and take it over to the AppliancePartsPros.com search tool. We’ll set you up with a full list of compatible components for your appliance, and if you order through us, you’ll have the item at your door in as little as two days!

How To Replace A Whirlpool Dryer Thermal Fuse

This guide will walk you through how to replace the thermal fuse in electric dryers manufactured by Whirlpool. This includes dryers sold under the KitchenAid, Maytag, Jenn-Air, Amana, Admiral, Norge, Roper, Sears, and Kenmore brands.

While thermal fuses are installed in roughly the same spot on most dryers, if you are trying to replace the thermal fuse in a different brand of dryer, like a Samsung, you will benefit from checking out our YouTube channel. We have guides for replacing the thermal fuse on a number of different brands, models, and styles of dryer.

Ready? Let’s get started!

Tools for the Job

This is a quick task that doesn’t require anything special to complete. Here’s what you should have ready before you start:

• A compatible replacement thermal fuse (for our video, that was part no. WP3392519)
  
• A flathead screwdriver
  
• ¼-inch nut driver or socket & ratchet
  
• Work gloves – some dryer panels have sharp edges!
  
• Optionally, a bowl to hold screws and a pair of needle nose pliers

Before you begin…

Before you get started, pull on those work gloves. Dryer access panels often have undulled metal edges, making it very easy to get an unexpected cut. Don’t risk a trip to the urgent care on this one. Nobody likes getting tetanus shots.

Alright! Hands protected? Next, be sure to disconnect the appliance from power either at the wall outlet or circuit breaker. You should never perform maintenance on an appliance that is still receiving power.

Once unplugged, you’ll need to pull your dryer away from the wall a bit. Give yourself enough room to comfortably reach the back panel, as that’s where you’ll be doing the bulk of the work today. Depending on your setup, you may need to temporarily disconnect a vent, as well.

Replacing a faulty thermal fuse in a Whirlpool dryer

This is a super easy job! The most time-consuming part is going to be removing all the screws that hold the rear access panel on. Expect to spend around fifteen minutes total replacing your dryer’s thermal fuse, although testing it out to make sure it works at the end will take a bit longer!

1: Remove all the screws on the largest back panel

On your Whirlpool dryer, there should be three rear access panels: the console board access panel at the very top, a smaller access panel in the center, near the top of the dryer body, and a larger panel that covers the bulk of the back of the appliance.

Your first step is to remove all the screws holding that large panel in place. It’ll be held in place by a number of hex head screws along the top, sides, and bottom. A 1⁄4-inch nut driver or socket will do the trick to get those out. Once removed, set your screws aside in a bowl so they don’t roll away.

2: Remove the two access panels you’ve just freed up

With all the screws out, carefully remove the small panel near the top of the appliance. Free it up from beneath the larger panel one side at a time. You may need to lift it up slightly as you do this to clear its tabs from their seats.

Now, you can remove the larger back panel. Lift any wires up and out of the way, and carefully rotate the panel back, away from the dryer, then set it aside.

3: Disconnect the old thermal fuse

You’ll find the old thermal fuse near the bottom of the dryer, connected to a few wires and held in place by a single screw. Disconnect the thermal fuse now. This should be easily done by hand, but if the terminals are stuck, a pair of needle nose pliers can be used to remove them.

4: Remove the old part

Using your nut driver or socket, remove the hex head screw holding the old thermal fuse in place. The old thermal fuse can then be removed from the dryer by hand.

5: Check the vents

Now that you’ve removed the old thermal fuse, it’s time to do a bit of preventative work. Take a look in your dryer’s vent and clean it out. This can potentially help prolong the life of your next thermal fuse.

Even if you’ve been diligent about keeping your lint trap clean, fuzz can and will get through from time to time. The moist air from the dryer causes that lint to stick to the vent walls and eventually build up. This, in turn, causes the thermal fuse to trip, perhaps prematurely, because heat builds too quickly.

6: Installing the new fuse

There’s a notch at one end of your new thermal fuse that indicates which side is the bottom. Seat the bottom of the new fuse first, pushing it into place, then install the hex screw to secure it.

7: Connect the new thermal fuse

Time to attach the wire terminals onto the new fuse. Make sure you’re reusing the same wires you just disconnected earlier, although either wire can go on either terminal.

8: Reinstall the access panels

Have both access panels within reach before you start this step.

Lift the large access panel up and into place, then rotate it forward. You’ll likely have to move some wires out of the way to do this. Hold the larger panel in place by hand for a moment, and grab the smaller access panel.

Slide the smaller access panel’s tab into its mounting slot. Then reinstall the mounting screw on the opposite side so both panels will stay in place as you move on to the next step.

9: Reinstall the rear access panel’s mounting screws

With both panels in place and one screw reinstalled to hold them steady, you can now reinstall the rest of the screws around the back of the dryer.

10: Time for a test!

With your dryer reassembled, you can move it back into place. Be sure to reattach vents you might have disconnected, then restore power to the appliance and take it for a test spin.

Run the dryer once, empty, on a heated setting to make sure that it’s running and producing heat as it should. If it checks out, you’re all done!

Wrapping Up

By following our guide, you should have that thermal fuse swapped out in half an hour or less, and at a fraction of the cost of calling a professional repair. Now, imagine how much more time and money you can save with do-it-yourself fixes. Keep AppliancePartsPros.com in mind the next time you need tips, tutorials, or genuine OEM replacement parts. Our friendly staff is happy to help you fix your appliances yourself.