The dryer has a long, thin belt that goes around the drum and two pulleys. One pulley is for tension and the other is on the motor. With regular use, this belt can break over time. If the belt breaks, the drum won't turn. To check if the belt is broken, reach into the dryer and try to turn the drum by hand. If the drum spins very easily, the belt is probably broken. Look at the belt to confirm it is broken. If the belt is broken, you need to replace it. Replacing the belt will allow the drum to turn again.
If your dryer drum is not turning, it's probably not because of a bad timer. That rarely happens. First check the parts that usually break. If everything else is working right, then test the timer. Use a multimeter and wiring diagram to check the timer. If the timer is bad, replace it. But again, the timer is not likely to be the problem if the drum won't turn. Look at the other parts first before replacing the timer.
The blower wheel in the dryer moves air through the drum. The motor that turns the blower wheel also runs the belt for the drum. So if the blower wheel gets blocked, it could stop the drum from turning too. Check the blower wheel and housing for anything blocking it. If you see an obstruction, replace the blower wheel or housing. Replacing the part will help get the drum turning again.
The drive motor turns the drum and blower wheel to push out the air. First, see if the motor makes a humming noise. If it still hums, take off the belt from the motor. Then check that nothing is blocking the blower wheel. Next, with the belt off, try to turn the drum by hand. If the drum doesn't spin easily, find out what's stopping it from turning. If the drum spins freely and nothing blocks the blower, the drive motor may be bad. If you think the motor is the problem, replace it. That should fix your dryer.
The heating element warms the air before it goes into the dryer drum. Over time, the element can burn out so the dryer won't heat up. Use a multimeter to check if the element has continuity. No continuity means the element is burned out. If there's no continuity, replace the heating element. This should fix it so the element heats the air again and the dryer can heat properly.
A dryer's control board controls the voltage being sent to all of the appliance's electrical components. If the board is defective, it may interrupt voltage to the drive motor resulting in the drum not turning. You can inspect the board for signs of damage or a shorted component. You can also use a multimeter to test for voltage reaching the drive motor after reviewing the dryer's wiring diagram.
The main control board in a dryer controls the power going to all the parts. If the board is bad, it could stop sending power to the motor. This would make the drum not turn. Look at the board for any damaged or shorted parts. You can also use a multimeter to check if power is getting to the motor. First check the wiring diagram for the dryer. Replacing the control board can fix the problem if it's not giving power to the motor.
The thermal fuse is a safety device designed to protect the dryer from overheating. The fuse is located on the blower housing or at the dryer’s heat source such as the heating element on electric dryers or at the burner on gas models. The fuse should be closed for continuity meaning it has a continuous electrical path through it when good. If overheated the fuse will have no continuity meaning the electrical path is broken and the fuse has blown. A multimeter can be used to test it for continuity. Be aware that a blown thermal fuse is an indication of a restricted exhaust vent from the dryer to the outside. Always check the dryer venting when replacing a blown thermal fuse.
A dryer repair kit usually has a new belt, idler pulley, and may also contain rollers, a rear drum bearing, a felt seal, and other parts. A broken belt, bad idler pulley, and worn out rollers or bearings are the main reasons a dryer drum won't turn. So putting in a new maintenance kit should fix the problem of the drum not spinning. The kit replaces the parts that typically cause the drum to get stuck.
The moisture sensor checks how damp the clothes are. It tells the control board when the clothes are dry. If the sensor is broken, it may wrongly show the clothes are dry. Then the drum would stop turning too soon. But this rarely happens. Before replacing the sensor, check the parts that often break first. If those are all working, the moisture sensor likely needs replacing. Follow instructions to remove and replace it safely. Take care not to damage the wiring. Test that the dryer heats and spins after fixing. The sensor helps the dryer know when to stop.
Look at the idler pulley for the dryer drum belt. Make sure it can spin easily on the shaft. If the idler pulley is stuck, worn out, or damaged, you should replace it. When you replace the idler pulley, also put in a new belt for the drum drive. Replacing both together will help make sure your dryer runs properly.
An electric dryer heater needs 220 volts to work right. If the voltage is wrong, the dryer can run but not heat up. Check that the dryer is getting the proper 220 volt power supply. This will allow the heating element to heat the air so the dryer can dry properly.