6 Ways to Fix a Maytag Centennial Dryer Not Heating Up

Generally, there are fewer frustrations than a Maytag Centennial dryer not heating up. In such a case, you ought to find the fault to fix it DIY, and there are several issues to prioritize.

Often, a Maytag Centennial dryer won’t heat up because of a power disruption, wrong setting, airflow obstruction, extra-large or extra-wet laundry, component failure, or gas ignition fault (in the case of a gas dryer).

Regarding component failure, dryer components that could go bad and prevent your Centennial dryer from getting hot include the heating element, cycling or high-limit thermostat, timer, or main control board. 

So, a Maytag Centennial dryer won’t heat up because of an issue involving the power supply (or gas ignition for gas dryers), dryer setting, airflow, laundry load, or dryer components.

Those are the issues this troubleshooting guide will focus on to help you fix your non-heating Centennial dryer.

Remember, a Centennial dryer that doesn’t get hot won’t dry clothes, making it unusable.

In a rush? Here’s a quick guide for troubleshooting a Maytag Centennial dryer that won’t get hot.

Quick Troubleshooting Guide for a  Maytag Centennial Dryer Not Heating Up

Electric Maytag Centennial Dryer Not Heating Enough

Now, if you have an electric Maytag Centennial dryer that’s not getting hot enough or at all and won’t dry, consider the five issues shared below:

1. Power Disruption 

Once there’s a power disruption, your Maytag Centennial dryer won’t start or get hot. The issues that could disrupt the dryer’s power supply include the following: 

• Tripped breaker – Once the dryer senses a power surge, its breaker may trip to protect it from damage or overheating. So, it won’t heat anymore. 
• Blown-up fuse – The Maytag Centennial dryer thermal fuse, whose job is to protect the dryer from overheating and fire, blows up when the power surges. Once that happens, it shuts down the dryer preventing it from heating until you replace it. 
• Under-voltage power outlet – An electric dryer won’t get sufficient power to heat up if plugged into a socket with a voltage rating of under 240v.

Fix 

Consider resetting the power breaker if it’s off. Go to the breaker box to see if there’s a tripped breaker and reset it. 

After that, probe a multimeter into the thermal fuse (located in the blower housing) to check its continuity. If the fuse lacks continuity, that proves it’s not working, and you should replace it. 

If the dryer still won’t start on and get hot, check the power socket’s voltage rating to ensure it is 240v or more. 

If you are unsure about it, ask the local electrician. Overall, you’ll need to replace an under-voltage power socket. 

2. Wrong Setting

Two settings, in particular, will prevent your Maytag Centennial dryer from getting hot, Wrinkle Prevent and Fluff Air.

Let’s start with Wrinkle Prevent. The setting allows the dryer to spin without any heat.  So as much as the drum turns, the dryer doesn’t get hot. So the clothes won’t dry. 

Fluff Air spins the drum without any heat but only blows room-temperature air. So, again, the dryer won’t get hot or dry.

Fix 

Consider disabling any of these two dryer settings if they are active. It’s better, however, to avoid selecting them in the first place if you want your dryer to heat up. 

3. Airflow Obstruction 

If the dryer lacks proper airflow, it won’t get hot. In that case, you’ve to look for signs of airflow obstruction, and that brings us to these two issues:

• Clogged lint screen – The lint screen, which you’ll find inside the dryer’s door opening or outside, collects debris, dirt, and lint over time which clogs it and prevents airflow. That stops the dryer from heating up.
• Clogged dryer vent – The dryer vent, which you’ll find at the back of your dryer, also clogs with lint, and when it does, the clog prevents hot air from leaking out of the dryer. If hot air does not exit the dryer, the dryer will overheat and then stop heating. 

Fix 

You’ll need to check a clogged lint screen. Here’s how to do it:

• Just pull out the lint screen (or lint trap) straight up
• You may need to press a tap next to the screen if present to pull it out
• Use your fingers to rub off the excess lint or dirt
• Then use mild detergent and warm water to wash the lint screen 
• Dry the lint screen and reinstall it

Remember to switch off and unplug the dryer before cleaning the lint screen. And when it comes to a clogged dryer vent, ensure it is installed correctly with 45-degree bends.

Once that’s the case, follow these steps to unclog it:

• Unplug the dryer from the power and pull out the dryer vent from the back of the appliance
• Vacuum it to get rid of the clog
• Return the vent as it was and plug back the dryer

Overall, it’s advisable to vacuum the dryer vent yearly or once in two years to prevent its blockage. 

4. Laundry Loading Problem 

Sometimes the Maytag Centennial dryer won’t get hot because of loading the clothes wrongly. That includes any of these two issues:

• Extra-large load – The Centennial dryer requires space in the drum to circulate hot air. Once you overload the drum with laundry, you limit hot air circulation, preventing the dryer from overheating.
• Extra wet load – If your clothes are soaking wet, it’ll take a long time for the dryer to heat up and dry them.

Fix 

As far as the load size is concerned, keep it at about ¾ full. So, consider reducing the number of clothes in the dryer if the drum is more than ¾ full.

The clothes should have enough room to turn. And if the clothes are soaking wet, run the spin cycle or the drain mode first to remove the extra water. 

But to avoid all that, wring the clothes by hand. Alternatively, run a spin cycle on your washer to eliminate the excess moisture. 

5. Component Failure 

If none of the above four issues is why your Centennial dryer won’t get hot, it’s most likely a failed component. That includes any of the following:

• Heating element – The Maytag Centennial dryer heating element, which you’ll find in the dryer’s back panel or behind the drum, heats the inbound air. The dryer won’t heat up if defective until you replace it. 
• Cycling thermostat – As the name hints, the cycling thermostat’s job is to cycle the dryer’s heat and regulate the internal temperature. Once it fails, the dryer is unable to get hot. 
• Hi-limit thermostat – The high-limit thermostat doesn’t just monitor the dryer’s inner temperature but also turns off the burners to prevent overheating. It’s, however, unable to do that if it’s faulty.
• Timer – The dryer’s timer doesn’t fail often, but when it does, the dryer doesn’t get hot. So, inspect it for faults using a multimeter.
• Control board – The Electronic control board you find in the rear panel controls the dryer’s temperature timing and the functioning of other components. If it’s faulty, all the other dryer components won’t work, and the dryer will not heat up.

Fix 

Check the heating element, cycling thermostat, hi-limit thermostat, and timer for continuity. If any of the four components lacks continuity, replace it. 

But if all of them are fine, consider replacing the electronic control; board. Unfortunately, you cannot test it with a multimeter. Thus, have a dryer expert inspect it if you are unsure about it.

Maytag Centennial Gas Dryer Not Heating Up

If you have a Centennial gas dryer that won’t get hot, consider the possibility of a gas ignition fault. That’s in addition to the five issues discussed above. And when it comes to a gas ignition fault, one of these components could be faulty:

• Gas valve coil (solenoid) – The gas valve coil, which you’ll find adjacent to the flame sensor, opens up to allow the burner to receive gas supply and ignite. So, if it’s faulty, the burner won’t get the gas it needs to heat the dryer. 
• Igniter – The igniter on the gas burner’s side ignites the gas and allows the dryer to get hot. If it’s faulty, the gas won’t ignite, and your dryer won’t heat up. 
• Flame sensor – The flame sensor, which you’ll find across the igniter, can also fail. When it does, the igniter won’t detect any gas to light up, and thus the dryer won’t get hot. 

Fix 

You can test the flame sensor and ignitor for continuity to know if any of them is faulty. If any of the two lacks continuity, replace it. 

As for the gas valve coil, you can determine if it’s faulty by checking the igniter. If the igniter starts glowing and suddenly goes out, the gas valve coil is likely defective and needs replacing. 

People Also Ask

1. But Why Is My Maytag Centennial Dryer Not Heating Up?

A Maytag Centennial dryer can’t get hot because of a blown-up fuse, burnt heating element, tripped breaker, obstructed vent, dirty lint screen, or an extra-large (or soaking wet) laundry.

2. How Do You Fix a Maytag Dryer That Won’t Heat?

If your Maytag dryer won’t heat, check for a tripped breaker, obstructed vent, dirty lint screen, or burnt heating element and blocked vent, dirty lint screen, or burnt heating element and fix them. 

You’ll need to rest a flipped breaker, vacuum an obstructed vent, clean a dirty lint screen, and replace a burnt heating element. 

3. Where Is the Thermal Fuse On My Maytag Centennial Dryer?

You can locate the thermal fuse of your Maytag Centennial dryer and other Maytag dryers in the blower housing. 

Closing Thought

Now you have six possible explanations for your Maytag Centennial dryer not heating up. Consider checking for any problem with the power supply, dryer setting, airflow, laundry load, or components like the heating element, thermostat, timer, or electronic control board. One of those reasons is why your Maytag dryer won’t get hot.