Understanding basic Maytag dryer troubleshooting is the key to fixing typical Maytag dryer problems. That means you don’t have to call a dryer expert whenever your Maytag dryer doesn’t work.
You can troubleshoot a Maytag dryer that won’t start, dry, heat, or spin or an option that stops mid-cycle or is noisy. You can also troubleshoot a Maytag dryer with an error code.
Overall, it starts with identifying the most likely causes of the dryer issue and then trying to fix it DIY. On that note, I’ll share the most likely causes of the six problems and their fixes.
I’ll also help you construe the different error codes, just in case they are the reason your dryer won’t work.
Let’s jump into it!
In a rush? See below a quick troubleshooting guide for a Maytag dryer
Quick Maytag Dryer Troubleshooting Guide
| – | Problem | Likely Cause | Recommended Fix |
| 1. | Maytag Dryer Not Starting | Faulty start button, no power, open door, or wrong cycle/setting (Timed Dry, Auto Dry, or Child Lock) | Press the start button correctly and replace it if it lacks continuity. Ensure there’s power and the dryer is on, close the door properly, and disable Timed dry, Auto Dry, or Child Lock |
| 2. | The Dryer Won’t Dry | Clogged lint trap/screen, blocked vent, or wrong vent size | Clean the lint screen and unkink/unblock a blocked vent. Replace a crushed vent and only go for a vent diameter that’s at least 4 inches |
| 3. | Maytag Dryer Not Heating | Clogged lint screen or vent, power failure, large or extra wet load, or burnt heating element | Clean the lint screen and vent to improve airflow, ensure power/gas flow, and reduce the load or wetness. If the heating element lacks continuity, replace it |
| 4. | Maytag Dryer Not Spinning | Wrong setting or the door not well latched | Deactivate the Wrinkle Shield or Control Lock, and correctly latch the door (or replace the door switch if faulty |
| 5. | The Dryer Stops Mid Cycle | Overheating, dirty lint screen, faulty power cord, or setting issue | Reset a tripped breaker, replace the fuse and clean the dirty lint screen. Replace defective power cable and select Wrinkle Shield or Static Reduce |
| 6. | Noisy Dryer | Whistling noise A gas leak or faulty solenoid, unbalanced dryer or faulty motor, pulley or drum bearing Squealing sound Loose legs, worn out motor, pulley, belt, drum rollers, bearings, or glide | Whistling noise Fix any gas leakage and replace a faulty solenoid, motor pulley, or drum bearing. Stabilize the dryer Squealing sound Stabilize the dryer and replace worn out motor, pulley, belt, drum rollers, bearings, or glide |
Common Maytag Dryer Problems with Troubleshooting
Below are six common Maytag dryer problems you can troubleshoot:
1. Maytag Dryer Troubleshooting Won’t Start
A Maytag dryer that won’t start is undoubtedly frustrating. But, often, the causes are things you can fix to avoid frustration. Such causes include:
- Faulty start switch/button – Ordinarily, it takes 2 – 5 seconds pressing of the start button to start the dryer. If you only tap the button, the dryer won’t start. But still, if the start button is broken/faulty, the dryer won’t start.
- Lack of power – Your Maytag dryer won’t turn on if there’s no power. That includes a power outage and failing to plug in the dryer and turn it on.
- Open door (door won’t shut) – If the dryer door is not well shut because of an obstruction, failure to firmly close it, or a faulty switch/latch, the dryer won’t start.
- Wrong setting (Timed Dry, Auto Dry, or Child Lock) – The Timed Dry and Auto/ Automatic Dry setting delay the dryer from starting. On the other hand, Child/Control; lock locks the dryer, thus preventing it from starting.
Fix
Start by ensuring there’s power and the dryer is firmly plugged in and turned on. Then firmly press the start button for 2 – 5 seconds to see if it turns on.
If it doesn’t, test the start button’s continuity. If it lacks continuity, replace it.
But if the dryer still won’t start, check the door for any trapped clothes and remove them. Then, try to shut the door firmly.
If the door doesn’t close after that, consider testing its switch’s continuity and replace it if faulty. Don’t forget to check the settings and deactivate Auto Dry, Timed Dry, or Child Lock if any is ON.
Alternatively, you can wait for the dryer to start if Auto/Timed Dry is on, as the setting delays the dryer.
Maytag Dryer Won’t Start But Has Power
Sometimes the Maytag dryer won’t start despite having power. If so, you should check the following issues:
- The start button – Ensure it is firmly pressed
- Child Lock – Turn it off if it’s on
- Dryer door – Ensure its shut
- Dryer setting – Deactivate Auto/Automatic Dry and Timed Dry if they are ON or wait for a few minutes for the dryer to start automatically
2. Maytag Dryer Not Drying
The dryer’s job is to dry your clothes. So, when your Maytag dryer doesn’t dry, you must fix it immediately. The most likely causes for that are:
- Clogged lint screen – The lint screen permits airflow, enabling the dryer to heat up and dry clothes. It, however, accumulates lint in excess, blocking it and preventing the dryer from drying.
- Blocked vent – The dryer vent can also clog with lint or dirt to prevent airflow. Additionally, it could crush due to poor material quality or develop kinks and obstruct airflow.
- Wrong vent size – Ideally, the dryer vent should have a diameter of 4-inches plus and have less than four 90-degree bends. If not, there won’t be adequate airflow, and the dryer won’t dry.
Fix
Inspect the lint screen for clogging and clean it (with soapy water or a vacuum cleaner). Then check the vent for blockage and clean it too.
If the vent has kinks/bends, stretch it out and if it’s crushed, replace it with a rigid/flexible metal option.
And when picking the replacement vent, choose an option with fewer than four 90-degree bends and a diameter of at least 4 inches.
3. Maytag Dryer Troubleshooting No Heat
If your Maytag dryer doesn’t heat, the chances are that it’s due to any of these issues:
- Clogged lint screen or vent – There must be adequate airflow for your Maytag dryer to heat up. That, however, won’t happen if the lint screen or dryer vent is dirt clogged. So, check them for clogging.
- Power failure – An electric dryer won’t heat if it’s plugged into an outlet under 240v and if the breaker is off or the fuse is blown. On the other hand, a gas dryer won’t heat if there is no gas supply due to a shut valve.
- Extra-large or extra wet load – If the wet load is excessive or dripping, the dryer will delay getting hot. It may even fail to heat at all.
- Burnt heating element – The heating element, whose job is to warm up the incoming air, can sometimes burn out. If it does, the dryer is unable to heat.
Fix
Check the lint screen and vent for blockage and clean them. Then ensure your dryer has power. You should plug it into a 240v outlet and reset it if the breaker is off.
Then test the thermal fuse and heating element for continuity. If they lack continuity, that shows they are faulty. So replace them.
Meanwhile, ensure the load is not too wet or too large. If it’s too wet, run the spin/drain cycle before drying.
4. Maytag Dryer Not Spinning But Heating
For the dryer to properly dry the clothes, it must spin properly. It may, however, fail to turn but may get hot due to one of these issues:
- Wrong setting – The Maytag dryer won’t spin if the Wrinkle Shield or Control Lock setting is on. So, you’ve to check the two modes.
- Door not well latched – The dryer will also not spin if the door is not well shut. It could be because of forgetting to do so, a trapped cloth, or a faulty latch/door switch.
Fix
Deactivate Wrinkle Shield and Control Lock if they are on and properly shut the door. Remove any trapped clothes from the door and replace the latch if it’s faulty.
5. Maytag Dryer Stopped Working Mid Cycle
A Maytag dryer that won’t complete its dry cycle is as good as one that won’t start. It’s frustrating, and the cause could be any of these four:
- Overheating – When a dryer overheats, two things could happen that cut off the power supply. One, the breaker may trip off, and two, the thermal fuse may blow up.
- Dirty lint screen – A dirty lint screen, as shared earlier, restricts airflow. Once that’s the case, the dryer cannot complete its cycle.
- Faulty power cord – If the power cord is defective, the dryer will abort its cycle prematurely.
- Setting issue – Sometimes, automated cycles may cause the dryer to abort its operations prematurely. That’s why Maytag recommends touching on Wrinkle Shield or Static Reduce if that’s the case.
Fix
Check for any tripped breaker (and reset it) or blown-up fuse (and replace it). You can test the suspected fuse with a multi-tester/multimeter to know if it’s blown up or lacks continuity.
Also, use a multimeter to test the power cord’s continuity and replace it if it lacks it (continuity). Meanwhile, try selecting Wrinkle Shield or Static Reduce to see if the dryer will complete its cycle.
6. Maytag Dryer Troubleshooting Noise
Is your Maytag dryer making noise when starting? Then consider this quick troubleshooting guide:
a) Maytag Dryer Making Whistling Noise
If you are troubleshooting a Maytag gas dryer, the likely cause is a gas leakage or faulty gas control valve/solenoid. So, check them. If they aren’t the issue, it could be a defective motor, pulley, or drum bearing.
Don’t forget to check the dryer’s level to ensure it’s stable.
Fix
Fix any gas leakage and stabilize your dryer. If the motor, pulley, or drum bearing is worn out, replace it.
b) Squealing/Screeching/Squealing Sound
Here’s a table showing why your Maytag dryer squeals, depending on the origin of the noise, and how to fix it.
| Where the Squeal Originates | Likely Cause | Recommendation |
| The dryer’s bottom | Loose legs (unstable dryer) or worn-out motor | Stabilize the dryer and tighten any loose legs. If the motor is worn out, replace it. |
| At the front of the dryer | Worn idler pulley | Replace the idler pulley |
| The dryer’s back | A worn-out belt, drum bearings, drum glides, or roller shafts | Replace any of the worn-out parts |
Maytag Dryer Troubleshooting Codes
You can visit the official Maytag product help page to discover the various error codes. But among the commonest which you show know about are:
| Error Code | Interpretation | Recommendation |
| AF/F4E3 | Restricted airflow | Unclog the lint screen and vent |
| L2/F4E4 | Low voltage (power supply fault) | Check for tripped breaker, faulty cord, or blown fuse |
| PF | Power failure | Restart the dryer (reset it) |
| F1E1/F1E3/F1E4/F1E5 | Wiring or control unit fault | Reset the dryer |
| F01 | Dryer needs restarting | Restart /reset the dryer |
| Check lint/ check lint screen | Blocked lint screen or vent | Clean the lint screen or vent |
Maytag Dryer Reset
As seen, you can fix most Maytag dryer codes with a reset. The question is, does a Maytag dryer have a reset button?
Most Maytag dryers do not have a standalone external reset button. Some, however, have an inbuilt reset switch for factory reset. So, check your manual.
You can clear most error codes (or reset the dryer) by pressing Power, New Cycle, and Start/Pause in that order.
Closing Remarks
Above is a DIY Maytag dryer troubleshooting guide you can refer to when your Maytag dryer is not working. While it does not replace your manual, it’s meant to simplify it, so it’s worth trying before calling an expert.