Anyone who has used an average Maytag Bravos dryer will most likely envy the XL type because of its capacity and quality drying results. But let’s face it, this dryer also breaks down or malfunctions, thus the need for running the Maytag Bravos XL dryer troubleshooting, which I’ll help you do.
We’ll look at troubleshooting the Maytag Bravos XL dryer when it doesn’t start, get hot, dry all the way, or spin. Moreover, we’ll look at how to deal with a squealing Bravos XL dryer, among other issues.
The goal is to equip you with the right dryer troubleshooting handiness to save you time and money. After all, dryer handypersons don’t come cheap, and sometimes they charge for things a keen DIYer can fix.
We’ll look at the most likely causes of these dryer malfunctions and how to fix them. We will, after that, look at fuse problems associated with the Maytag Bravos Xl and their fixes and how to reset this dryer when it fails.
Let’s dive in!
In a hurry? See how you can quickly fix the most everyday Maytag Bravos dryer issues below:
A Quick Guide to Maytag Bravos XL Dryer Troubleshooting
| – | Problem | Likely Cause | Recommendation |
| 1. | Non-Starting Dryer | Power issues, wrong setting, locked controls, improperly latched door, or component failure | Check the dryer’s power supply and setting. Properly latch the door and replace a failed component (start switch, door switch, timer, motor, belt, or control board) |
| 2. | Non-Heating Dryer | Power, airflow, or loading issue, burnt heating element, failed gas supply, or defective solenoid, flame sensor, or igniter | Ensure the dryer has a power and gas supply and good airflow. Load the clothes properly and replace a defective heating element, solenoid, flame sensor, or igniter |
| 3. | The Dryer Won’t Dry All the Way | Clogged vent or lint screen, laundry overload, dripping-wet load, auto-sensing, obstructed blower, or malfunctioning solenoid | Clean the vent and lint screen, reduce the laundry size and extra wetness, de-select auto-sensing, unblock the blower, and replace a malfunctioning solenoid |
| 4. | Non-Spinning Dryer | Failed power, unlatched door, a broken belt, or a defective motor, drum rollers, bearings, roller axles, idler pulley, or control board | Check the power supply, try latching an unlatched door, and replace a broken belt or defective motor, drum rollers, bearings, roller axles, idler pulley, or control board |
| 5. | Squealing Dryer | Loose objects, unleveled legs, ungreased hinge, drum overload, or defective drive belt, drum bearings, idler pulley, or slides | Remove foreign objects in the drum, tighten loose screws, adjust the legs, and lubricate the hinge. Reduce the load size and replace a defective drive belt, drum bearings, idler pulley, or slides |
5 Common Maytag Bravos XL Dryer Problems
Discussed below are the most typical problems among Maytag Bravos XL dryers that you can fix:
1. Maytag Bravos XL Dryer Won’t Start
A Maytag Bravos XL dryer doesn’t just fail to start unless something is amiss. In most cases, the issue has to do with power. If the dryer doesn’t get power, it won’t start.
In that regard, here are some power issues that can stop the dryer from starting:
- Power outage
- Unplugged or defective power cord
- Tripped breaker
- Blown-up fuse
- Defective socket
What if the dryer has power?
If your dryer has power but won’t start, the cause could be any of these:
- Wrong setting – A setting like Auto-Dry or Timed-Dry may prevent the dryer from starting immediately. So, check if such settings are active.
- Locked controls – The dryer won’t run if the Control Lock function is on. This setting locks all the control panel’s controls apart from the power switch, which means the dryer won’t start.
- Improperly latched door – A Maytag Bravos XL dryer won’t start if it perceives an open door, however marginal. Remember, the door could be unlatched due to an obstruction or failure to latch it firmly.
- Component failure – Lastly, your Maytag Bravos XL may fail to start because of a defective start switch, door switch, timer, motor, belt, or control board.
Fix
First, check your dryer’s power supply to ensure it’s turned on. If it’s not, check if it’s an outage, but if it’s not, check the breaker, reset it, and firmly plug in the power cable if it’s loose.
Then determine if the fuse, power cord, and wall sockets have continuity using a multimeter. If any of them doesn’t, replace it.
And if the dryer has power, ensure you choose the right setting and disable Control Lock. Then properly latch the door if it’s unlatched. You may need to check and remove obstructions on the door.
Then, check if the start and door switch have continuity; if not, replace them. You’ll, however, need an expert to check and replace the other components (timer, motor, belt, and control board).
2. Maytag Bravos XL Dryer Not Heating
It’s common for a Maytag dryer to fail to heat, especially with poor maintenance and use. Some of the issues that could prevent a Maytag Bravos XL dryer from getting hot are:
- Power issue – Your dryer won’t get hot if it doesn’t have power. So, consider the problems I highlighted above, such as a power outage, an unplugged or defective power cord, tripped breaker, a blown-up fuse, or a non-working socket.
- Airflow issue – The dryer won’t heat if there is restricted airflow. That could be due to a clogged lint screen or a blocked vent. So, check the lint screen for lint buildup and the vent for lint cogging, kinks, and extra bends (especially more than four 90-degree elbows).
- Loading issue – Two issues could go wrong with the laundry loading to prevent the dryer from heating. For one, the dryer won’t heat due to a laundry overload, which limits airflow. And secondly, the dryer won’t get hot due to soaking wet clothes.
- Burnt heating element – Inbound air goes through the heating element to be warmed up. However, the heating element sometimes overheats and cannot heat the cold air, stopping the dryer from getting hot.
Fix
First, ensure your Maytag dryer has power. Use the earlier tips to do it.
Check the lint screen for lint clogging and wash it. You should do it once every two years to avoid the problem.
Then check the dryer vent for blockage. If it’s clogged, clean it; if there are kinks, stretch out the duct. If the vent has too many elbows, replace it with an option with fewer than five 90-degree bends.
Check the laundry load to ensure it doesn’t exceed the drum’s ¾ capacity. It should also not be soaking wet. If it is, remove it from the dryer and wring out the excess water before reloading.
And lastly, check if the heating element has continuity using a multimeter and replace it if that’s the case.
Non-Heating Maytag Bravos XL Gas Dryer
Consider these additional reasons if you have a gas dryer that won’t get hot:
- Failed gas supply – It could be that the gas valve hasn’t been turned on or the gas pipe has kinks, thus stopping the gas from getting to the burner.
- Defective solenoid, flame sensor, or igniter – The dryer won’t get hot if the solenoid valve, the flame sensor, or the igniter is faulty.
Fix
Turn on the gas valve to facilitate adequate gas supply and remove any kinks on the gas supply tube. Then test the flame sensor and igniter for continuity using a multimeter and replace any of the two that lack continuity. But if the flame glows briefly and goes out, replace the solenoid valve.
3. Maytag Bravos XL Dryer Not Drying Completely
You expect your Bravos Xl dryer to dry all the way, leaving no wet clothes behind. That, however, may not happen due to these reasons:
- Clogged vent – A lint-clogged vent restricts airflow, and by doing so, it prevents the dryer from properly drying the clothes.
- Clogged lint screen – A clogged lint screen has the same effect as a clogged vent. So, it restricts proper airflow and prevents the dryer from getting hot.
- Laundry overload – If the drum is overloaded, there won’t be room for hot air to circulate or the clothes to turn correctly, so you’ll likely end up with wet clothes.
- Dripping-wet load – If the clothes are soaking wet, they may take longer and much heat to dry. So, it’s likely that the wash cycle may complete and leave wet clothes behind.
- Auto-sensing – If an auto-sensing setting is on, the dryer may stop running before completely drying clothes. One such setting is the Timed Dry setting.
- Obstructed blower – The blower is vital in promoting good hot air circulation. It’s, however, unable to do that when it’s lint-obstructed.
- Malfunctioning solenoid – The solenoid permits gas flow to the burner. Once it fails, it disrupts the gas flow to the burner, which may stop the dryer from drying.
Fix
Clean the air vent if it’s lint-clogged, and do the same for the lint screen. If the dryer is overloaded, reduce the laundry size to at most ¾ full and avoid overloading extra-wet laundry.
Select the correct setting if auto-sensing is on and clear any obstruction around the blower in the case of a gas dryer; you may need to replace the solenoid if the flame only glows briefly.
4. Maytag Bravos Dryer Not Spinning
A dryer dries clothes properly when it turns smoothly. Several issues, however, may be behind a Maytag Bravos XL dryer not spinning, and they include the following:
- Failed power – Your dryer has to turn on before it can spin. So, check if that’s the case, and if it’s not, check out the issues I shared earlier under a non-starting dryer.
- Unlatched door – Since an unlatched door prevents the dryer from starting; it also prevents it from spinning. Hence, inspect the door to see if it’s unlatched.
- Broken belt – If the drive belt breaks, the dryer won’t spin. You can tell if that’s the case by visually examining the belt. But first, you must disassemble the dryer.
- Defective component – Your Maytag Bravos XL dryer will also fail to turn due to a faulty motor, drum rollers, bearings, roller axles, idler pulley, or control board
Fix
Check if your Bravos Xl dryer has power and use the earlier tips to troubleshoot it if that’s not the case. If the door is unlatched, check if there are obstructions and remove them and try to latch the door firmly. If it still won’t lock, inspect the door latch for damage and replace it if that’s so.
Consider replacing the drive belt, the motor, drum rollers, bearings, roller axles, idler pulley, or control board if worn out or broken. Thus, consider a Maytag Bravos XL dryer disassembly here to check the components’ condition.
5. Maytag Bravos XL Dryer Squealing
A squealing sound doesn’t happen often; its cause can be trivial or severe. Below are the issues that could trigger the squealing noise:
- Loose objects – This includes foreign objects like zippers, pins, coins, and untightened screws. All those can cause the dryer to squeal when it starts running.
- Unleveled legs – Unlevelled feet will make the dryer wobbly. When so, it may produce a squealing sound when running.
- Ungreased hinge – The door hinge may also squeak once its grease dries off, something you should check.
- Drum overload – Though this doesn’t happen often, the dryer may also squeal if its drum is overloaded. The extra load overwhelms the dryer, and it can only express it by producing a weird squeaky sound.
- Component failure – Several components can cause the dryer to squeal if defective, including the drive belt, drum bearings, idler pulley, and slides.
Fix
Remove any free foreign objects in the drum and tighten loose screws. Adjust the feet if unstable, lubricate up the door hinge if it appears dry, and reduce the load size if excessive.
And if the drive belt, drum bearings, idler pulley, and slides look worn out or damaged, replace them.
Maytag Bravos XL Dryer Thermal Fuse Problems
The thermal fuse’s job is to protect the dryer from overheating. Instead of the dryer overheating, the fuse blows up. That, however, comes at a cost since it affects several functions.
Generally, these issues accompany a blown-up fuse:
- The dryer may fail to start
- The dryer may take too long to heat
- It may fail to dry the clothes
Fix
Testing it with a multimeter lets you know if you have a bad thermal fuse. If the fuse has no continuity, it confirms it’s blown up – so replace it.
And How Do I Reset My Maytag Bravos XL Dryer?
You may want to reset your Maytag Bravos XL dryer if it won’t start after an outage or starts to malfunction after troubleshooting.
You can reset this dryer by unplugging it for at least 60 seconds. If that doesn’t work, unplug it for 10-15 minutes or even 30 minutes.
In Conclusion:
Regarding the Maytag Bravos XL dryer troubleshooting, you must first identify the problem and its likely cause. After that, try to find its rightful fixes, which the above guide can help you do.
Given that the above five problems are common among Maytag Bravos XL dryers and other dryers, you should be able to troubleshoot them DIY. Doing so will not just save you cash but time too.