Imagine it’s your laundry day, and you’ve just washed your heavily soiled clothes and are now ready to dry them. So, you head to the dryer and load it with the wet clothes only to realize that your Maytag Bravos Xl dryer won’t start, and you can’t explain why.
Your Maytag Bravos XL dryer refuses to start a cycle because of a lack of power, a non-responsive start button or control panel, a Control Lock, a wrong cycle, an error code, an unfastened door, or part failure.
Hence, consider these eight issues if you want to troubleshoot your Maytag Bravos XL dryer DIY, and as you’ll learn, the troubleshooting is not as intricate as most DIYers take it to be. But first, it takes a proper diagnosis – where you must find the most probable cause.
Also, note that a non-starting dryer is not the same as an option that won’t turn on. While the latter is primarily due to the lack of power, the former is broader. You must consider the lack of power and the other seven issues mentioned earlier.
Let’s see how you can distinguish why your Bravos XL won’t start among the eight issues.
In a hurry? Consider the troubleshooting guide below for your non-starting Bravos XL dryer:
Maytag Bravos Xl Dryer Won’t Start Cycle – Quick Troubleshooting Guide
| Likely Reason | Recommended Fix | |
| 1. | Lack of Power | Firmly plug in the dryer and turn it on, reset the breaker if it’s OFF, and replace a defective power plug or socket |
| 2. | Non-Responsive Start Button | Firmly press the start switch for at least 3 seconds, and if the button lacks continuity, replace it |
| 3. | Non-Responsive Control Panel | Please don’t touch the control panel with wet or filthy hands or scratch it with the fingernails |
| 4. | Control Lock | Long-press Control Lock to deactivate it |
| 5. | Wrong Cycle | Choose a normal cycle over Timed Dry or Delay Start |
| 6. | Error Code | Reset the dryer |
| 7. | Unfastened Door | Properly fasten the dryer door – replace the door switch if it lacks electrical continuity |
| 8. | Part Failure | Replace the motor, timer, thermostat, or control board if defective. |
Why Your Maytag Bravos Xl Dryer Won’t Start
Consider the eight issues shared below if your Maytag Bravos XL dryer refuses to start:
1. Lack of Power
If your Maytag Bravos XL dryer doesn’t turn on, it won’t start, and often, the reason is the lack of power. But before you can go into details, ensure it’s not a blackout. Because if it is, then that’s likely why your dryer won’t turn on.
Once you rule out a power blackout, consider these issues:
- Loosely fixed power cord
- An OFF power switch
- Tripped power breaker
- Defective outlet
- Damaged power cord
Fix
Start by firmly fixing the power cord into the socket. Mark you; we recommend the wall socket, not the extension, as the latter may cut off the power and prevent your dryer from powering on.
Once the power plug is firmly plugged into the socket, ensure you turn it on. If the dryer won’t turn on, check the circuit breaker and reset it if it’s OFF.
Then use a digital multimeter to check if the electric outlet and the power cord have continuity. If any of the two doesn’t, replace it.
2. Non-Responsive Start Button
The start button has to respond to the command to start the dryer. If it doesn’t work, then the dryer won’t start.
Ideally, you shouldn’t just tap the start button. You must firmly hold it for a few seconds to engage the dryer to start.
At times, however, the start button itself could be faulty. So, no matter how long you press it, the dryer won’t start.
Fix
First, hold down the dryer’s start button for at least 3 seconds. If the dryer doesn’t start, perform a continuity check on the start switch and replace it if it shows no continuity.
3. Non-Responsive Control Panel
The start button is part of the control panel. Thus, if the control panel is non-responsive, so is the start button.
One way the control panel becomes non-responsive is when you touch it with dirty or wet hands. The other way is when you operate it with the fingernails, as they are likely to scratch the panel.
Fix
First, wash your hands and dry them properly before touching the control panel. And while handling it, ensure you don’t use your fingernails to avoid scratching it. Instead, use your fingertips.
4. Control Lock
Control Lock is a safety feature by Maytag for locking the control panel to avoid unintended operation. In that case, it keeps kids off the dryer. But since it locks all buttons (save for the power button), your dryer can’t start when Control Lock is on.
Fix
You must deactivate Control Lock for the dryer to start. You can do that by holding the switch on the control panel for a few seconds.
5. Wrong Cycle
It’s crucial to pick the correct cycle before starting your Maytag Bravos dryer. Some cycles won’t allow the dryer to begin immediately; one example is Timed-Dry.
Timed-Dry allows the dryer to only start at a specified time. So, until the time reaches or you cancel the setting, the dryer won’t start.
Another cycle that could stop the dryer from starting a cycle is Delay Start. Maytag allows you to set a delayed start time on most of its dryers, including the Bravos family, which works similarly to Timed-Dry.
Fix
Disable Timed-Dry or Delayed Start if any of the settings is active. Just to be safe, consider a Normal Dry cycle, and if you don’t know what to check, use your dryer manual to determine what Maytag dryer cycle to use.
6. Error Code
Some error codes won’t allow the Maytag Bravos XL dryer manual to operate. These error codes include F01, PF, and L2. While F01 relates to a control board malfunction, error codes PF and Lx relate to a power issue.
Fix
You can fix error codes F01, PF, and L2 with a reset. Just unplug the Xl dryer for at least 5 minutes and then plug it in. Then start your dryer to see if it’s running.
7. Unfastened Door
Your Maytag Bravos XL may fail to start if it detects an unfastened door. Yes, the door might look closed, but if it’s not firmly secured, the dryer may not start.
Sometimes, it’s only a matter of forgetting to firmly lock the door or a possible obstruction. At other times, however, the issue is a defective door switch that you must replace.
Fix
Check if anything impedes the dryer door and remove it. If the door won’t shut, perform the multimeter continuity check on the door switch and replace it if it shows no continuity.
8. Part Failure
Some parts will stop the dryer from starting when they fail. They include the following:
- Motor
- Timer
- Thermostat
- Control board
Fix
Check if the motor turns, and if it doesn’t, replace it. Meanwhile, perform a continuity check on the timer and thermostat. If any of them shows no continuity, replace them. And if they are okay, replace the control board.
Maytag Bravos Xl Dryer Turns On But Won’t Start
As hinted earlier, your Maytag Bravos XL dryer may turn on and fail to start. That means that it’s likely not a power issue. If it were, then the dryer won’t turn on in the first place.
Overall, consider these issues if your Bravos XL dryer turns on but fails to start:
- The Control Lock is on
- The dryer door could be partially latched
- You are using a Delayed Start setting
- The start switch is non-responsive or defective
- The drive motor, timer, thermostat, or control board could be defective
Maytag Bravos Xl Dryer Beeps But Won’t Start
A beep doesn’t mean your dryer is running. Sometimes the dryer may beep and still fail to start. That could be due to these issues:
- Inadequate power supply, perhaps due to a blown-up fuse or wrong voltage supply
- A non-engaging door switch
- Dryer overload
- Clogged lint filter
Maytag Bravos Xl Dryer Clicks But Won’t Start
Also, your Maytag Bravos XL may produce the clicking sound without starting. If that’s the case, then the issue could be any of the following:
- Power failure
- Faulty start button
- Non-responsive door switch
- Blown-up fuse
- Defective dryer belt
- Broken drive pulley
People Also Ask
1. Why Won’t My Maytag Bravos XL Dryer Turn On?
Your Maytag Bravos XL dryer won’t turn on because of a possible power issue. It could be that there’s an outage or the dryer lacks power due to a tripped breaker, defective socket, or damaged power cord. But still, it could be that you haven’t turned on the dryer or its power cord is loose.
2. Why Is My Maytag Bravos XL Dryer Beeping But Won’t Start?
Your Maytag Bravos XL dryer is beeping but failing to start because of a blown-up fuse, wrong voltage supply, drum overload (with wet clothes), or clogged lint screen. If that’s not it, the door switch could be defective.
3. Why Is My Maytag Dryer Not Starting But Has Power?
Your Maytag dryer won’t start though it has power because of a Control Lock setting, wrong cycle selection, defective start button, broken belt, loose power cord, or malfunctioning door switch.
4. Does Maytag Bravos Have a Reset Button?
Maytag Bravos dryers don’t have a specified reset button. Instead, you’ve to reset them manually by unplugging them for a few minutes and then re-plugging them.
5. How Do I Reset My Bravos XL Dryer?
You can reset your Maytag Bravos XL dryer by plugging it out of the electric outlet for at least 5 minutes and then plugging it back in. Then restart your dryer to see if it’s running correctly.
6. Why Won’t My Maytag Dryer Start Just Hums?
Your Maytag dryer won’t start but hums because of a broken or worn-out drive belt. In such a case, the drive belt starts to hum when the dryer runs a cycle. It’s, however, fixable with getting a new belt.
Closing Remarks
One of the above-shared reasons explains why your Maytag Bravos Xl dryer won’t start. So, consider the troubleshooting tips before calling an expert or giving up on your dryer. Just check quickly, settle on the most likely cause, and fix it.
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