Maytag Centennial Dryer Not Spinning (7 Issues Solved!)

Imagine finishing your laundry and ready to load the clothes in the dryer only to notice your Maytag Centennial dryer not spinning. Then, you are left with a pile of wet laundry and clueless about what could be stopping your precious dryer from turning.

Your Centennial dryer fails to spin due to an unlatched door, wrong setting selection, or a power problem. If it’s not any of those, it could be a faulty drive belt, worn-out drum roller, bad idler pulley, or malfunctioning motor. 

Since your Maytag Centennial dryer has many parts, they must work harmoniously for spinning to take effect. While one of the above issues could be what is ailing your Centennial dryer, I will discuss all seven and the immediate fix to perform.

But whatever the case, the good news is that you can fix any problem yourself and forgo expert costs. In addition to helping you troubleshoot your Maytag Centennial dryer when it doesn’t spin, I’ll briefly explain why your Centennial washer won’t spin dry, given that most Maytag users own both the washer and the dryer.

Here we go!

Maytag centennial dryer not spinning

In a rush? Below is a table summary with all the seven reasons your Maytag Centennial dryer won’t spin and their quick fixes. 

Quick Guide for Troubleshooting a Maytag Centennial Dryer That Won’t Spin

Probable Cause Quick Fix 
1.Unlatched Door Instead of slamming the door, shut it entirely. If there are obstructions, remove them, but if the issue is with the door switch, test it with a multimeter and replace it if faulty 
2.Wrong Setting Deactivate Wrinkle Shield and instead select Accu Dry, Time Dry, or Auto Dry. If the child lock setting is on, disable it by turning your dryer off and back on after three seconds 
3.Power Problem Ensure your socket is 240v, plug the cable firmly into the socket and turn the power on. Test the thermal fuse, circuit breaker, and wall socket for continuity, and if any shows no continuity, replace it 
4.Faulty Drive Belt Check for stretchiness, frailty, or wear on the belt and replace it
5.Worn-out Drum Rollers If your dryer is making clicking sounds, inspect the drum rollers for wear and replace them 
6.Defective Idler Pulley Replace the idler pulley if broken
7.Malfunctioning  Drive Motor First, check the blower wheel for obstruction. If it’s free of obstructions, check the motor and replace it won’t turn 

Why is My Maytag Centennial Dryer Not Spinning?

Below are seven possible reasons to explain why your Maytag Centennial dryer won’t spin:

1. Unlatched Door 

Your dryer starts and spins when the door latches properly. If this isn’t the case, there will be an airflow issue which results in an underpowered drum. If the drum doesn’t receive enough voltage, it may spin slowly or may not spin at all. 

Another reason to explain why your dryer door won’t latch is due to the door slamming. Door slamming comes with a myriad of problems.

Not only can slamming the door loosens or breaks the door hinges, but frequent slamming can cause your dryer door not to latch as it should and may fail to start and spin. 

Also, the door won’t latch due to obstructions. When loading the dryer, some clothes could hang outside the door, making it hard for the door to engage. 

But if the door latches perfectly, the last thing to suspect is the door switch. The switch can prevent your dryer from starting when the door isn’t closed entirely. When the door latches appropriately, the switch activates, in turn, communicates with the dryer to start the cycle. 

However, if the switch fails electronically or mechanically, it won’t signal your dryer to start the cycle, no matter how many times you press the start button. 

Quick Fix 

Start by checking if the dryer door is latching correctly. Also, reduce the habit of slamming the door. Instead, shut your dryer door and ensure it closes fully. 

Check for obstructions and remove any hanging or loose clothing. If the issue is the switch, test its continuity with a multi-tester or multimeter and replace it if it is if it lacks it (continuity). 

2. Wrong Setting 

If your Centennial dryer doesn’t spin, a particular setting could hinder it from doing so. The settings in question could be: 

  • Wrinkle Shield – If you select the Wrinkle Shield setting at your control panel, your Centennial dryer will not spin or even start. The said setting allows the dryer to run intermittently, reducing wrinkling. 
  • Child Lock – Child lock setting is a safety feature that prevents children from operating your dryer in your absence. When it’s on, it locks all the control panel functions, and your Maytag Centennial dryer won’t start the cycle, which could be why it won’t spin.

Quick Fix 

You should choose the correct setting for your dryer to begin spinning. Check if Wrinkle Shield is on and disable it. You can select Time Dry, Auto Dry, or Accu Dry for your dryer to start spinning. 

If Child Lock is active, deactivate it by turning your dryer off and back on after three seconds. 

Maytag centennial dryer won't spin

3. Power Problem 

Your Maytag Centennial dryer won’t spin or start if there’s a power problem. So, you should check if it’s receiving power.

But what can hinder your dryer from getting power? Check out the following:

  • Faulty socket – If the wall socket is defective or is under-voltage (less than 240v), it won’t power your dryer. 
  • Loose power cable – Check if your dryer cable is firmly plugged into the wall socket. If it’s loose, no voltage will pass through it, and your dryer won’t power on. 
  • Tripped breaker – If your dryer was working okay but suddenly stopped spinning, the breaker could have tripped. In most cases, the circuit breaker trips due to an oversupply (power surge). 
  • Blown thermal fuse – If the fuse blows up, it won’t supply enough voltage to power your dryer.

Quick Fix 

Start by ensuring you plug in the power cable firmly to the wall socket and turn the power on. If the socket is below 240v, replace it. 

Also, test the continuity of the thermal fuse, circuit breaker, and wall socket. If any part doesn’t show continuity, replace it. 

4. Faulty Drive Belt 

The drive belt is suspended around the drum by two pulleys and aids in dryer spinning. However, since it’s rubber, it can stretch or wear out with time. 

If this happens, it could also cause other dryer malfunctions like loud screeching noise, excessive vibrations, or a burning smell from your dryer. 

If the dryer belt is loose, it’s likely to snap during regular dryer turning. But it won’t rotate your dryer drum if it’s excessive damage. 

Quick Fix 

Rotate the drum by hand and pay attention to its sound when turning. If the belt is at fault, it makes a squealing or grinding noise.

But since it’s unrepairable, use a screwdriver, and remove the back panel of your dryer by losing the screws. Get hold of the belt, inspect it for wear or physical damage, and replace it

5. Worn-out Drum Rollers 

Another part vital in turning the dryer drum is the roller. The rollers sit on the bearings and can naturally crack or wear out with time. 

When this happens, the contact between the drum and the belt is greatly affected, thus hindering the smooth turning of the dryer drum. 

But before you assume the rollers are faulty, pay attention to your dryer’s sound when rotating the drum by hand. If you hear a clicking sound when your dryer tries to turn, there you have it. The rollers are faulty. 

Quick Fix 

The rollers could be at fault once you hear a clicking sound from your dryer. To remedy this, replace the drum rollers.

6. Defective Idler Pulley 

The idler pulley tightens the drive belt around the drum, ensuring flawless spinning. If the pulley is defective, the belt won’t spin the drum.

But how can you know you are dealing with a faulty idler pulley? It’s simple! If the idler pulley is defective, your dryer will likely produce a squeaking, thumping, or scraping sound whenever it attempts to rotate. 

Quick Fix 

Replace the idler pulley if faulty after noticing a squeaking, thumping, or scraping sound from your dryer. 

Maytag centennial washer won't spin dry

7. Malfunctioning Motor 

If all the above does not solve the issue and your dryer still won’t spin, the motor is the last thing to suspect.

The drive motor powers the blower wheel and the drum, so your Centennial dryer can start spinning and circulating hot air for your clothes to dry. 

But before you can misdiagnose the motor, check the blower wheel for obstructions. When obstructions are on the blower wheel, your dryer will hum when you rotate the drum by hand. 

But the motor could be defective if there’s no humming sound and the blower wheel is free from obstructions. 

Quick Fix 

Replace the motor. You can consult your manual for instructions to replace the motor. If you are not the handy type, ask an expert for help. 

Maytag Centennial Washer Won’t Spin Dry

In most cases, we own both the Centennial washer and Centennial dryer. Sometimes the dryer works just fine, only for the washer not to spin-dry the clothes.

But what causes your Centennial washer not to spin clothes dry? Well, below are some of the reasons:

  • Bulky Load – When you wash all the clothes in the laundry basket, you will likely overload the washer. So, when the washer is above the ¾ mark, no space will be left for your washer to spin the clothes dry, and you will have soaking wet laundry at the end of a wash cycle. 
  • Unlatched door – If the washer door isn’t closed fully, your washer won’t start or spin your clothes.
  • Power issues – The washer sometimes won’t spin if it doesn’t receive enough power to start the motor. It could be due to a power outage, tripped breaker, an under-voltage socket (under 240v), or a loosely plugged cable. 
  • Poor drainage – Spinning goes hand in hand with drainage. If your washer doesn’t drain effectively, spinning may stop altogether. The reasons why your washer won’t drain could be due to a kinked or clogged drain hose. 
  • Unstable washer – If your washer is not resting on stable ground, it would be hard to spin. If it does, it will cause excessive vibrations. 
  • Error codes – If the washer displays an error code on the control panel, there’s no way it will start or spin your clothes dry. So, check for the error codes, troubleshoot them, reset the washer, and restart it again. 
  • Active Lock Control – Centennial washers have a safety feature called a child lock that stops children from operating the washer. When it’s active, it locks all the control panel functions, including spinning and starting. 

Maytag Centennial Dryer Heating But Not Spinning 

If your Centennial dryer heats up, the blower wheel and the motor are receiving power and working fine. 

But if this happens but your dryer won’t spin, it could be that you haven’t locked the door correctly, the belt is faulty, you have selected the wrong setting, the idler pulley is faulty, or the drum rollers are defective. So, check any of those and make the twerk needed. 

Why is my Maytag centennial dryer not spinning

People Also Ask 

1. Where Is the Reset Button On a Maytag Centennial Dryer? 

Unfortunately, there’s no dedicated button to reset your Maytag Centennial dryer. However, the reset is easy.

You need to unplug the dryer cable, wait for 20 seconds, plug it back, and repeat the procedure 2 – 3 times. If that doesn’t work, unplug the washer for 10 minutes and plug it in.

2. Why Is My Maytag Centennial Dryer Not Spinning?

Your Centennial dryer won’t spin if there is a power problem, unlatched door, wrong setting, faulty drive belt, worn-out drum rollers, defective idler pulley, or a malfunctioning motor. 

3. But, How Do I Reset My Maytag Centennial Dryer? 

There are several ways you can use it to reset your Centennial dryer. They include the re-calibration, power disconnect, power cancel, power-start, or 12 o’clock reset methods.

Conclusion on Maytag Centennial Dryer Not Spinning:

The above guide directs what to check or do when your Maytag Centennial dryer won’t spin. You can start by looking for an unlatched door, a wrong setting, or a power problem.

If that’s not it, the issue points to a faulty component such as the drive belt, drum rollers, idler pulley, or the motor. If any of the components is defective, replace it, and your Centennial dryer will resume its normal operations.