Maytag Neptune Dryer Heating Element Replacement in 7 Steps

You want your Maytag Neptune dryer to heat up and dry your clothes perfectly, and that highly depends on a functional heating element. If it fails, you’ve no choice but to consider a Maytag Neptune dryer heating element replacement.

Here’s how to replace a Maytag Neptune dryer’s heating element: Disconnect the dryer, unscrew the rear panel, remove the old element, and swap the hi-limit thermostat. Then install the replacement heating element, screw back the rear panel, and reconnect the dryer.

So, it takes about seven steps to replace a non-working heating element successfully. However, before you can rush into replacing the heating element, you should be sure it’s faulty. As I’ll explain, you can do that by visual check or multimeter test.

And, of course, there is the issue of the dryer not heating or drying or perhaps taking too long to do it, which I’ll also explain. But first, let’s understand what a heating element is and its role in a dryer.

Here we go!

Maytag Neptune dryer heating element replacement

What’s The Heating Element On a Dryer and What Does It Do?

The heating element is an internal dryer component characterized by a metallic chamber and heating coils, whose job is to produce heat. Hence, the heating element heats the dryer to allow it to dry clothes. You can find it just beneath the drum or in the rear panel.

How Does the Heating Element Fail On a Maytag Neptune Dryer?

Like other dryer heating elements, the Neptune heating element fails by overheating. When it overheats, it can burn out, and once that happens, it’s unable to do its job.

Here are three issues that could cause the heating element to overheat and burn:

a) Component Clogging

Good airflow is essential for your Neptune dryer. The dryer may overheat with restricted airflow, which mainly points to a clogged component.

That’s likely to happen when the dryer’s internal vent clogs with lint. The lint clogging increases the vent’s internal temperature causing the dryer to overheat. The heat buildup can sometimes be too much for the heating element and may blow it up.

The other source of clogging and restricted airflow is the blower wheel. Its job is to spread hot air in the dryer and exude it. But just like the vent, it too can over-accumulate lint and may fail to do its job. Once that’s the case, the dryer may overheat and expose the heating element to burning.

b) Failed Thermal Protection Device

Three devices protect the dryer from overheating: breaker, thermal fuse, and thermostat. If any of these devices fail, the dryer will be left unprotected and may therefore overheat. Once it does, so will the heating element.

Let’s talk about these devices briefly.

Circuit breaker – The circuit breaker typically trips up when the dryer overheats. Once it’s faulty, it cannot do that. So the dryer will continue overheating until the heating element burns out.
Thermal fuse – The thermal fuse also protects the dryer from overheating, and it does so by blowing up. Once blown up, the thermal fuse becomes defective and will not cover the dryer from a power surge, exposing the heating element to overheating and burning.

Thermostat – The dryer has two thermostats (the cycling and the hi-limit thermostat). Their job is to turn off the heating element and dryer from overheating when they do.

c) Malfunctioning Thermistor

The thermistor’s job is to monitor your Neptune dryer’s internal temperature carefully. If it malfunctions, it won’t be able to do that, which means the dryer may continue overheating without going off. One casualty in such a case is the heating element which may burn.

Any Other Way the Heating Element May Fail?

Though the Maytag Neptune dryer heating element mostly fails from overheating, it can sometimes fail from physical damage.

This is rare since you must disassemble the dryer to access the heating element. So, it’s only likely to happen when you replace it, so you must be careful.

What Happens When the Maytag Neptune Dryer Heating Element Fails?

Now that you know how the dryer heating element fails, here are the most likely outcomes when it does:

a) Non- Heating Dryer

If your Maytag Neptune dryer won’t get hot, it could be because of a failed heating element. I’m using the term could be because a defective heating element is not the only possible explanation for a Maytag Neptune dryer not heating up.

There are others which include the following:

Failed power supply – Perhaps due to a loose or faulty power cord, tripped breaker, or non-working outlet.
A blown-up thermal fuse

Clogged lint screen
Blocked vent
Soaking wet bulky, or overloaded laundry

b) Non-Drying Dryer

If your Maytag Neptune dryer doesn’t get hot, it won’t dry the clothes. The clothes will come wet. So, consider the issues highlighted above and a bad heating element.

Additionally, you must ensure you are not using a dryer setting that does not add enough heat, such as Wrinkle Reduction, or a no-heat setting like Fluff Air.

c) Longer Drying Times

Sometimes the dryer may get hot and eventually dry the clothes, but it takes forever. That means paying more for the energy bill, something you wouldn’t want.

While one of the most likely explanations for that is a failing heating element, it’s not the only one. Here’s what could be wrong:

Clogged lint screen
Kinked, blocked, or crushed lint screen

Wrong dryer setting
Clogged blower wheel
Dryer overload

Soaking-wet load loose power connection

How Do You Check a Faulty Maytag Neptune Dryer Heating Element?

Generally, you can determine a defective dryer heating element using any of these two ways:

Visual check – You can look at the heating element to detect signs of damage, wear, tear, or burns. All those points point to a defective heating element.

Multimeter testing – If you can’t visually recognize a defective heating element, test it with a multimeter. The absence of electrical continuity means it’s faulty. So, replace it.

Maytag Neptune Dryer Heating Element Replacement – The Process Explained!

Generally, the heating element replacement process isn’t complicated and thus DIY. You have to be chary not to damage the coiled part of the heating element when fitting it.

As far as the supplies go, here’s what you’ll need:

Pliers
Philips screwdriver
Multimeter

Replacement heating element (View on Amazon)

How do you change a heating element in a Maytag Neptune

The Steps

Step 1 – Disconnect The Dryer

Power off your Neptune dryer and pull it out of the wall socket. That’s a necessary safety precaution that protects you from an electrocution. You’ll then need to pull the dryer out of the wall to create enough room for working on it.

Step 2 – Disconnect The Rear panel

You must remove the dryer’s rear panel to access the heating element. So, unscrew it and put it aside. Ensure you can now see the heating element.

Step 3 – Remove The Old Heating Element and Check It

Now that you can access the dryer heating element, take it out. You’ll need to disconnect a few wires to do it. So the pliers are handy here.

But before you can replace the heating element, you’ve to be sure it’s faulty; this is where the multimeter comes in. If the heating element lacks continuity, change it.

Step 4 – Swap the hi-limit Thermostat

Take out the hi-limit thermostat from the old heating element and fit it onto the hi-limit thermostat. Do that before installing the heating element.

Step 5 – Install The Replacement Heating Element

With the hi-limit thermostat, install the replacement heating element where the old one was and tighten it into place. You’ll also need to reconnect any loose wires previously disconnected.

Step 6 – Screw The Back Panel

Now that the replacement heating element is in place, return the panel and screw it. It should be tight enough to avoid making weird noises when the dryer starts running.

Step 7 – Reconnect The Dryer

Lastly, plug back the dryer and open it to see if it’ll start getting hot. Ensure you push it back close to the wall as it was.

The Cost of a Maytag Neptune Dryer Heating Element Replacement

You can hire someone or do it yourself when replacing a dryer’s heating element. If you hire an expert, you may pay $100 – $200 for the heating element replacement.

That caters to a new heating element purchase, and the experts charge. However, if you opt for DIY replacement, you’ll only need to buy the heating element, which may cost you about $50 – $100.

And since you now have a 7-step guide, you can do it yourself and save money.