The last thing you want as a Samsung dryer user is your Samsung moisture sensor dryer not drying. In such a case, you must fix it (which means first determining the underlying cause) or find another way of drying your wet laundry.
Often, a Samsung moisture sensor dryer won’t dry clothes due to a power issue, wrong setting selection, poor loading, clogged moisture sensor, lint filter, vent, or heat exchanger, overfilled water tank, or burnt heating element.
Your job, therefore, is to determine which of those issues relates to your moisture sensor dryer and quickly address it, and that’s where this troubleshooting guide comes in. I’ll help you troubleshoot each of those problems.
Later, we’ll look at a non-starting and non-heating moisture sensor dryer. Ultimately, that should equip you enough to handle other problems prevalent among moisture sensor dryers.
Let’s dive in!
In a rush? Below is how to quickly troubleshoot your Samsung moisture sensor dryer when it leaves the clothes soaking wet.
Samsung Moisture Sensor Dryer Not Drying Clothes – Quick Fixes
| – | Likely Reason | Quick Fix |
| 1. | Power Issue (under voltage supply, tripped breaker, or blown-up fuse) | Ensure the voltage supply is at least 240v, reset the circuit breaker if tripped up, and replace a blown-up thermal fuse |
| 2. | Wrong Setting (timed dry, no-heat or low-heat cycle or an incorrect temperature selection) | Choose the correct dry cycle, setting, and temperature selection. |
| 3. | Poor Loading (laundry overload, underload, or unmatched load) | Load the dryer to ¾ its capacity and avoid mixing heavy and lighter loads |
| 4. | Clogged Moisture Sensor | Clean the moisture sensor with alcohol wipes. |
| 5. | Clogged Lint Filter | Clean the lint filters with a dryer cleaning brush and under running water. |
| 6. | Vent Clogging | Vacuum the clogged dryer vent or use a thin wire. |
| 7. | Clogged Heat Exchanger | Clean the heat exchanger with a damp, soft cloth. |
| 8. | Overfilled Water Tank | Empty the water tank. |
| 9. | Burnt Heating Element | Replace the heating element. |
Why Is My Samsung Moisture Sensor Dryer Not Drying?
Your Samsung moisture sensor dryer won’t dry your clothes for different reasons. Here are the most likely causes:
1. Power Issue
Your moisture sensor must turn on and then heat up before it can start drying. For that to happen, it needs adequate power.
Sadly, some issues may interfere with its power supply, and that includes the following:
- Under-voltage power supply – Your Samsung dryer needs a voltage supply of at least 240v. If that’s not the case, the dryer may turn on, but it won’t heat up, and if it doesn’t get hot, it won’t dry the clothes.
- Tripped breaker – The power breaker is likely to trip up because of a power surge, and when it happens, it cuts off the moisture sensor dryer’s power supply, stopping the dryer from running.
- Blown-up thermal fuse – Another thing that could happen during a power surge is that the thermal fuse may overheat and blow up to protect the dryer from having a similar fate. But just like it is for the circuit breaker, a blown-up fuse interferes with the dryer’s power supply.
Fix
First, ensure your dryer’s voltage supply is at least 240 volts, and call an electrician if that’s not the case. If the power breaker is tripped up or OFF, reset it, and if the thermal fuse looks burnt, replace it.
2. Wrong Setting
Your moisture sensor dryer needs the correct dry setting and cycle and the most suitable temperature selection. If you get any of those wrong, the dryer will fail to heat and dry the clothes.
Here are the issues to check:
- Timed dry cycle – If you choose the Time Dry cycle, the dryer will only run for the duration you instruct it to, and if you opt for a Quick Dry cycle, it’ll only run for 30 minutes and stop. So, check if that’s the case.
- No-heat cycle – Settings like Air Fluff and Cool Air only allow the dryer to run without heat. So, the dryer won’t dry clothes under such conditions.
- Low-heat cycle – Settings like Eco Dry and Perm Press allow the dryer to run under low heat. So, it may take time for the dryer to dry the clothes properly.
- Wrong temperature selection – You also need to match the temperature selection with the load, and I’ll share a quick table to use. If you get this wrong, the dryer may fail to dry the clothes properly.
Fix
First, choose the correct dry cycle and setting for your Samsung dryer. Cancel Air Fluff, Cool Sir, Eco Dry, Perm Press, or any other low-heat or no-heat cycle. Then, ensure you match the laundry with the correct temperature selection as shown in the table below:
| Temperature Selection | Temperature Range | Preferred Clothes/Fabric Type |
| High | 140 – 1450F | Sturdy cotton fabrics and Tumble Dry-labelled options |
| Medium | 130 – 1350F | Perm Press clothes, lightweight cotton, and medium Tumble Dry-labelled options |
| Low | 122 – 1220F | Heat-sensitive fabrics and low Tumble Dry-labelled options |
| Extra Low | 100 – 1100F | Fabrics requiring extremely low heat |
3. Poor Loading
Sometimes, the issue could be with the laundry distribution, and that brings us to these three issues:
- Laundry overload – Your dryer will take forever to get hot if you exceed the dryer’s ¾ capacity. In such a case, it becomes harder for hot air to circle the wet laundry, which means some clothes will likely come out dripping wet.
- Laundry underload – The dryer’s powerful sensor may fail to detect any clothes if you only load a few items, and in such a case, the dryer will fail to run and dry the clothes. That could happen if the dryer is below its ½ capacity.
- Unmatched load – Sometimes, you may lead the dryer to the correct level, but only to mix heavy and lighter clothes. The problem is that the dryer stops heating once the lighter clothes dry, leaving the heavier items soaking wet.
Fix
Properly load the dryer, which means keeping its capacity ¾ full or slightly less, but don’t go below its halfway mark. While at it, ensure you dry clothes of the same type. Don’t mix heavy and lighter loads; evenly spread them before running the dryer to avoid wet heaps.
4. Moisture Sensor Clogging
The moisture sensors determine how wet the clothes are so the dryer can dry them accordingly. Sadly, they clog up over time, and when they do, it leads to the wrong drying time.
So, check if that’s the case, as your dryer will likely not dry your clothes when the moisture sensors malfunction.
Fix
Check if the moisture sensors are filthy (you can use your dryer manual) and clean them using alcohol wipes.
5. Lint Filter Clogging
Another thing to inspect for dirt clogging is the lint filter. Over time, lint accumulates on the lint filter, interfering with airflow. Once that happens, your moisture sensor dryer will have difficulty heating and drying the clothes.
Ideally, you should wipe off lint from the lint filter at least before every dry cycle. If you don’t, the lint will accumulate and bring about the issue we have at hand.
Overall, watch out for the ‘Lint Filter Alarm’ to tell if the lint filter is filthy and needs cleaning.
Fix
Inspect the lint filter for clogging once you note the ‘Lint Filter Alarm’ and clean it, preferably with a dryer cleaning brush and under running water. However, if the lint filter is excessively clogged, consider vacuuming it.
6. Vent Clogging
Sometimes, lint escapes the lint filter and finds itself in the vent. Once that’s the case, the lint buildup blocks the duct and stops moisture from escaping. So, your dryer will heat up, but the clothes will remain soaking wet.
Fix
Examine the exhaust vent for lint blockage and vacuum it. Alternatively, use a thin wire to dislodge the clog. Remember to do this at least once or twice a year to avoid the issue from recurring.
7. Heat Exchanger Clogging
The heat exchanger, whose job is to cool the moist air from the wet clothes, may also accumulate dirt, and when it does, it’s unable to do its job. So, you also have to inspect it for clogging.
When the heat exchanger is filthy, the dryer will likely display the words ‘Clean Heat Exchanger.’ So, check it out.
Fix
Examine the heat exchanger for dirt clogging once you notice the message ‘Clean Heat Exchanger’ on the display and clean it with a dryer cleaning brush. Also, clean its outer cover, but use a damp cloth instead. Then, dismiss the error code.
8. Overfilled Water Tank
Can you identify the error code 5c or the ‘Water Tank Indicator’? If yes, you have an overfilled water tank, which you should empty. If you don’t, the clothes will remain wet as the dryer will fail to drain the excess water.
Fix
Empty the water tank once you notice the error code 5c or the ‘Water Tank Indicator’ and then hold down the ‘O’ button to clear the error code.
9. Burnt Heating Element
Lastly, your Samsung moisture sensor dryer might not be drying clothes because the heating element has burnt out. That is likely due to a power surge or poor airflow, but sometimes, the heating element fails over time from usage.
Generally, the heating element’s job is to heat the cold air inside the dryer. So, you can expect your dryer to remain cold and clothes wet when the heating element fails.
Fix
Check out the heating element using a multimeter and replace it if it fails to show continuity.
Samsung Moisture Sensor Dryer Not Starting
Your Samsung moisture sensor dryer won’t start due to any of these issues:
- Lack of power
- Frozen settings (where you should reset the dryer)
- Delay Start setting
- Locked control panel
- Open door
- Faulty start switch
Samsung Moisture Sensor Dryer Not Heating Up
Check out these issues if your Samsung moisture sensor dryer won’t heat up:
- Lack of power
- Failed gas supply (for gas models)
- Wrong heat setting or dry cycle
- Clogged vent, lint filter, or moisture sensor
- Blocked heat exchanger
- Laundry overload or underload
- Burnt heating element
Concluding Thought on Your Samsung Moisture Sensor Dryer Not Drying:
Generally, it takes the above guide to quickly identify why your Samsung moisture sensor dryer won’t dry clothes and fix it. So, you often don’t need an expert’s help unless it’s serious.
Hopefully, that’ll help you get your moisture sensor dryer back to doing what it should do best – drying your clothes. But if you cannot do it using my guide or your manual, you can ask for a dryer expert’s help.