The moisture sensor technology is quite effective in assessing a Samsung dryer’s moisture level and shutting off the dryer once a preferred dryness level is attained. All that, however, won’t happen if your Samsung moisture sensor dryer won’t start, and that’s where this guide comes in.
Your Samsung moisture sensor dryer will likely not start due to a failed power supply, electronic glitch, inappropriate setting, error code, unfastened door, blown thermal fuse, start switch or control panel fault, or component failure.
While mentioning component failure, it could be the timer, motor, or dryer control board. If such components fail, your moisture sensor dryer will likely not start.
But since it’s the last consideration and often requires an expert’s help, you should first consider the first eight issues, which you can fix yourself, and I’ll help you do it. Let’s dive on!
In a hurry? Below is a quick troubleshooting guide for your non-starting Samsung moisture sensor dryer:
Your Samsung Moisture Sensor Dryer Won’t Start? Quick Troubleshooting Guide!
| – | Likely Reason | Quick Fix |
| 1. | Failed Power Supply | Check your moisture sensor dryer’s power supply (it should power on)) |
| 2. | Electronic Glitch | Reset the dryer |
| 3. | Inappropriate Setting | Inactivate Delay Start or Child Lock if they are active |
| 4. | Error Code | Clear the error code first before restarting the dryer. |
| 5. | Unfastened Door | Check the dryer door for obstruction (and remove them) and a defective door switch (and replace it) |
| 6. | Blown Thermal Fuse | Test the thermal fuse’s continuity using a multimeter and replace it if it shows no continuity. |
| 7. | Start Switch Fault | Press the start switch long enough (2-3 seconds), unstick it if it’s stuck, and replace it if it’s damaged. |
| 8. | Control Panel Fault | Avoid touching the control panel with wet or filthy hands, and replace a damaged one. |
| 9. | Component Failure | Replace a defective timer, motor, or dryer control board. |
Why Won’t My Samsung Moisture Sensor Dryer Start?
Your Samsung moisture sensor dryer doesn’t start for nothing. Something must be amiss or malfunctioning, and you must find out what it is.
Here are the most likely reasons your Samsung moisture sensor dryer won’t start:
1. Failed Power Supply
It could be that your Samsung moisture sensor dryer doesn’t have power. Honestly, you cannot expect it to start running without power. It has first to turn on and then run and not vice versa.
Here’s what to check when your Samsung Moisture Sensor Dryer won’t turn on:
- Unplugged or damaged power cord – Could the power cord be loose or just not plugged entirely? Or might it be damaged? If yes, then your moisture sensor dryer won’t start.
- Failure to turn on the power socket switch – Perhaps this sounds too elementary, but it could be that you just haven’t turned on the socket’s power switch after plugging in the dryer. If so, then the dryer won’t turn on.
- The use of an extension cord – Extension cords aren’t the best for powering heavy appliances like dryers. Often, they don’t allow maximum voltage transmission. Hence, the dryer may not turn on; even if it turns on, the chances of stopping mid-cycle are much higher.
- Faulty wall socket – It could be that the wall socket is defective and thus won’t power on the dryer. You can try plugging in a portable lamp or any other appliance to see if it’ll turn on.
- Tripped breaker – If there was a recent power surge, the chances are that the circuit breaker might have tripped off, and once that’s the case, it cuts off the moisture sensor dryer’s power supply.
Fix
First, ensure the power cord is plugged into the wall socket (not the extension cord) and turned on. If the power cord looks defective, replace it. And if the wall socket won’t power any other device, replace it. Lastly, reset the circuit breaker (flip it back to position) if it’s tripped off.
2. Electronic Glitch
Sometimes, the dryer’s settings freeze, which is an electronic glitch. Once that happens, though it’s pretty rare, the dryer won’t run, and that could be the case with your moisture sensor dryer.
Fix
An electronic glitch is easily fixable with a power reset, and here’s how to reset your Samsung moisture sensor dryer:
- Power off the dryer and plug it out
- Alternatively, flip off the circuit breaker
- Wait for at least 60 seconds to restore the dryer to the power
- Power on the dryer to see if it’ll start running
- If it doesn’t, which rules out an electronic glitch, consider the other issues below
3. Inappropriate Setting
Some settings won’t allow the dryer to start running. One such setting is Delay Start. While this setting doesn’t entirely stop the dryer from starting, it stops it from doing it immediately. The dryer only begins at the pre-selected time.
Another setting that stops the dryer from starting is Child Lock. This safety setting prevents kids from running the dryer by locking the control panel. So, the dryer doesn’t start.
Fix
Consider inactivating Delay Start and Child Lock if either setting is active. You can disable Child Lock by holding down Temp + Time or Temp + Dry-Level for a few seconds until the Child Lock indicator goes off.
As for Delay Start, all you’ve to do is turn off the dryer and turn it on, and the setting will be off. You then need to pick an appropriate setting and hit start.
4. Error Code
If there’s an error code on your dryer, you must address it first. It’s most likely the reason your moisture sensor dryer doesn’t run. Usually, an error code is one way the dryer communicates a fault. So immediate attention is advisable.
Fix
Check out your manual or online what the Samsung error code means and troubleshoot it. In the meantime, you can try power-resetting the dryer as explained earlier.
5. Unfastened Door
Check the dryer door. It might be slightly open; if so, the moisture sensors will sense that and stop engaging the motor to run. Ultimately, the dryer won’t start.
It could be a cloth obstruction preventing the dryer door from latching completely. But if that’s not the case, it could be a defective door switch, which won’t engage to signal the motor, and as a result, the dryer doesn’t run.
Fix
Check for any cloth obstruction, remove it, and then try to latch the door firmly. If that’s not the case, test the dryer door switch with a multimeter. The absence of continuity likely proves a defective door switch, which you should replace.
6. Blown Thermal Fuse
Inside your moisture sensor dryer is a thermal fuse that protects the appliance from overheating during a power surge. The thermal fuse overheats or burns out in place of the dryer but cuts off the dryer’s power supply in the process. So, the dryer doesn’t start because it lacks power.
Fix
Use a multimeter again here to check if the thermal fuse has continuity. Replace it if it doesn’t. Remember to check the location of the thermal fuse using your dryer manual.
7. Start Switch Fault
You cannot expect your moisture sensor dryer to start if the start switch won’t engage the motor. You can tell if that’s the case if the dryer won’t hum when you press start, which shows a non-engaged motor.
Ideally, holding down the start switch for 2-3 seconds is best. It won’t start the dryer if you only tap it. Also, remember that the start switch won’t run the dryer if stuck or damaged. So, inspect it.
Fix
Hold down the start switch for 2-3 seconds. If it’s stuck, try to jostle it to free it and clean any debris obstruction. However, replace it if it’s damaged.
8. Control Panel Fault
The issue could also be with the control panel, which won’t respond to your touch commands. You could be touching the control panel with wet or soiled hands. In such a case, the control panel will see it as a fault and fail to respond.
It could also be that the control panel itself is defective. In such a case, the dryer display may turn on, but some buttons, including the start control, may be non-responsive.
Fix
First, clean and dry your hands before touching the control panel. Replace the control panel if some buttons are non-responsive, but the display works.
9. Component Failure
Lastly, you cannot overlook the possibility of a failed internal component, especially any of these three:
- Timer – Once the timer fails, the dryer won’t move cycles and will not start.
- Motor – You expect the motor to run for the dryer to start. So if the motor fails, the dryer won’t run. It may make a loud humming sound but won’t run.
- Control board – Since the control board controls all other moisture sensor dryer functions, the dryer won’t start if the control board is kaput!
Fix
The above three dryer components may be hard to diagnose, so you should call a dryer expert. Or better, contact Samsung technical support!
Samsung Moisture Sensor Dryer Has Power But Won’t Start
Just because your Samsung moisture sensor dryer turns on doesn’t mean it’ll start. Sometimes, the dryer has power but won’t start. So, you must rule out any power issues.
Here are the likely reasons why your Samsung Moisture Sensor Dryer turns on but won’t start:
- A possible software glitch, which is fixable by resetting the dryer
- A wrong setting, such as Delay Start or Child Lock, which you should inactivate or cancel
- An error code, which you should clear
- An unfastened dryer door, which you should firmly fasten
- A blown-up thermal fuse, which you should replace
- There is an issue with the start switch, which you should fix
- There is a problem with the control panel, which you should check
- A defective component, such as a motor or timer
Samsung Moisture Sensor Dryer Clicks But Won’t Start
While you expect your Samsung moisture sensor dryer to start running when it makes a clicking sound, more often than not, it doesn’t. The click sound is a fault code that could point out any of these issues:
- Clogged drain hose
- Burnt heating element
- Blown thermal fuse
- Non-responsive start switch
- Defective door switch, dryer motor, timer, or idler pulley
Concluding Thought on Why Your Samsung Moisture Sensor Dryer Won’t Start:
As shared above, at least nine issues are worth checking when your Samsung moisture sensor dryer doesn’t start. Remember, it could be due to the lack of power, frozen settings (or glitch), a fault code, an open door, a burnt thermal fuse, a start switch or control panel malfunction, or a failed component (timer, motor, or dryer control board).
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