The effectiveness of a Whirlpool Duet dryer is warranted at home and in company settings where there is the need to dry clothes fast. But given that any dryer can malfunction or stop working, you may need to try the Whirlpool Duet dryer troubleshooting, which isn’t as intricate as many perceive it to be.
From a Whirlpool duet dryer that won’t start or get hot to an option that won’t dry clothes or spin, you can troubleshoot it DIY. Additionally, you can troubleshoot a non-spinning Duet dryer, among other issues.
But before fixing a duet dryer issue, you should identify its cause. So, our focus will not just be on the fixes but also their triggers. Sometimes, however, some reasons are not obvious; thus, you may need to run diagnostics to determine the problem.
In light of that, I’ll share a guide to putting your duet dryer in diagnostic mode. That will allow you to view hidden error codes that you can use to determine what’s wrong with your dryer. And speaking of error codes, I’ll share some common diagnostic codes and their troubleshooting.
Let’s jump in!
In a hurry? See the five issues common among Whirlpool Duet dryers and their troubleshooting in the table below.
Quick Whirlpool Duet Dryer Troubleshooting Guide
| Problem | Likely Cause | Recommendation | |
| 1. | Whirlpool Duet Dryer Not Starting | An unengaged start switch, power disruption, open door, locked controls, wrong setting, bad motor, or shorted control board | Press the start switch for 3-5 seconds, ensure the dryer has power, try to latch an open door, and disable Control Lock. Choose the correct setting and replace a bad motor or shorted control board. |
| 2. | Whirlpool Dryer Not Getting Hot Enough | Power disruption, soaking-wet or large load size, clogged lint trap or vent, or burnt heating element | Ensure the duet dryer has power, wring out excess water and reducing overload. Clean a clogged lint trap or vent and replace a burnt heating element. |
| 3. | Whirlpool Duet Dryer Won’t Dry | Air-Dry settings, excess softener, low room temperature (below 450), soaking-wet load or an overload, blocked vent or lint trap, or defective heating element | Use another setting instead of Air-Dry, reduce softener use, and raise the room temperature above 450. Don’t load soaking-wet or oversize load, unblock a blocked lint trap or vent, and replace a defective heating element |
| 4. | Whirlpool Duet Dryer Won’t Spin | Locked control, bulky load, obstructed drum, a broken belt, or faulty motor | Deactivate Control Lock, reduce bulky load, un-obstruct the drum, and replace a broken belt or defective drive motor |
| 5. | Squeaky Whirlpool Duet Dryer | Unfastened screws, loose metal objects, unstable feet, a noisy hinge, or defective drive belt, drum roller, roller shaft, or idler pulley | Fasten loose screws and remove loose metal objects, adjust the feet if unstable, lubricate an ungreased hinge, and replace a defective drive belt, drum rollers, roller shaft, or idler pulley |
Is Your Whirlpool Duet Dryer Not Working?
If your Whirlpool duet dryer is not working and you don’t know what’s wrong, consider putting it in diagnostic mode. That’s if the issue is not power-related, as you need the dryer plugged in.
By putting your dryer on diagnostic mode, you’ll get an error code that could help you determine the fault. While there are different ways to enter the Whirlpool Duet dryer diagnostic mode, here’s one way to do it:
- Put the dryer on standby – this requires you to keep it plugged into the socket but not powered on
- Identify the buttons named More Time and Less Time
- Press the two buttons consecutively
- Press the buttons again and wait for the duet dryer to enter the diagnostic mode
- View the error code that pops up (if any)
Once you have an error code, you can look it up online to find its meaning and troubleshoot it. Let’s highlight some of them next.
Whirlpool Duet Dryer Troubleshooting Codes
After running diagnostics and finding an error code, the next step is to troubleshoot it. The table below shows typical Whirlpool Duet error codes and their troubleshooting:
| Error Code | Meaning | Troubleshooting |
| LOC | Whirlpool Duet dryer control locked | Press the End of Cycle’ switch for 3 seconds to unlock the control panel |
| PF | Power Failure | Check the dryer’s power supply, and if you cannot fix it, call an electrician |
| Whirlpool Duet dryer F01 Code | Control board fault | Reset the dryer, and if the error doesn’t go, replace the control board |
| F02 | Stuck keypad | Free up the stuck keypad |
| F06 | Faulty door lock | Check the door lock, and if it’s broken, replace it |
| F28/F29 | Failed moisture sensor | Replace the moisture sensor |
| F30 | Poor airflow | Check and clean the lint screen and vent if dirt-clogged |
| Any code starting with E | Servicing required | Call an HVAC service technician |
Whirlpool Duet Dryer Reset
Some error codes require resetting the dryer, making reset a vital troubleshooting step. Generally, here’s how to go about it:
- Turn off the duet dryer
- Unplug it from the electric outlet
- Wait for at least 1 minute before plugging back
5 Common Whirlpool Duet Dryer Problems
Let’s now talk about the individual dryer problems you may face with your Duet dryer. They include these 5:
1. Whirlpool Duet Dryer Won’t Start
Not often does a Whirlpool Duet dryer fail to start. It often happens when a power supply fails, but that’s not the only possible cause.
Here are the reasons why a Whirlpool duet dryer won’t start:
- Unengaged start switch – Ideally, you should hold down the start switch for 3-5 seconds to engage it. If you only tap it, the dryer may fail to start.
- Power disruption – An issue like a tripped breaker, loose power cord, or a blown-up socket or fuse will stop the dryer from turning on. But first, check if there’s a blackout.
- Open door – Your duet dryer won’t start if the door is open. It could be that you didn’t firmly shut it, something is obstructing it, or the door switch is defective.
- Locked controls – If Control Lock is on, it locks the control panel, rendering all controls (besides the power switch) unresponsive.
- Wrong setting – Settings like Timed-Dry, Wrinkle-Shield, and Auto-Dry can prevent the duet dryer from starting immediately. So, check if they are active.
- Bad motor – Sometimes the dryer won’t start because the motor won’t rotate. And if that happens, the motor is likely defective.
- Shorted control board – A power overload can sometimes short the control board, paralyzing all its functions, including running the dryer. It, however, doesn’t happen often – I must say.
Fix
Start by holding down the start switch for at least 3 seconds. If the dryer doesn’t start after that, check if it’s turned on. If not, check if it’s a power blackout; if not, check for issues like a tripped breaker, loose power cord, or a blown-up socket or fuse.
Reset a tripped breaker and firmly plug in a loose power cord. Then use a multimeter device to check if the power socket and fuse have continuity. If one of them doesn’t, replace it.
Check the door (if the dryer has the power) to see if it’s open. If it is, try latching it and remove anything that might obstruct it, and if it doesn’t close, check the door switch with a multimeter (View on Amazon) and replace it if it shows no continuity.
Deactivate Control Lock if the setting is active, and choose a normal cycle instead of Timed-Dry, Wrinkle-Shield, or Auto dry if you didn’t intend to use them. And if the motor won’t run or the motor board loos short-circuited, replace them.
2. Whirlpool Duet Dryer Not Heating – Troubleshooting
Among the most everyday Whirlpool Duet dryer heating element problems is a non-heating dryer. A failed heating element, however, is not the only thing that can stop a duet dryer from getting hot. There are others.
Here are the most typical reasons why a Whirlpool Duet dryer won’t get hot:
- Power disruption – If the power cable loosens, the circuit breaker trips off, the thermal fuse blows up, or a blackout occurs, the dryer will lack power and fail to heat.
- Soaking-wet laundry – While the dryer’s job is to dry wet clothes, the laundry shouldn’t be soaking wet. If it is, it may take longer for the dryer to get hot.
- Large load size – The dryer shouldn’t be loaded to the brim. If so, there won’t be any room for hot air to circulate, and the dryer will remain cold.
- Clogged lint trap – Over time, the lint trap accumulates lint which may block it. Once that happens, there is restricted airflow, which means your dryer might not get hot.
- Clogged vent – Lint may also block the air vent and restrict airflow. If air doesn’t circulate, your duet dryer won’t get hot.
- Burnt heating element – The heating element essentially heats the inward-bound cold air. It may overheat and burn, and once that happens, it’s unable to do its job, which means your dryer can’t get hot.
Fix
Check if your duet dryer has power. If it doesn’t, then check the circuit breaker (and reset it if it’s Off), firmly plug in the power cable (if it’s loose), and test the fuse with a multimeter (and replace it if it lacks continuity).
Meanwhile, inspect the laundry and ensure you don’t load the clothes while they are soaking wet, and don’t overload the drum. Keep it ¾ or thereabout.
If the lint trap or vent is lint-clogged, clean it, test the heating element with a multimeter, and replace it if it has no continuity.
3. Whirlpool Duet Dryer Not Drying
While you expect the clothes to come out dry after running the dryer, sometimes they come out wet. Obviously, that points to a malfunction, and here are some issues that can stop a duet dryer from drying clothes:
- Air-Dry settings – The problem with the Air-Dry setting is that the dryer only blows dry air, which may not be enough to dry the clothes.
- Excess softener – Too much softener wets the clothes, making it hard for the dryer to dry them.
- Low room temperature (below 450) – If the room is colder than 450, the dryer may have difficulty getting the clothes dry. Ordinarily, dryers work best when the temperatures are above 450.
- Soaking-wet load – Yes, the clothes should be wet for you to dry them. That, however, doesn’t mean that they should be soaking wet. If they are so, it’ll take time for the dryer to dry them, and they may fail to dry at all.
- Laundry overload – Your dryer needs some room in the drum for the clothes to turn and for the hot air to circulate and dry them. That, however, won’t happen if you overload the dryer.
- Blocked vent – The blockages will restrict airflow if the dryer vent clogs, collapses, or kinks. Once that happens, the dryer is unable to dry the wet laundry.
- Blocked lint trap – The lint trap can sometimes clog up with the lint it traps; in such a case, it restricts airflow. So, your duet dryer cannot get hot and dry the clothes.
- Defective heating element – Once the heating element is faulty, you cannot expect your dryer to heat the inward-bound cold air. So, inspect the heating element for fault.
Fix
Choose another setting other than Air-Dry if you want your duet dryer to dry the clothes and avoid using too much fabric softener. Also, avoid loading soaking-wet clothes or overloading the dryer.
Consider cleaning the lint trap and unblocking the vent, and if the heating element fails to display electrical continuity while checking it with a multimeter, replace it.
4. Whirlpool Duet Dryer Not Spinning -Troubleshooting
Your duet dryer has to spin to dry the clothes. Some issues, however, can stop it from doing so, which include:
- Locked control – If Control Lock is active, the dryer won’t spin. Remember, this functionality disables all dryer controls (apart from the power switch), so the dryer won’t start or turn if enabled.
- Bulky load – If the dryer load is too hefty, it may be hard to turn in the drum. So, that could be the reason the dryer won’t spin.
- Obstructed drum – If some clothes block the drum, especially along the door boundaries, they may prevent the dryer from spinning.
- Broken belt – The drive belt drives the drum; if it’s broken, the drum won’t spin. The good this is that a broken belt is replaceable.
- Faulty motor – A working motor drives the drive belt, which turns the drum. If the drive motor is defective, the drive belt won’t turn; if it doesn’t, the dryer won’t spin.
Fix
Disable Control Lock to free up the control panel and reduce the laundry size if it exceeds the drum’s ¾ carrying limit. Remove any obstructive clothes from the drum, and if the belt is defective, consider a Whirlpool Duet dryer belt replacement. However, don’t forget about a motor replacement for a non-running motor.
5. Whirlpool Duet Dryer Squeaking
As annoying as a squeaking dryer is, it’s fixable once you determine the source of the fault. In the case of a duet dryer, check out these issues:
- Unfastened screws – If there are loose screws in the drum, they may produce a squeaking sound when the dryer runs.
- Loose metal objects – Loose metal objects like pins, broken zippers, jewelry, and coins can produce a squeaky sound if they are in the drum or between clothes.
- Unstable feet – unstable dryer legs are likely to vibrate and may sometimes cause the dryer to produce a squeaking sound.
- Noisy hinge – If the door hinge is ungreased or damaged, it may produce a squeaking sound.
- Defective drive belt, drum rollers, roller shaft, or idler pulley – If the drive belt, drum rollers, roller shaft, or idler pulley wears out or breaks, the dryer won’t spin.
Fix
Fasten any loose screws and remove loose metal objects in the drum and between clothes. Adjust the dryer feet to avoid unnecessary shaking if they are not uniform.
Lubricate the door hinge if it’s noisy, but replace it if it’s damaged. Lastly, replace a worn-out or broken drive belt, drum roller, roller shaft, or idler pulley.
Closing Remarks
Above are the most common Whirlpool Duet dryer troubleshooting problems. Thus, consider the guide if your duet dryer suffers from any of those issues and save yourself from having to call professional service and pay for it.
But since a few issues, especially those involving major component replacement, require an expert’s involvement, you may resort to calling them in such cases. Or better, call Whirlpool when you can’t do it DIY.
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