GE Dryer Won’t Start: Eight of 23 Were the Knob or Start Button

A GE dryer that will not start is a symptom, not a code. You set the cycle, press start, and the drum does not turn. Three of the calls below came in described as no power at all. The rest were reported simply as not starting, and on one of those the dryer only refused some of the time.

Here is what it actually turned out to be on my last twenty-three GE dryers that would not start in Stark County.

What “won’t start” really was, twenty-three times

• Six of twenty-three — the timer knob. Four were broken, one was cracked, and one had failed in a way that only stopped the dryer intermittently. One of the broken-knob dryers also needed a drive belt, and I cleaned lint out of the blower and cabinet. On the cracked one, the replacement knob was shipped straight to the owner.
• Four of twenty-three — the control board. Three boards had failed and were replaced. On the fourth, the problem was a bad solder joint on the motor relay, and I repaired the joint instead of replacing the board. That dryer also got a new heat element and drum bearing.
• Three of twenty-three — the belt drive. Two broken belts, plus one with a worn idler pulley and front bearings that got a belt, idler and bearings together. On one of the broken-belt dryers I also cleaned lint from the housing.
• Three of twenty-three — the heat safeties. One blown thermal fuse, replaced. One thermal fuse that had tripped, which I reset and recommended a vent cleaning. One failed high limit thermostat, replaced.
• Two of twenty-three — the start button had broken and was replaced.
• Two of twenty-three — a stalled drive motor. I freed both. On one, turning the drum by hand got the motor going and it ran normally after that.
• One each — the timer itself, and the door switch. The timer was replaced. The door switch tested bad and was replaced once the part came in.
• One of twenty-three — the power cord was wired wrong. I corrected the wiring, installed a terminal cover, and replaced the front bearing kit while I was in there.

Put the knob and the start button together and that is eight of twenty-three: the controls you put your hand on every load, not the motor and not the board.

What you can safely check first

Start at the breaker panel and make sure the dryer’s breaker has not tripped. Reset it once. If it trips again, stop there; that is not a do-it-yourself problem.

Then look hard at the timer knob. Does it actually move the dial when you turn it, or does it slip? Is there a crack in it? Six of my twenty-three were the knob, so this is the best free lead you have. Do not let an intermittent dryer talk you out of it either: one of those six still started some of the time.

Close the door firmly and try again. One of the twenty-three was the door switch, so a door that feels different when it latches is worth mentioning when you call.

Now unplug the dryer and turn the drum by hand through the door. If it spins loosely with almost no resistance, a broken belt is a strong suspect; two of my twenty-three were broken belts. On one of the stalled-motor jobs, turning the drum by hand is exactly what got the motor going again — but a motor that needs that kind of help is worth having looked at rather than living with.

Last, clean the lint screen and check that the vent hood outside opens freely and the hose behind the dryer is not crushed. Be honest about the odds: three of the twenty-three were heat safety parts, and clearing the vent will not bring back a fuse that has already blown. On the tripped fuse I reset, I recommended a vent cleaning along with it.

Do not take panels off, do not open the cord connection at the back — one of my twenty-three was a cord wired wrong, and that is a job for a technician — and if it is a gas dryer, leave the gas side alone entirely.

The observation that separates a cheap fix from an expensive one

Before you call, notice whether the panel has any sign of life and tell me what you see. The three control boards I replaced all came in described the same way: no power. None of the other twenty were reported like that.

• No power at all, breaker fine. That is how all three of my board replacements started. It still has to be tested, not assumed.
• The knob slips or will not turn the dial. Knob. Six of my twenty-three.
• The drum spins loose by hand. Belt is the first suspect.

Even on the board side, replacement is not automatic. One of my four board jobs was a single bad solder joint on the motor relay. I repaired the joint and the board went back to work.

When it is not worth fixing

One dryer out of twenty-three. The motor had stalled and I freed it, but the control panel was broken and the replacement was no longer available. Without that part there was no honest way to fix it, so I recommended replacing the dryer. Every other one of the twenty-three was repaired.

What it costs

The service call is $167 ($187 for a stacked unit), a little more outside the regular route, and it comes off the repair when you go ahead. You get a flat-rate quote before any work starts, and labor is covered for six months.

Still under warranty?

If your GE dryer is still under the manufacturer’s warranty, start the claim with GE first. GE sends warranty calls in this area to its authorized servicers, and Louisville Appliance Repair is factory-authorized for GE Appliances, so that can be us. I will not guess at what your warranty covers or how long it runs; check your paperwork, or text me the model and serial number and I will tell you where you stand.

Breaker is fine, the knob turns the dial, and the GE still will not start? Schedule online any time, or call or text (330) 693-9163.