Dryer parts and repair
We hold documented failures for 15 dryer models, with 249 fitment-verified parts priced from live listings. The median part is $11.87, and 82% cost under $50. Most of what goes wrong is cheap; the expensive part of a repair is usually finding out which part it is.
Which part fits your dryer?
The model number is on a sticker inside the door, behind the kick plate, or on the back. Everything below depends on it — which part fits, what it costs today, and whether the repair is worth doing at all.
What actually fails on a dryer
Ordered by how many of our documented models carry that part — not by likelihood. We hold no failure-frequency data and will not imply one.
| Component | Models | Typical part | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idler Pulley | 36 | $9.97 | $1.95–$49.99 |
| Heating Element | 26 | $17.48 | $4.99–$140.14 |
| Door Switch | 21 | $8.68 | $7.30–$97.99 |
| Drum Roller | 19 | $13.47 | $4.99–$17.91 |
| Thermal Fuse | 19 | $8.67 | $4.62–$39.14 |
| Door Latch | 19 | $8.99 | $6.49–$99.99 |
| Thermistor | 17 | $8.97 | $4.99–$54.99 |
| Control Board | 17 | $99.99 | $43.74–$303.82 |
| Drive Motor | 14 | $123.47 | $8.00–$195.99 |
| Drum | 12 | $14.48 | $6.91–$88.41 |
| Drive Belt | 9 | $19.64 | $6.99–$60.99 |
| Door Hinge | 9 | $17.05 | $3.99–$98.99 |
| Moisture Sensor | 8 | $34.99 | $9.81–$49.99 |
| High-Limit Thermostat | 7 | $9.80 | $7.84–$42.23 |
| Blower Wheel | 5 | $24.98 | $9.99–$26.20 |
| Timer | 4 | $20.83 | $7.67–$33.99 |
Swipe the table sideways to see the price range →
6 further components documented.
Try the free check first
Every documented failure we hold for a dryer has a check that costs nothing, and it comes before any part. Some of them are the whole fix:
- Clean the lint screen and check the vent duct isn't blocked — the most common 'no heat' complaint on a good element is airflow choking the heat off.
- Clean the lint screen and clear the full vent duct run to the outside — weak airflow is caused by a blocked vent far more often than a broken blower wheel.
- Check that nothing is obstructing the door from closing fully, and that the strike isn't bent — a door that looks shut but isn't quite there won't trigger the switch.
- Clear the vent duct fully before replacing the fuse — otherwise the new one trips again on the next load.
- Wipe down the sensor area near the lint screen housing — a film of fabric softener residue throws off the reading for free.
Is it worth fixing?
It depends on what you would replace it with. A typical vented dryer costs $114.58 a year to run against $43.12 for a heat-pump model — a $71.46 yearly gap, the largest in any appliance category we hold. Repair a vented dryer cheaply, but when it finally dies, the technology you switch to matters far more than the year you switch.
We can run that arithmetic in full on 3 dryer models — the ones where a documented repair record and a federal energy certification both exist for the same machine. Check yours.
Start from the symptom
By brand
Frigidaire / Electrolux · GE · LG · Samsung · Whirlpool
Dryers with a full repair record
Not worth fixing?
Every certified dryer we hold, ranked by what it actually costs to run within its own size class. Compare dryers →