As you might have read by my previous article, I have been troubleshooting my dryer (and found the fix).  One of the things I came across was an article on how to get into factory test mode for a Kenmore Elite Dryer.

Here’s the process:

  • Unplug and Replug the dryer (just get into a known state)
  • Close the Door
  • Set the Signal Setting to Off
  • Set Fabric Setting to Air Fluff
  • Open the Dryer Door
  • Set Signal Setting to High
  • Set the Timer to Timed Dry or Auto (Pick the setting you want to test – moving to or past OFF turns off the test mode)
  • Set Fabric back and forth from Air Fluff to Ultra Delicate three times in under 5 seconds (six clicks)
  • If you get a “BEEP” WAIT “BEEP BEEP”, you’ve succeeded.

Once in the mode, everytime the dryer senses a change, it will beep.  As I was worried that the moisture sensor was defective, I would take a moist washcloth (ran it under the facet) and put the washcloth across the sensor.  As the unit runs 240 volts, if something is really bad – you don’t want your finger across the electrodes.  Remember that there will be a BEEP for sensing something across the electrodes and a BEEP for removing it from the electrodes.  If you leave it there, there may be some further delayed BEEPS as the capacitor charges/discharges.

I liked TechBuddy’s suggestions for test too:

  • Open/Close the Door for a BEEP
  • Fabric Setting for a BEEP
  • Push to Start Button for a BEEP on pushing in and a BEEP on letting go
  • Transition to Wrinkle Guard for a BEEP (move the timer just before wrinkle guard and the timer will move into wrinkle guard, so you’ll get a delayed BEEP)

One thing that threw me off is that I didn’t know the timer motor would be running (the timer motor moves the dial).  So I heard some random BEEP’s.  Then, when I tested the wrinkle guard transition, I noticed the BEEP, but did not pay attention to when it went to OFF.  When it goes to OFF, the dryer gives a dying BEEeeepp.  I thought I had broke the machine, but it was just turning off and letting me know of its last change.

For the curious, Techbuddy says that this information came from a manual stashed inside the dryer next/on the mainboard.

Hope this helps.

–Ben

Sources:  Techbuddy, Doodgical