Samsung dryer loses power or won't turn on

When your dryer won't turn on, or if it loses power suddenly, the most common causes relate to how the power is being supplied to the dryer. Here are the things to check for.

Samsung dryer loses power or won't turn on

Caution
Always switch off the circuit breaker before interacting with the dryer's power cord.
Important
If your dryer has power and stays turned on, but won't start or spin, or if your dryer runs like normal and ends a cycle like normal but it ends too soon, see our guides specific to those issues.

Checkpoint

Inspect and Power Cycle

1
Turn off the breaker, unplug the dryer, and inspect the power connection.

While it's unplugged, inspect the plug, cord, and outlet for burn marks and damage. Electric dryers in particular require installation of the power cord to the dryer, so make sure everything looks correct and nothing is loose.

 

Stop troubleshooting and contact an electrician if:

  • You see any burn marks or damage.
  • The dryer has never heated since it was installed in this location (or since the installation location has changed in some way).
  • The installation of an electric dryer's power cord is visibly incorrect or loose.

We recommend a licensed electrician or professional installer handle these issues for you as they do not indicate that the dryer is the cause of the issue.

 

If the dryer has powered on before at this location, and nothing about the installation has recently changed or seems damaged, loose, or incorrect, then continue troubleshooting.

2
Wait 30 seconds, and then switch the breaker back On.

Making sure the circuit breaker is completely off before switching it on is the easiest way to confirm the circuit isn't tripped, since a tripped circuit can be hard to spot:

  • Gas dryers need a 15 Amp circuit (and use a regular 3-prong outlet). Sometimes tripped circuits closely resemble circuits that are turned on, but need to be shut off completely before they can be switched back on.
  • Electric dryers use two-part circuits for a total of 30 Amps (and use special 240-volt outlets). In rare cases, the circuit is "half-tripped." Power off both circuits for 30 seconds and then back on to correct this.
After confirming that the circuit breaker is definitely not tripped, plug the dryer back in and try turning the dryer on again. If the breaker continues to trip, contact a licensed electrician.

 

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(Gas Dryers Only) Check the Outlet

Note

If your model has a drum light, and it comes on when you open the door, you can skip checking the outlet since the drum light confirms that the outlet is working.

Also, electric dryers use a different type of outlet that isn't as easy to test, so they can skip this step.

1
Try something else in the same outlet.
Test the outlet by plugging in something else, like a phone charger, or a lamp. If the outlet isn't working, contact a licensed electrician.
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Run a Vent Blockage Test

Important
If your dryer won't turn on at all, you can't run a vent blockage test, so in that case, skip this step. This step is just for if the dryer has been turning off mid-cycle.
1
Run a Vent Blockage test.

In some situations, as a safety measure, the dryer may shut itself off if a blockage is detected in the vent. This will appear like the dryer suddenly turned off or lost power.

 

To make sure a vent blockage isn't the cause of your issue, run a Vent Blockage test.

 

If a vent blockage is detected, then clean your vent before continuing.

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Request Service

1
Request service.
If the dryer still will not turn on or stay turned on, visit our Support Center to request service.
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