Home › Dryers › Parts › Thermal fuse
Dryer Thermal fuse: What It Does and Signs It's Failing
The thermal fuse is a small one-time safety fuse on the blower housing, heater housing or exhaust duct, depending on the model. If the dryer overheats, it opens and cuts power to the heat, or on some models to the motor and the whole dryer. It can't be reset.
Who should replace it
Handy homeowners can replace it
Related codes
1 error codes on this site point to this part.
How it works
Once the fuse reaches its rated temperature it opens for good, and the circuit stays dead until you fit a new one. A blocked vent or lint screen is the usual reason it blows. A broken blower wheel or a failed thermostat can do it too.
Signs it is failing
- Drum turns but there's no heat
- Dryer won't start at all on some models
- New fuse blows again soon after replacement
No-heat and heating codes often trace to a blown fuse, and a blown fuse usually traces to a blocked vent or lint screen.
Can you replace it yourself?
Unplug the dryer (turn off the gas on a gas model) and pull it out to reach the back panel. Clean the lint screen, the blower housing and the full vent run before you fit a new fuse, or it'll blow again. Never bypass or jumper the fuse, even for a quick test, because it's the last thing between an overheating dryer and a fire.
Buying the right part
Fuses come in different temperature ratings, so match the part number for your model. Kits that pair the fuse with a high-limit thermostat cost little more.
Error codes linked to the thermal fuse
Last reviewed 2026-10-19.