Tumble dryer not starting: what our engineers find
These figures come from NAC's own repair records: 86 tumble dryer jobs our engineers attended for this fault in the last 12 months. Here is what they found, what fixed it and what it typically cost.
When a tumble dryer will not start, engineers sometimes find there is nothing wrong with the parts at all. The child lock may have been left on, or the dryer may be stuck in a display setting that stops a programme from running, and switching these off gets it going again. Engineers also sometimes find that the small electrical part which helps the motor get going has failed. The lights come on and you may hear a hum or buzz, but the drum does not turn. Other times the start button has broken, jammed in or slipped out of place, so pressing it does nothing. A broken catch on the door can also stop the dryer from sensing that the door is shut, so it refuses to start and may show an error.
To find the cause, an engineer checks the settings first, then tests the door, the button and the motor parts to see which one is stopping the dryer. Some faults are put right on the spot. When a replacement part is needed, it often has to be ordered and fitted at a second visit, and you may be asked not to use the dryer in the meantime.
Written by our engineers from these jobs.
- Jobs attended
- 86
- in the last 12 months
- Confirmed repairs
- 46
- This is not a success rate. Jobs inside their 60-day window, jobs still being classified, jobs held for review and visits that didn't end in a repair aren't counted.
- Fixed at the first appointment
- 35%
- about 1 in 3 of our repairs
- Typical total paid by customers
- £99 to £156
- including parts and VAT, from 45 repairs
No single cause has enough confirmed repairs behind it yet to show for this fault.
Error codes we see with this fault
- Hisense F22: Drum motor or motor inverter fault.
- Samsung DC: Door not recognised as closed.
About the price. £99 to £156 is the typical total paid by customers, including parts and VAT: the middle half of what customers paid on 45 of these repairs. Repairs paid for by manufacturers and insurers aren't counted, because that work is charged at contract rates. It's a guide, not a quote. Your engineer confirms a fixed price before any work starts.
Before you check anything yourself
- Switch the tumble dryer off and unplug it, or turn it off at the isolator switch, before you touch anything. Our guide to safely isolating an appliance walks you through it.
- If it involves the mains supply, sealed parts, or you're not confident at any point, stop and book a qualified engineer rather than risk injury or further damage.
Rather leave it to us?
- Fixed-price quote before any work starts
- Same or next-day visits where available
- UK-wide engineer coverage