Sears Home Services
Sears Home Advantage
appointment lookup logoAppointment Lookup
telephone logo646-440-2692
RepairHome WarrantyHome ImprovementClean & MaintainShop Parts
Resource
RepairHome WarrantyHome ImprovementClean & MaintainShop PartsResource CenterGlossary
sears home advantageSears Home Advantageappointment lookup logoAppointment Lookup
  1. Repair
  2. Electrolux
  3. Electrolux Dryer
  4. Dryer burning smell

Electrolux dryer burning smell

Common reasons your Electrolux dryer has a burning smell

The most common reasons your Electrolux dryer has a burning smell are an open heating element, broken idler assembly or a worn drum bearing.

  • 64%

    64% of the time it's the
    Heating Element

  • 15%

    15% of the time it's the
    Idler Assembly

  • 14%

    14% of the time it's the
    Drum Bearing

  • 7%

    7% of the time it's the
    Something else

  • Schedule your dryer repair now!

    We can help! Our service technicians have repaired over 15,000 Electrolux dryers. We can fix yours no matter where you bought it.

    Call (646) 440-2692 or schedule online now.

    What our customers say about us

    With more than 1.3 Million 5 Star Reviews, you don't have to take our word for it

    Excellent service from Daniel

    Daniel provided excellent service and was very quick to perform the repair. I have nothing good to say about the warranty program and the LACK of customer service and the inability to contact a human being to talk.


    Tammy M, Hilton, NY

    Satisfied customer

    Excellent technician Very thorough and detail oriented Would be happy to have him work on appliances again He managed to find our ranch headquarters in the middle of the desert


    Rose W, Las Cruces, NM

    Dryer service

    He was professional and polite. I didn't call back later that afternoon, although he replaced a thermostat the smart dry timer doesn't work as I was still having the same issue. The lady said she would email him and have him return. Never heard from anyone else.


    Terry F, Oklahoma City, OK

    Most common repairs needed to fix an Electrolux dryer

    Heating Element Replacement

    An open heating element could cause a burning smell in your dryer if the element shorts against metal inside the cabinet. You may smell a metallic odor or wiring insulation burning when the broken element touches metal. When you smell a burning odor coming from the dryer, shut the dryer off and have a Sears Home Services Technician visit your home and examine the dryer. The technician will check the heating element and replace it if it’s broken.


    Idler Assembly Replacement

    When you smell a burning odor coming from your dryer, a worn or broken idler assembly could be causing the smell. A bad idler assembly won’t tension the drive belt on the drum properly so the belt will slip across the drum and get hot quickly. When you smell a rubbery burning odor coming from the dryer, you’ll need to have a Sears Home Services Technician visit your home and examine the dryer. The technician will replace the idler assembly if it’s broken.

    Drum Bearing Replacement

    A burning smell coming from your dryer could be caused by a worn drum bearing. The drum bearing normally prevents friction between the drum and the cabinet as the drum spins. When the drum bearing wears out, friction between the drum and the cabinet can cause remnants of the worn drum bearing to get hot and start smelling like burning metal or plastic. When you smell a burning odor coming from your dryer, have a Sears Home Services Technician visit your home and replace the drum bearing if it’s worn out.

    What to expect when you experience an Electrolux dryer burning smell issue

    How is the burning smell problem fixed?

    Correcting most burning smell problems usually involves replacing the heating element, idler assembly or drum bearing. However, there are many potential causes, so a thorough diagnosis is key to fixing the problem. An accurate diagnosis is essential to understanding how much the repair will be.

    Sears Home Services recommendations for a dryer burning smell

    When the dryer has a burning smell it can be for many reasons. To avoid replacing unneeded parts we recommend having a Sears Home Services professional perform diagnostic tests to identify the root cause of the problem. Our technicians are experienced at diagnosing all types of dryer failures.

    What to look out for with a dryer burning smell diagnosis

    Diagnosing modern appliances without proper knowledge and training can be difficult. Without using proper diagnostic techniques, fixing your dryer problem will only be achieved through changing parts on a hunch. Appliances, especially in the last 10 years, have become extremely advanced, and many models have electronic parts that are difficult to test. DIY repairs on the latest appliance models are becoming increasingly difficult.

    Repair Dryer Resources

    Is It Worth Replacing a Heating Element in a Dryer?

    Is it worth replacing a heating element in a dryer? Get advice from Sears Home Services and schedule professional dryer repair today.

    5 min readSep. 04Dryer
    Investigating the top 10 reasons why your clothes dryer won't heat.

    Is your dryer not heating? Discover why the dryer is not heating and how to fix it. Get expert help from Sears Home Services.

    10 min readAug. 27Dryer
    A mother and her two children happily folding laundry in a well-functioning laundry room.

    Learn how to fix the dC code on your Samsung dryer with expert advice from Sears Home Services. Start your easy, DIY fix today or schedule a repair!

    5 min readAug. 06Dryer
    Fix That Racket! How to Repair a Noisy Dryer image

    Learn how to fix a noisy dryer with expert tips from Sears Home Services.

    4 min readJul. 24Dryer

    Glossary Terms

    A gas dryer is a laundry appliance that uses natural gas or propane to generate heat to dry clothes.

    A furnace transformer is a device within your HVAC system that converts the high-voltage power from your home's electrical system to a lower voltage, which is required to safely operate the furnace controls and thermostat.

    A furnace vent is a critical component of a home's heating system that safely expels exhaust gases produced by the furnace to the outside of the home, ensuring efficient operation and maintaining indoor air quality.

    A garage door extension spring is a type of spring mechanism that assists in opening and closing a garage door by extending and contracting, providing the necessary force to balance and move the door safely.

    Additional possible Electrolux dryer symptoms you may experience

    • Electrolux dryer display not working
    • Electrolux dryer leaking water
    • Electrolux dryer light not working
    • Electrolux dryer no power
    • Electrolux dryer noisy
    • Electrolux dryer not drying
    • Electrolux dryer not heating
    • Electrolux dryer not spinning
    • Electrolux dryer not starting
    • Electrolux dryer not turning on
    • Electrolux dryer not working
    • Electrolux dryer stopped working