LG dryer burning smell

Common reasons your LG dryer has a burning smell

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

31% of the time it's the
Heating Element

26% of the time it's the
Idler Assembly

16% of the time it's the
Drum Bearing

27% of the time it's the
Something else

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Most common repairs needed to fix a LG 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.

How to replace a dryer heating element

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.

How to replace a dryer idler pulley

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.

How to replace a dryer drum glide bearing

What to expect when you experience an LG 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.

What to do When Your LG Dryer Smells Like Burning Lint or Wire Insulation

When your LG dryer smells like burning lint or wire insulation, turn it off immediately if safely possible.

If you suspect that a lint fire already started inside the dryer cabinet, call the fire department and leave your home to stay safe.

If you smell wire insulation burning, don’t touch the dryer and shut off the house circuit breaker for the dryer to disconnect electrical power. Don’t use the dryer until it is examined and repaired by a service technician. An electric short inside the dryer likely caused the wire insulation burning smell.

To prevent lint fires in your dryer, clean the lint screen before each load and wash the lint screen with water monthly to remove residue. Clean the flexible exhaust hose behind your dryer and the lint duct system going to the outside of your home every few months. Have your dryer professionally cleaned and maintained by a Sears Home Services technician every year to prevent lint buildup inside the dryer cabinet.

Having your dryer professionally cleaned and maintained every year will also prevent electrical shorts that can cause your LG dryer to smell like burning wire insulation.

Schedule dryer repair service anytime you smell a burning odor coming from your LG dryer so it continues to operate safely.

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