How to replace the door switch on a Kenmore 80 Series 110.62802101 dryer

If your Kenmore 110.62802101 80 Series dryer doesn't stop running when you open the door, the problem is most likely the door switch. Replacing a faulty door switch is something most homeowners can probably do themselves rather than pay a repairman. The switch itself costs less than $10, and it can be replaced in less than 15 minutes.

A replacement door switch (part number 3406107) can be purchased from a local appliance repair/parts shop or ordered online. Amazon, Sears, Appliance Parts Pros, Grainger and many other sites sell this switch.

Once you have the new switch, installing it is not difficult. You basically just need to remove the dryer door and then open the top panel to get to the switch. Doing both of those things is easier than it may look at first. The steps below will walk you through the process.

1. Unplug the dryer

It's a good safety precaution to unplug the dryer before any disassembly/repair.

2. Remove the dryer door

Open the dryer door fully, to the horizontal position. Four screws secure the door, two on each hinge. Remove each inner screw (closest to the dryer body) first. When removing the remaining screws, hold the hinge bracket down firmly or have someone else hold it down. The hinges are spring-loaded; once you loosen the remaining screw on each hinge, the spring pressure will push the bracket up quickly.

Once all four screws have been removed, close the dryer door most of the way -- so it's almost vertical but not locked into place -- then slide it out, away from the dryer, and set it aside.

3. Open the top panel

To access the door switch, you'll need the dryer's top panel (the flat horizontal panel) out of the way. Remove the lint trap, exposing two screws. Remove those screws.

The top panel is now only held in place by two plastic clips. Each clip is located on the front underside of the top panel, between that panel and the front panel.

Release each clip by sliding a slotted screwdriver between the panels and prying the top panel up gently. Once both clips are released, raise the top panel and lean it back against the wall. (You may need to slide the dryer forward first for clearance.)

4. Replace the door switch

Remove the two screws securing the switch in place. The screw heads are located on the underside of the switch (where the dryer door would be).

Disconnect the door switch by pulling the two white plugs apart. Squeeze the sides of the plugs together to pop the clips on the top and bottom free. Separating the plugs can be tricky, but with the screws removed you can pull the plugs up for a better look.

Remove the old switch and install the new switch. Secure it with the two screws, then plug it into the wire harness. (The plug is keyed and will only go in one way.)

5. Reassemble the dryer

Flip the dryer top panel back into place, setting it onto the two clips and pushing it down until it snaps into place. Secure the top panel with the two screws, then reinstall the lint trap.

Slide the dryer door back on, almost vertical, then flip it open (horizontal). Hold each hinge bracket down and secure it with the outer screw first, then the inner screw. Close the dryer door and plug the dryer back into the outlet.

6. Test the new switch

With the dryer put back together, start a dryer cycle and open the front door. The dryer should stop running when the door is open, and the light inside the drum should turn on. If the dryer continues to run when the door is opened, check your switch to be sure it's fully plugged in and screwed into place.

(Disclaimer: I earn a commission on Amazon sales made from links in this post.)

How to fix a Kenmore 70 Series dryer that won't stop running

The Kenmore 70 Series heavy duty dryer can be a pretty good dryer for many homes.  It is simple to operate, has an easily-accessible lint trap, and can run on 120 volts.  However, one problem that may occur with it as the dryer gets older is that it keeps running after its cycle has finished.  When it completes one cycle, it will stop, but if it is left alone it will continue on to the next cycle and start that one.  It will keep running until someone notices and unplugs the dryer or leaves the door open, and it will drain electricity and cause possible damage to your laundry.

Usually the problem can be fixed fairly easily if you don't mind getting your hands a little dirty (figuratively).  The problem is likely nothing more than a faulty switch.  The switch (which sits behind the button you press to start the dryer) relies on a piece of copper to make and break the connection, and this copper piece can become bent or warped over time.  This article will walk you through repairing that switch.  (These instructions were written for the Kenmore 73742 dryer, but the procedure should be similar, if not identical, for the other 70 series dryers.)

The very first thing to do is to unplug the dryer from the outlet so it is not getting any power.  Once it is unplugged, you'll need to either pull the dryer out, away from the wall, or tilt it forward so that you can get to the rear access panel.  Ideally you should pull the dryer out, but there's not always room to do that.  If you tilt the dryer forward, place something sturdy in front of it and underneath it so that there is no chance of the dryer falling either forward or backward and causing harm to anyone in the area or causing damage to the dryer or other appliances.

The switch in question is located behind the dryer's start button (on the right side of the operation panel).  To get to the switch, you need to remove the rear access panel, which is a long metal cover that runs across the upper length of the dryer and is held in place by six slotted screws.  Set the screws and the cover somewhere safe and out of the way.

As you're looking at the back of the dryer, the switch will be on your far left.  It is a small black box with several different wires attached to it.  All of the wires can be pulled off (by pulling on the connector, not the actual wire) though if they've been on there for a while you may need to use a pair of needle-nose pliers to (gently) pull them off.  Before removing the wires, it's a good idea to either mark the individual connectors or to take a picture of the switch assembly, so that you know where each wire goes when you reattach them.

Once you've removed the wires, you can test the switch if you have a multimeter handy.  Set it to the logic or continuity setting (if it has that feature).  If the multimeter is on the right setting, you should hear a beep or see the display change when you touch the two leads to each other.  Place one lead on either of the upper contacts (the two that come out of the same copper strip) and the other on the lower contact below them, and then push in the start button on the front of the dryer.

Normally you would see a change of state in the switch, signalled by either a beep or a change on the multimeter's display.  However, if the switch is causing your dryer's problem, you won't notice any change on the multimeter when you press the start button.

You can take the switch apart without removing it from its housing, which means one less step when you put it all back together.  To take apart the switch, pry the back off with a small flathead screwdriver or a pocket knife.  If you can pry one side up a little bit and then work on the opposite side, it should pop right out.

The start button has a spring that sits between the button and the switch; make sure you don't lose this spring when the switch comes off.  When you have the switch removed, turn it over to look at the inside.  There is a bent copper strip running along one side -- this is the culprit causing your problem.

The copper strip over time has become bent so that it is always in contact with the switch.  All you have to do is bend it away from the switch's contact enough so that it doesn't rest against it when you reinstall it, but still leave it close enough to make the contact when the start button is pressed.  This will require some trial and error -- bend it a little, reattach it, and test the start button while your multimeter is attached to the two contacts.  When you have the copper piece bent enough so that the switch changes state when you press the button, you've fixed the problem.

Now put everything back together.  Reattach the switch wires, screw the rear panel back on, push the dryer back to its original position, and plug it in.  Then test it by turning it to different settings and making sure it doesn't come on unless you press the start button, but also make sure that when you press the start button it actually starts.  If both of those things happen, you have successfully fixed your dryer!

(Originally published on Helium.com, September 2010)