Can’t Change the Temperature on Your Samsung Dryer? Solved!

Your Samsung dryer is probably one of the most valuable appliances in your household. It keeps piles of laundry from adding up, allowing you to keep your clothes and your space clean and well organized.

But even Samsung dryers do develop problems, and being unable to change the temperature is one of the most common. Fortunately, it’s an issue you can fix. In this article, we’ll walk you through the potential causes and their fixes – with recommendations on whether you can have a crack at fixing them, or if you might want to consider hiring a pro.

If that sounds good, then let’s dive in!

Solving A Samsung Dryer That Can’t Change Temperature

If you’ve unsuccessfully tried to change the temperature on your Samsung dryer, the culprit could be:

#1 The Cycle Doesn’t Support Temperature Adjustments

Similar to most brands, Samsung dryers also come with multiple cycles and settings to enhance their functionality. With some of these cycles, settings such as temperature, timer, and dry levels are automatically disabled. Such cycles include:

• Sensor dry cycles: you press the start button with the sensor dry cycle; you don’t need to adjust any other setting as a sensor will detect and automatically end the Cycle once everything in there is dry. It’s a revolutionary dryer feature since no clothes will have damp spots, and it’s more sustainable. You, however, can’t change the temperature on your Samsung dryer when using this Cycle.
• Heavy duty: on this Cycle, a Samsung dryer runs on high heat to dry heavy fabrics
• Delicates: as the name implies, this Cycle effectively dries delicate, heat-sensitive clothing items at a low temperature. You cannot reduce or increase the temperature on your Samsung dryer with this mode on
• Eco normal: on the eco normal cycle, a Samsung dryer consumes less energy. It’ll dynamically adjust the temperature and timer settings until the laundry is dry, meaning it’ll reduce your energy bill. Still, your drying cycles will be longer, and you also can’t change the temperature on your Samsung dryer.
• Refresh: this is a steam cycle meant to smooth out wrinkles and eliminate odor from dry clothes. Other steam cycles include wrinkle care meant to smooth out wrinkles from clean and dry clothes, such as that pile you haven’t folded in a while. These cycles range from refresh, wrinkle care, and steam sanitize. All except steam dry are meant for dry laundry.

If your dryer is running correctly and can adjust some of the settings, you probably have some of the cycles activated. Switch back to normal or manual dry cycles to change the temperature settings for your next load.

To avoid a similar issue in future, consider maximizing My Cycle, a feature on most Samsung dryers that lets you save your frequently used temperature and timer settings, so you don’t have to adjust every time you dry your laundry.

#2 Dryer Settings

Besides cycles, some settings meant to boost the performance and reduce a Samsung’s dryer power consumption can automatically interfere with manual temperature adjustments. Such settings include:

• Wrinkle prevent: this setting is found in most Samsung dryers and prevents your laundry from getting wrinkles by spinning the drum even after the Cycle ends. It can run between 90 and 180 minutes but stops after you open the door. Because it runs with no heat, you can’t change temperature settings on your Samsung dryer with wrinkle prevent on.
• Eco dry: like the eco normal cycle, this setting dynamically adjusts dryer temperature to reduce power consumption while effectively drying clothes. With eco dry on, the Cycle begins with no heat and is on by default for regular cycles on Samsung dryers with the feature. If your dryer has this feature, turn it off, as it might be why you can’t change the temperature.  

#3 A Damaged Cycling Thermostat

The cycling thermostat maintains the target drying time and temperature settings by opening and closing when the drum attains the right temperature. It’s typically closed to allow electricity to flow into the unit until the dryer heats up and opens when it achieves the target temperature.

A cycling thermostat rarely fails, but if it does, the dryer heating temperature either becomes excessively high, causing a tripped thermal fuse or too low, and you can’t change it. Sometimes fixing a cycling thermostat problem might be as simple as cleaning it thoroughly, while you may need to replace it altogether in other cases.

#4 Faulty Control Board

All Samsung dryers feature a control panel for seamless time, temperature, and other setting adjustments. Each control panel has a circuit board that prevents the control board from working correctly if damaged.

If you’ve checked and confirmed no cycle or setting is preventing you from changing the temperature on your dryer, and the cycling thermostat works fine, you might be dealing with a faulty circuit board on the control panel. The easiest way to determine if this is the culprit is if the control panel is blank or all the buttons won’t work.

In other instances, the control board might be on, but the motor relay is stuck in the ON position, and your dryer won’t stop spinning even after a cycle ends. Or, it might be on but displaying an error code. Suppose that’s your scenario; check out your manual or Samsung’s help center to see what the error code means.

Open your control board to inspect the circuit for shorted wires or signs of burning and other damage. If you do notice any damage, you have to replace it to change the temperature and operate your dryer normally.

Other Temperature-Related Issues on a Samsung Dryer: Not Heating

Sometimes being unable to change temperature settings on a Samsung dryer means it won’t heat or dry your clothes, or sometimes they’ll feel warm but aren’t dry. When your Samsung dryer doesn’t heat, it’s usually as a result of:

#1 A BlownThermal Fuse

Most home appliances feature a thermal fuse to prevent overheating. The fuse detects and blows when your dryer is overheating, preventing further damage.

Like most electric dryers, a Samsung dryer has two thermal fuses and should one trip, the dryer will immediately stop running, and the drum won’t be able to turn.

To inspect the thermal fuse for damage, unplug the dryer and remove the rear panel to expose it. Check for short-out wires, and use a multi-meter tool to test whether it’s in working condition. Replace it if you find damage.

#2 Faulty Gas Valve Solenoid or Igniter

If you own a gas-powered Samsung dryer, a damaged gas valve solenoid or igniter could be why you can’t change the temperature. A valve solenoid allows gas flow by opening the valve ports, and the igniter ignites it for drying. When either of the two is damaged, your Samsung dryer naturally stops drying laundry or is extremely slow, and of course, the temperature button becomes inefficient.

#3 Clogged Exhaust Vents

When your dryer’s exhaust vents are clogged, all hot air is trapped in the drum, and since there’s limited airflow, your clothes won’t dry. The excess hot air also means the cycling thermostat will limit electricity flow to the drum, and any attempts to change the temperature settings will be futile. There’s also a chance the dryer’s circuit breaker will trip.

To fix this, check through your dryer’s hood to ensure there’s enough airflow to and from the unit. If not, most Samsung dryers nowadays run a blockage test function. Run it to test for blockage, and if your unit lacks this feature, disconnect the hose to check manually.  Note, sometimes, sagging wiring limits air movement, preventing the vents from delivering enough air. If the exhaust vent isn’t clean, then also check and straighten any sagging ducts.

#4 Low Voltage

A standard electric Samsung dryer needs a 240V power outlet to function optimally, while its gas variant works with a 120V outlet. If there’s low voltage, your dryer won’t heat up to the required temperature, and your laundry will take ages to dry. Also, adjusting the temperature won’t work since the dryer isn’t running correctly.  Check and confirm that your socket is compatible with the dryer, and if not, have it upgraded.

#5 Problem with the Heating Element

When a Samsung dryer has a faulty heating element, it will still spin and complete drying cycles, but your laundry will only be partially dry since there isn’t enough heat to dry them. Also, any temperature adjustments you make won’t be effective, as there’s simply not enough hot air in the drum.

Like other components, heating elements wear out over time and need replacing, so if you’ve been using your dryer a while, consider having it replaced. But if it’s relatively new and the heating element is damaged, it might be due to overloading your dryer, a dirty lint screen or poor ventilation. So, once you replace it, avoid overloading it, clean the lint screen, and ensure the exhaust vents are in proper order.

Dryer Maintenance Tips

Some issues that make changing your Samsung’s dryer temperature impossible are preventable through proper maintenance. Here are some dryer maintenance tips to guide you:

#1 Regularly Clean the Lint Trap

The lint trap traps and prevents tiny cloth fibers detached from laundry during drying cycles from getting into the exhaust vent. While it does a good job, accumulated fibers and other debris impede airflow, meaning longer drying times, higher power consumption, and inefficient temperature settings. Regularly clean the lint filter to prevent this from happening. While at it, wipe the moisture sensor too, as it’s located near the lint filter and may accumulate lint, causing longer drying times.

#2 Inspect the Exhaust Vents

Make it a habit to inspect your dryer’s exhaust vent for blockage and to straighten any loose ducts that might be limiting airflow. Check the dryer vent outside your house and the hose connecting it to the unit.

#3 Avoid Wet Clothes

You risk getting dirt and other debris into your dryer when you put wet clothes, such as your swimming costume, straight from the beach into a dry. Unless your laundry is fresh from a washing machine, avoid putting wet clothes in your Samsung dryer.

#4 An Annual Professional Inspection

Samsung driers are advanced but are complex machines. So, while you may fix minor issues such as a blown thermostat, replacing the heating elements or testing the cycling thermostat and other similar processes is a job best done by a professional. Have a professional dryer expert inspect and carry out any preventive maintenance on your dryer at least annually.

Conclusion

Being unable to change the temperature on a Samsung dryer is an irritating problem you can thankfully fix and prevent by following our pointers above. Also, prioritize preventive maintenance to avoid similar issues in future.