Kenmore Dryer Not Spinning But Heating

Quick Answer

If your Kenmore dryer gets hot but the drum stays still, the drive belt has likely snapped or the idler pulley has failed. You can confirm this by spinning the drum by hand; if it rotates with almost no resistance, the belt is definitely broken and needs replacement.

What I usually see when I get called for this one is a dryer that's been running all afternoon and the clothes are somehow wetter than when they went in. The drum stopped spinning but the heat kept going and nobody noticed. Run it long enough like that and you'll scorch your laundry or, worse, ignite the lint sitting inside the cabinet. Don't keep running it. It's almost always just a $25 belt.

KenmoreDryerSeverity: moderateDifficulty: intermediate95% DIY Success

Time to Fix

30–60 min

Difficulty

intermediate

Parts Cost

—

Tools Needed

Putty knife or plastic pry tool, 5/16" nut driver

What Does the DRYER-NO-SPIN-HEAT Code Mean?

So here's the deal: the belt snapped but the motor's still spinning, and because the motor's spinning, it keeps the heater on. Your clothes are just sitting in a hot box getting slowly scorched instead of tumbled dry. I see this constantly on older Kenmore 110-series units from the late 2000s. Parts run $20-40 and it's honestly one of the easier dryer repairs you can tackle yourself on a Saturday morning.

Most Likely Causes

Based on aggregated repair data, here is the probability breakdown for this error code:

Snapped Drive Belt75%

Broken Idler Pulley15%

Seized Drum Rollers7%

Worn Motor Pulley3%

Symptoms You May Notice

The drum is completely still when you open the door mid-cycle, but air is definitely blowing and it's hot in there
Clothes come out just as wet as when they went in, even after a full 60-minute cycle
You heard a loud snap or thwack sound a few days ago and kind of ignored it
Faint burning rubber smell coming from the machine, kind of like when you brake too hard in a car
Drum spins with zero resistance when you push it by hand, like a lazy susan with nothing on it

Can you reset a Kenmore dryer to clear the DRYER-NO-SPIN-HEAT code?

There's no software reset for this one because it's a mechanical failure, not an error code. Once you've replaced the belt and put everything back together, plug it in and run a short cycle with a damp towel inside. Listen for the drum spinning smoothly and feel for warm air at the exhaust vent outside. Both good? You're done.

Tools Required for Diagnosis

Putty knife or plastic pry tool5/16" nut driverPhillips #2 screwdriverFlathead screwdriverWork gloves (cabinet edges will cut you)Vacuum with hose attachment for lint cleanupReplacement drive belt (WP661570 or 341241 depending on model)Needle-nose pliers for spring clips

Diagnostic Checklist

Follow these steps in order. We start with the easiest external fixes before opening up the machine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the dryer still get hot if it's not spinning?

Here's the thing about how Kenmore dryers are wired: the heating element isn't controlled by a sensor that checks whether the drum's moving. It's controlled by a centrifugal switch on the motor. When the motor spins up, that switch closes and the heater turns on. Period. If the belt snaps, the motor actually speeds up because there's no load on it anymore, so the switch stays closed and the heat keeps going full blast. Your clothes just sit in a hot stationary drum getting slowly scorched instead of tumbled dry.

Is it a fire hazard to run a dryer that's heating but not spinning?

Yeah, honestly, stop running it right now. Without the drum spinning, there's no airflow moving through the clothes and out the vent. Hot air just builds up in there. And there's always lint inside the cabinet, more than you'd think, and it can ignite at temperatures your heater definitely reaches. I've seen the aftermath of a dryer fire and it's not something you want to deal with. Just unplug it until you get the belt replaced. A broken belt on an otherwise good dryer isn't worth burning your laundry room over.

How much does it cost to fix a Kenmore dryer belt?

DIY, a genuine replacement belt runs $20-35. The WP661570 fits a huge range of Kenmore models and it's the one I grab most often. If you're buying the idler pulley and roller kit at the same time, which you really should if the machine's over 10 years old, budget around $50-75 for the whole parts kit. Hiring a tech? Expect $150-250 all in depending on your area. The labor's about an hour of work.

Can a bad door switch cause the dryer to heat but not spin?

Nope. If the door switch fails, nothing works at all. Motor won't start, heat won't come on, the whole machine just sits there dead. The fact that your dryer is producing heat tells you the door switch is fine, the motor's running, and the control board's doing its job. This is purely mechanical. The electrical side of your dryer is actually working exactly like it should.

How long do Kenmore dryer belts usually last?

Ten to fifteen years is pretty typical if you're not abusing the machine. But I've seen belts snap at 6 years on machines that run multiple loads every single day, and I've pulled out 20-year-old belts that were still technically in one piece but cracked all over and way overdue. Heat is the main killer. If your laundry room gets hot in summer, or the dryer's jammed in a tight closet without airflow, the belt ages faster. Overloading is the other big one. Wet jeans weigh a ton.

Should I replace the idler pulley and rollers at the same time as the belt?

Almost always yes, especially if the machine's more than 8-10 years old. These parts wear together, and if the rollers or idler are worn, they'll kill your new belt way sooner than it should fail. Parts kits that include the belt, two rollers, and an idler pulley run about $40-60 and you're already in there with the machine open. It just makes sense. I've gotten callbacks where someone replaced just the belt and then the idler seized two months later.

Models Known to Experience DRYER-NO-SPIN-HEAT Errors

This repair applies to most Kenmore dryers with this error code. Common model numbers include:

110.62832100, 110.67022600, 110.70422990, 110.74722300, 110.86272100, 796.90272900, 110.87874100, 110.66132500

Written by

Mike Sullivan

Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 20 years experience

Last verified for technical accuracy on March 17, 2026