How To Reset Whirlpool Duet Dryer Sensing?

Your Whirlpool Duet dryer comes with sensor strips in its tub or drum. The sensor feature is in charge of sensing your laundry’s automatic dryness. The dryer works by tumbling your load of laundry until it is dry. 

So, how does the dryer know that it is time to end the cycle?

Once your laundry is dry, it comes into contact with the tub’s sensor strips. The strips relay the information to the controls so that the machine ends the cycle. That means if the sensing feature is not properly set or it is faulty, the dryer will end prematurely or not sense a dry laundry at all. 

Sometimes, your Whirlpool duet dryer may malfunction. It may not necessarily be a major fault but a small hitch that requires a simple reset or troubleshooting.

Identifying your dryer’s sensor strips problems is the first step to treating the problem. We will show you where the reset button is and help you fix your dryer’s sensing system. These and other dryer-sensitive topics are right here in this guide. 

Read through to get enlightened on how to handle your whirlpool dryer and perform various troubleshooting steps.

How To Reset A Whirlpool Duet Dryer Sensing?

Your dryer won’t work, and you sense that it is a reset issue. So, how do you reset your whirlpool duet dryer sensing? 

Easy! Follow these straightforward steps to achieve a successful reset of your dryer;

Step One: Inspect Your Power Source

The first step in tackling a troubleshooting or reset issue is inspecting your household’s circuit breaker or fuses. Your dryer may be malfunctioning due to a lack of power. 

Firstly, check whether other electrical appliances are functioning perfectly. The most appropriate machine to verify if there is power will be your fridge and microwave.

Check whether any of these is on. If you find that there is no power, then the issue could be a power outage in your locality, a blown fuse, or tripped circuit breaker.

What if the other appliances are working perfectly? Move on to check whether your dryer’s electric power cord is intact. 

Plug the cord firmly in the power outlet. If you notice no change, then the problem could be with the dryer. Still, there is no change? It is time to inspect your dryer and do a reset.

Step Two: Reset Your Dryer

Check whether the other buttons are functioning properly. Is the control board displaying accurately? Is the feature off?

Step Three: Press The Start Button

Lock the dryer’s door firmly and proceed to press the start button. Hold for and count five seconds. Release the button.

Step Four

Go on and inspect your control board for any error codes. 

Step Five

Press the start switch again and hold another five seconds. PF should appear on display. Once the PF appears, the long press will restart your dryer.

Unless your whirlpool dryer has other complications, the above procedure should solve the sensing system. 

Further in the article, we will guide you on dealing with a stubborn sensor that won’t start. We cordially invite you to keep on reading our article.

What Does It Mean When Your Whirlpool Dryer Says, Sensing?

You wonder what your Whirlpool dryer means when it indicates Sensing on the control panel. As we expounded earlier, your whirlpool dryer drum automatically senses your laundry’s dryness using sensor strips. When your clothes are dry, the strips will feel and communicate to the control panel to indicate Sensing.

So, when you see the word Sensing, that means the strips’ sensor system is working and sensing your clothes dryness inside the drum.  

If the Sensing mode takes longer than expected, there is a problem requiring fixing with your dryer. Proceed with diagnosis and then tackle the problem depending on the cause. This brings us to the causes of a stuck Sensing mode.

Note that a prolonged dryer sensing mode may indicate a more complicated issue. 

You can reach out to a technical expert to diagnose the issue correctly and fix your dryer.

What Causes A Stuck Sensing Mode In Your Dryer?

There are several factors that will cause your dryer to stick in a Sensing mode;

1. Erroneous Settings

You may have tapped on the wrong settings when you loaded your laundry for drying. Just put off the dryer and let it rest for about 10 minutes. After cooling down, press start and select the correct setting.

Suppose this doesn’t work out; you may be having dirty moisture sensor strips that require cleaning.

2. Dirty Moisture Sensors

Moisture sensors are on the drum’s lining. Continued use without cleaning your dryer’s drum leaves it slimy and dirty. The sensors get clogged with a layer that prevents them from functioning appropriately.

That’s why your whirlpool dryer is stuck in sensing mode. Here is a straightforward process of cleaning your whirlpool dryer’s tub:

1. Empty your wet laundry into a tray.

• Suppose your dryer is electric; rub-down the drum with a soapy wet towel. Use a no-inflammable cleaner for your gas dryer.

• Grab a clean wet towel and rinse your drum thoroughly.

• Drop in a load of clean clothes and tumble to dry the drum.

• Load your drum with the wet laundry and start your dryer with the appropriate settings.

A persistent sensing mode after cleaning your dryer’s tub indicates a more advanced problem. You may require a hand of an expert to pick the problem and fix it appropriately. Such a step prevents further damages to your dryer. 

3. Faulty Circuit Board

Your dryer’s sensing system can experience glitches. While it is difficult to pick up a faulty circuit board, we recommend that you get the help of a dryer technician.

The best decision will be to reach out to your whirlpool supplier and contact an authorized technical expert. That avoids lots of hassles and more trouble.

Meanwhile, you have no choice but to empty your load of laundry in a tray for air drying. Getting a tech can take a couple of hours or even a day. You don’t want to leave your wet clothes in the tub for that long.

4. Faulty Moisture Sensor Strips

Like other features in your dryer, sensor strips wear off. When this happens, you have no choice but to get a new unit for replacement. You can opt for an expert to fix it for you or a DIY.

In the end, you will be really happy to have a super functional dryer n your laundry! Further in this article, we have a simple fixing of a worn-out sensor strip/bar. Keep reading! Before you get there, you need to know how an auto sensor functions.

How Does The Auto-Sensor In Your Whirlpool Work? 

The work of the sensor strips is to detect the temperatures inside your dryer drum continuously. From the time the laundry is wet (cool air) to the moment it dries (warm air), the dryer’s thermostat is in charge of controlling the heater coils. 

If you use a gas dryer, the thermostat will control the gas valve. The feature also handles your dryer’s timer. In a nutshell, the sensor strips work hand in hand with the thermostat, timer, and other functions on the control board to dry your load of laundry.

How do I reset my Whirlpool front load dryer?

Resetting your Whirlpool front load dryer is not a complicated process. You will notice a PF error code on your Whirlpool dryer control board display. The code indicates a recent power outage. Your dryer will not start again if you do not reset or troubleshoot.

There are also other error codes, including The AF and L2 codes, but let us first look at PF error code;

So, how do you go about solving a PF error code? A superfast two-step process!

Steps One

You have to start the dryer; Press and hold “Start” for a few moments. Pressing and holding the function acts as an automatic restart. If your dryer doesn’t work, move on to the next step.

Step Two

Go ahead and select another cycle or any other option. Hold down “Start” to start the process. Your Whirlpool front load dryer will be perfectly fine.

What if you confirmed that there is no power outage? Power loss is also a common troubleshooting hitch in dryers.

Your next step will be to unplug your dryer for a few minutes. Allow it to cool down for about ten minutes. Push the Reset or Start button to get your dryer on.

AF Error Code

This error code indicates that there is less airflow to your dryer it requires. The error does not prevent your dryer from running, but you need to clear it to allow your laundry to dry appropriately.

It is also super easy for you to clear this error;

Step One

1. Push any key on the control panel. 

• Allow your whirlpool dryer to finish the cycle.

• Clear up the lint screen.

• Clear the exterior vent hood and also the vent hose. (Step three and four will remove any excessive lint). 

• Select a new dry cycle, put on the timer, and push “Start.” That will restart your dryer.

L2 Error Code

L2 error code on your Whirlpool dryer display means a hitch with the power supply. To clear the error;

1. Push any button clear on display. Check if the dryer has heat. If there is enough heat, dismiss the error and move ahead to select a new cycle. Your dryer doesn’t require a reset.
2. If your whirlpool dryer is cool (no heat), you need to check and replace the dyer’s fuse or circuit breaker. 
3. Unplug your dryer’s power cable and then restore the power. Go ahead and perform a full dryer reset.
4. Follow the full steps that we discussed earlier to reset your dryer.

General Reset

What if there are no error codes yet your Whirlpool dryer is malfunctioning? Don’t panic, as a general reset will solve the hitch.

To perform a general reset on your Whirlpool dryer, disconnect the power supply to your dryer by unplugging. 

Hold on for 30 minutes for the appliance to cool and then reconnect the power. Push the start button to resume normal use. 

An advanced whirlpool dryer issue calls for technical advice. If this problem carries on, reach out to Whirlpool customer support for advice or repair.

Where Is The Whirlpool Dryer Reset Button?

Some modern dryers come with a reset button for easy troubleshooting. You can locate the button on the dryer’s control board. 

Unfortunately, a whirlpool dryer doesn’t have a specific reset button. Resetting requires performing several procedures like pressing the Start toggle that doubles as a reset button. 

At other times, you may have to disconnect your appliance for a couple of minutes, reconnect, and start the dryer again.

Other detailed steps can help you to reset your dryer, such as the ones we discussed earlier. The steps involved clearing several error codes, including PF, AF, L2, and general codes.

Why Does My Dryer Say Sensing And Won’t Start?

Whenever your dryer says “Sensing,” that’s a normal mode. The moisture sensors are set to start the drying process of your laundry. It only becomes a worry if the machine is stuck on Sensing mode for a long time.

That means something is amiss. It could be a troubleshooting issue, faulty electric connections, and an erroneous reset. The sensor can also be faulty. That means a replacement. 

Sometimes, it could be that the sensor strips require some cleaning to work perfectly. Start with the simplest fixes like cleaning the moisture sensors, resets, and the most detailed like checking the electric connections. That way, you diagnose the problem precisely.

How Do You Fix A Sensing Whirlpool Dryer?

A worn-out whirlpool dryer sensing system is inconvenient as you have to put up with loads of wet laundry when you least expect. That disrupts your planned schedule as you take time hanging your clothes out to dry in the sun. 

Sometimes, a rainy or winter weather condition may not allow sun drying. You are left with few options that consume a lot of your time. The best remedy is to get a replacement.

Fixing the unit is a simple process that begins with a few dryer repair safety tips. Let’s look at the three most important tips before you replace your moisture sensor strip or bar.

• Before the replacement or repair exercise, unplug your dryer from the electric or gas supply.
• Put on your safety apparel like work gloves, safety boots, and goggles. You need to protect your eyes, hands, and feet from harmful objects.
• It is always prudent to reach out to a dryer technician if you feel incompetent to repair your dryer. They will replace your dryer without messing up with other parts of your appliance and your warranty too.

Fixing a sensing unit in a Whirlpool dryer involves eleven simple steps;

1. Observe the above tips and proceed to open your dryer’s door.

2. Pull out the dryer’s lint screen.

3. Use a Phillips screwdriver to unthread the screws holding the lint screen casing. Also, remove the ones in the dryer drum that hold it in place.

4. Remove the lint screen casing from the dryer and take a photograph of the wiring connections. You will refer to the photo later when reconnecting the unit. 

5. Detach the sensor wiring (the wires run to the back of the casing).  

6. Place the lint screen on a safe flat surface. 

7. Grab a pair of needle-nose pliers and use them to detach the sensor strip tab that locks the sensor into place. Overturn the covering and pull the malfunctioning sensor out.

8. You are ready to fix your new sensor. Push the new sensor into the lint screen casing.

9. Get the lint screen casing back to the dryer. Refer to the connection photograph to reconnect the wires correctly.

10. Fix back the lint screen casing securely in its place. Slide your dryer’s lint screen back into its casing.

11. Well done! You just fixed your whirlpool dryer sensor. Test your appliance by plugging in your dryer. Throw in some wet towels to test whether the new replacement works.

If the above process doesn’t solve your dryer’s sensor issue, you need to reach out to your whirlpool customer support. They will be happy to diagnose your problem and get your dryer back to its happy state.

 Final Thoughts

Your whirlpool dryer indicating Sensing is a normal occurrence that happens just before drying at the beginning of your laundry’s drying cycle. You will only raise eyebrows if the sensing mode continues for a prolonged period than normal. 

The most common issue will be an erroneous reset on the control panel, a worn-out sensor, a dirty sensor, or faulty electric connections. You can try a reset or clean the sensor strips. The cleaning is simple, as we outlined in our guide. 

If that doesn’t work, you need a proper diagnosis of your dryer’s issue. If you are competent, you can check out a worn-out sensor strip/bar and replace it with a new one. 

Suppose dryer things seem complicated to you; reach out to a competent technician for assistance. They will be glad to diagnose and repair your dryer for free or at a small fee depending on your dryer’s warranty.

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