Stops when you open the door
The drum runs normally, but the dryer never shuts itself off at the end of the cycle.
Start here: Check for a wrinkle-prevent setting first, then move to the timer or electronic control branch.
Dryer keeps running
Dryer Won’t Shut Off
Direct answer: If your dryer won’t shut off, the most common causes are a timer stuck in a run position, a push-to-start switch that is hanging up, or a control problem that keeps feeding the motor circuit. Start by separating a normal wrinkle-prevent tumble from a true nonstop run.
Most likely: On a dryer that keeps tumbling until you open the door or unplug it, I’d check the cycle setting first, then the timer knob and start switch behavior before blaming anything deeper.
First figure out exactly how it is staying on. Does it stop when you open the door, keep running with the door open, or restart as soon as you shut the door again? That pattern tells you a lot. Reality check: some dryers are built to tumble on and off for a while at the end of the cycle, so make sure you’re not chasing normal operation. Common wrong move: replacing the heating parts because the dryer feels hot, even though the real problem is the run circuit not dropping out.
Don’t start with: Don’t start by ordering a control board or tearing the dryer apart. A wrong cycle setting or a sticky switch can look like a major failure.
Stops when door opens?Look hard at the timer or control side first.
Keeps running with door open?Suspect the dryer door switch or a stuck motor/control circuit.
Last reviewed: 2026-04-17
What the nonstop run looks like
Keeps running with the door open
Opening the door does not stop the drum right away, or the dryer keeps trying to run with the door open.
Start here: Start with the dryer door switch and the door strike area before anything else.
Starts again when you close the door
You stop it by opening the door, but it starts tumbling again as soon as the door is shut.
Start here: That points toward a stuck push-to-start switch, welded relay, or timer contact staying closed.
Only stops when unplugged or breaker is off
The controls do not respond and the dryer keeps running until power is cut.
Start here: Treat that as a stronger control, timer, or motor-circuit fault and stop using the dryer until you sort it out.
Most likely causes
1. Wrinkle-prevent or extended tumble setting is on
This is the easiest lookalike. The dryer may pause and restart by design after the main cycle ends.
Quick check: Run a short timed cycle with every extra option off and see whether it shuts down normally.
2. Dryer timer contacts are stuck
On mechanical-timer dryers, worn contacts can keep the motor circuit closed even after the cycle should be over.
Quick check: If the timer knob reaches the end but the drum keeps running until you open the door or unplug the dryer, the timer is a strong suspect.
3. Dryer push-to-start switch is sticking closed
If the start switch hangs up internally, the dryer may restart when the door closes or keep acting like the start button is still being pressed.
Quick check: Press and release the start button a few times with power off. If it feels sticky, slow, or odd, that branch moves up the list.
4. Dryer door switch or motor/control circuit fault
If the dryer keeps running with the door open, the door switch may not be opening the circuit, or a relay/contact is welded closed.
Quick check: Open the door during a run. If the drum keeps turning, stop using the dryer and inspect the door switch area first.
Step-by-step fix
Step 1: Rule out a normal end-of-cycle feature
A lot of homeowners call this a failure when the dryer is actually in an extended tumble or wrinkle-prevent mode.
- Turn the dryer off and let it sit for a minute.
- Set a short timed-dry cycle instead of an automatic or sensor cycle.
- Turn off any wrinkle-prevent, extended tumble, or similar end-of-cycle option.
- Start the dryer and stay with it until the timer reaches the end or the cycle should stop.
- Watch whether the drum stops fully or pauses and restarts on its own.
Next move: If it shuts off normally on a plain timed cycle, the dryer may be working as designed and the issue was the selected cycle or option. If it still keeps running on a basic timed cycle, move on to the door-open test.
What to conclude: You’ve separated normal programmed tumbling from a real shutoff problem.
Stop if:
- You smell something hot, sharp, or electrical.
- The dryer is overheating badly or the cabinet is unusually hot.
- The controls behave erratically or spark.
Step 2: Use the door-open test to split the problem fast
Whether the dryer stops with the door open is one of the best early clues on this symptom.
- Run the dryer on a simple timed cycle.
- Open the door while the drum is turning.
- Listen and watch closely: does the drum stop immediately, coast to a stop normally, or keep trying to run?
- Close the door again without pressing start and see whether the dryer stays off or starts tumbling again.
Next move: If opening the door stops the dryer and it stays off until you press start again, the door switch is probably doing its job. The timer or control side becomes more likely. If the dryer keeps running with the door open, or starts again as soon as you close the door, focus on the door switch, start switch, or a stuck run contact.
What to conclude: This tells you whether the shutoff problem is mostly in the door-safety path or in the run-command path.
Step 3: Check the easy external parts before opening the cabinet
You can catch a sticky switch or damaged door-switch area without taking the whole dryer apart.
- Unplug the dryer or switch off the breaker before touching anything.
- Press the start button several times. It should move freely and spring back cleanly.
- Inspect around the start button for a cracked panel, jammed knob, or debris that could keep it held in.
- Check the door strike and latch area for looseness, bent plastic, or a door that is not closing squarely.
- Listen for a clear click from the dryer door switch when you press and release it by hand.
Next move: If the start button was physically stuck and now moves normally, or the door strike was out of place and you corrected it, test the dryer again. If the switch still feels sticky, the door switch does not click, or nothing obvious changes, the fault is likely inside the switch, timer, or control circuit.
Step 4: Inspect the timer and switch branch with power disconnected
Once the simple checks are done, the most common repairable causes are a stuck dryer timer, a failed dryer door switch, or a sticking dryer push-to-start switch.
- Keep the dryer unplugged.
- Access only the control or switch area you can reach safely according to the machine’s panel layout.
- Look for burned terminals, loose connectors, or obvious heat marks at the timer, door switch harness, and start switch.
- Turn the timer shaft through its positions. A timer that feels rough, dead, or does not advance normally is suspect.
- If the dryer kept running with the door open, give extra weight to the dryer door switch branch.
- If the dryer restarted when the door closed, give extra weight to the dryer push-to-start switch or timer-contact branch.
Next move: If you find a clearly damaged switch or timer with burned terminals, you have a supported repair path. If everything looks normal but the dryer still only stops when unplugged, the problem may be in an internal relay or motor circuit that is not a good guess-and-buy repair.
Step 5: Replace the confirmed bad switch or timer, or stop and book service
This symptom is worth fixing promptly because a dryer that will not shut off can overheat clothes, waste energy, and become a safety issue.
- Replace the dryer door switch if the dryer kept running with the door open and the switch action is bad or inconsistent.
- Replace the dryer push-to-start switch if the dryer restarts when the door closes or the button sticks mechanically or electrically.
- Replace the dryer timer if the dryer runs past the end of a timed cycle and the timer branch is the strongest match.
- Reassemble the dryer fully before restoring power.
- Run a short timed cycle and confirm it starts, tumbles, responds to the door properly, and shuts off on its own.
- If the dryer still runs continuously after the likely switch or timer fix, stop there and schedule appliance service for deeper motor or control diagnosis.
A good result: If the dryer now stops at the end of the cycle and behaves normally at the door, the repair path was correct.
If not: If the symptom stays the same after the most likely switch or timer repair, don’t keep swapping parts. A control or motor-circuit fault needs a tighter diagnosis.
What to conclude: You either finish the repair with a supported part or you avoid wasting money on the next guess.
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FAQ
Why does my dryer keep running after the timer reaches the end?
On a basic timed cycle, that usually points to a dryer timer with contacts that are sticking closed. First make sure an extended tumble or wrinkle-prevent option is not turned on.
Why does my dryer stop when I open the door but start again when I close it?
That pattern often fits a dryer push-to-start switch that is stuck closed, or another run contact that is staying engaged when it should drop out.
If the dryer keeps running with the door open, is the door switch bad?
Very often, yes. A dryer that keeps tumbling with the door open puts the dryer door switch high on the list. It can also point to a deeper control or motor-circuit problem, which is why you should stop using it until it is sorted out.
Can a clogged vent make a dryer not shut off?
A clogged vent can cause long dry times and overheating, but it usually does not cause a true nonstop run by itself. For this symptom, the timer, switches, or control side are more likely.
Should I replace the control board if my dryer won’t shut off?
Not first. Control boards are expensive and this symptom is often caused by a timer, a dryer door switch, or a dryer push-to-start switch. Only move to the control branch after the simpler checks stop making sense.
Is it safe to keep using a dryer that won’t turn off?
No. If it will not shut off normally, especially if it keeps running with the door open or only stops when unplugged, stop using it until the fault is repaired.