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Your Samsung dryer works by generating heat and using it to remove moisture from your laundry. Once done, the appliance spends some time cooling itself down while showing its Cooling light. But what happens if that light never turns off?
Your Samsung dryer cooling light stays on because you most likely have a clogged dryer vent that won’t let moist air flow through. Besides that, a faulty moisture sensor or thermistor (temperature sensor) can also cause the same problem. Finally, remember to troubleshoot for burned-out components, like the heater and any damaged wiring.
You can troubleshoot this problem by following the rest of this guide. First, shut your dryer off and allow it to cool down naturally. Then, read through this guide to learn the likely causes and how to solve each one.
Why Your Samsung Dryer Cooling Light Stays On
The Cooling light on your Samsung dryer means the appliance is hot and actively working to reduce that temperature. That process won’t take too long, so if the light stays on, it’s likely because of one of the following reasons:
1. Clogged Dryer Vent
A clogged dryer vent is the most common reason for this problem. When the dryer works to remove moisture from your laundry, it sends that moist air outside of your building. That’s done by pumping that moist air through the dryer vent, which leads to the outside.
As you continue using the dryer regularly for several months, the vent builds up with lint from your clothes. On top of that, other dirt and debris will also collect inside that vent until air can no longer flow through smoothly.
That problem will eventually become so severe that there’s no airflow through the vent, preventing any moist dryer air from escaping.
As a result, the dryer cooling light stays on because it keeps trying to remove the moist air from within the appliance.
The solution: Cleaning your clogged dryer vent can solve this problem. Not only is this important for restoring smooth airflow and getting the cooling light to turn off, but it’s also critical to reduce your fire risk.
Countless household fires happen each year due to clogged dryer vents, as the lint and dirt inside ignite.
You can clean the dryer vent by detaching it and vacuuming all the loose dirt and lint inside. Then, use a brush to remove any stubborn dirt that remains. Be sure to repeat this process every 6 months to prevent this problem from recurring.
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Also, remember to clean the lint trap after each cycle. That trap is the first line of defense to prevent buildups inside the dryer vents.
Read: What Is Sanitize On Samsung Dryers And How Does It Work?
2. Burned-Out Heater
The dryer cooling light will also stay on indefinitely if the appliance’s heater burns out.
The heating element functions using electrical resistance and only has one purpose: to generate heat so the dryer can remove moisture from your clothes.
When the dryer needs to raise its temperature, it sends electricity to the heating element. The resistance converts the electrical energy to heat. Then, a fan distributes that air throughout the drum.
However, the heating element can suffer damage and burn out. When that happens, the element might only heat in certain parts or not at all.
Without heat, the dryer can’t complete the cycle, and the dryer cooling light stays on indefinitely.
The solution: A burned-out heater can’t be saved, so you must remove it immediately. Then, replace it with a new one. The process is as straightforward as removing the electrical connector and detaching the component inside the dryer.
As a precaution, disconnect the dryer from its power supply before you do that, and ensure that the dryer is cold before you handle it with your hands.
Read: How Do You Clean A Samsung Dryer?
3. Corroded Moisture Sensor
Your dryer relies on a moisture sensor to control how it behaves. As you can guess from the name, the sensor measures how much moisture remains inside the drum and the clothes you’ve loaded into it.
Then, the sensor sends signals to the dryer, which keeps the dryer running for as long as necessary.
The moisture sensor can become corroded when you’ve been using your dryer for several years. Corrosion will prevent it from functioning correctly, triggering the dryer to continue cooling even when that’s no longer needed.
The solution: You can quickly diagnose the moisture sensor by inspecting it visually. That’s because you can see corrosion with your own eyes to confirm whether or not it’s affecting the sensor.
When you see that the moisture sensor is corroded, you can purchase a replacement. Installing it is as straightforward as detaching the existing one and connecting the new sensor.
Read: SAMSUNG DRYER Won’t Start? 6 Reasons Why It Happens
4. Damaged Wiring
Suppose you don’t find any corrosion on the moisture sensor. In that case, the problem could be with the wiring instead. Check the wiring for corrosion signs or other damage, like rips, tears, and holes.
Even if the sensor works correctly, damaged wiring prevents it from sending the right signals to the dryer’s control board.
That is enough to cause the dryer cooling light to stay on much longer than it should.
The solution: The fix for this problem depends on how badly damaged those wires are. If only a tiny section is affected, you can cut it out and splice the wires together.
However, if a significant portion of the wire is corroded or damaged, you’ll have to replace it completely.
While it’s possible to do this repair as a DIY task, you should refer to a qualified technician if you’re unsure how to do it.
Read: 5 Common Samsung Dryer Problems You Need To Know
5. Failed Thermistor
Earlier, you read that the moisture sensor could be the root cause of this problem. However, another sensor that could cause it is the thermistor, which senses temperature instead.
The thermistor continuously measures the dryer’s internal temperature to ensure that it’s hot when it needs to be without overheating. When the thermistor fails, your dryer will behave in ways that it shouldn’t.
Suppose your thermistor has failed and mistakenly senses that the dryer is hot even when it’s not. In that case, it’ll trigger the appliance to continue cooling even when that’s no longer necessary.
The solution: A thermistor is not a part you can service or repair, so replacing it is the only solution here. However, you can double-check that it has failed by using a standard
You’ll find the thermistor near the heating element or blower where the appliance generates and distributes heat.
By performing an electrical continuity test with the thermistor, you can confirm whether or not it still has continuity. If it doesn’t, that means it’s no longer working, and you can proceed with replacing it.
Read: Are Samsung Washers And Dryers That Bad?
Final Thoughts (Samsung dryer stuck on cooling)
A dryer’s ability to heat up is just as important as its ability to cool down. So, when either function doesn’t work, your dryer isn’t useful to you. The dryer cooling light staying longer than usual is a perfect example.
That light will stay on if the dryer vents are clogged, and moist air can’t flow out of the dryer as it should. Besides that, a failed moisture sensor or thermistor (temperature sensor) can also cause the same problem.
Lastly, check for a burned-out heater or wiring, as those will also cause your dryer to malfunction.
