Imagine this: You’re about to go out with your friends in just a few minutes, and you go to grab a fresh set of clothes from the dryer. But when you pull them out, they’re still dripping wet—or they’re frayed from the heat.
Unfortunately, many appliance owners don’t need to imagine this scenario—they’re living it right now. Luckily, many dryer owners can turn to the convenience of a thermostat reset button to fix this problem—unless they own a Whirlpool Cabrio dryer.
However, Whirlpool Cabrio model dryers don’t come with a reset button. Instead, you’ll want to try a hard reset by holding down the start button and unplugging the dryer. If all else fails, you’ll need to take apart the dryer and inspect some components.
This post will go into more detail about what you can do to fix a Cabrio dryer that isn’t heating correctly—without calling an expensive technician or replacing your appliance.
Whirlpool Cabrio Dryer Reset Button Location
Several dryer brands include a reset button on the thermostat of their dryer models for your convenience. However, Whirlpool is not one of them.
In a Whirlpool Cabrio dryer, you won’t find a reset button or switch on the thermostat. That means your best bet is to run a hard reset or inspect other components like the heating element.
Is There Another Way to Reset My Whirlpool Cabrio Dryer?
Fortunately, yes! On Whirlpool dryers, you can try a couple of simple resets:
Hold down the start button for a few seconds (let’s say 5 seconds) and then let the dryer sit for a few minutes.
Unplug the dryer and leave it be for up to an hour.
However, if these hard resets don’t work, you may need to move on to something else.
Why Is My Dryer Not Heating Properly?
There are several reasons beyond the thermostat that your dryer may not be heating properly.
Lint Buildup
Lint can build up within the dryer in several places. One of the first is the lint screen at the front of the drum, which needs to be cleaned out after each dryer cycle. It can also build up in the filters.
However, it can also accumulate elsewhere. For instance, it can travel to and clog up the blower wheel or fan housing.
This component is responsible for circulating and releasing air around and from the dryer, so blockages can interfere with airflow and either not let enough hot air circulate or keep hot air from escaping.
It can also build up in the exhaust duct and around other components, such as the motor.
Fortunately, this problem has an easy fix: Just unplug your dryer from its power supply and clean out any lint or other debris you find lingering around, especially in the ducts and blower wheel. Use a cycle afterward to check if your dryer runs correctly now.
How does heat get from the heater to the drum? Answer: the heating element.
Using coils, the heating element takes heat created by the heater and hands it over to the drum. The drum then heats incoming air and dries the laundry inside.
However, these coils can break or become misplaced. If the heating element bends, for instance, it may take the coils too far from the drum to be effective or press them too close to the drum and overheat it.
You can visually inspect the heating element for any warping as well as take an ohm meter (aka multi – meter) to it to check for continuity. If the element is deformed or isn’t getting enough continuity, it’s time to replace the part.
To access the heating element in the first place, snatch a putty knife or other flat object and a screwdriver from your toolbox.
Start by unplugging the dryer. The last thing you need while repairing your machine is to get an electric shock.
Stick your putty knife or other flat object underneath the top corners of the dryer and depress the spring clips.
Pull the top off.
From the inside, unscrew the front panel and dryer door. Remove both.
Reach into the bottom of the dryer. Loosen and take the idler pulley belt off of the spindler.
Remove the dryer drum and idler pulley belt together.
Conclusion
While your Whirlpool Cabrio model dryer doesn’t come with a resettable thermostat, there are other resets you can perform by unplugging the dryer or holding down the start button.
You can also try running a diagnostics cycle from the control board on your Whirlpool dryer and use indicator lights to get an error code from the dryer.
Error messages can help guide you to what’s going wrong, whether it’s related to the power source, airflow (such as blockages in the exhaust vent), or an internal component.
If these dryer troubleshooting steps fail, it’s probably about time to call in some backup from a qualified technician for dryer repair.
