The short answer
A cycle that ends early with damp laundry is usually the moisture sensor bars coated in softener residue. A cycle that never ends is usually restricted airflow, because the machine keeps waiting for an exhaust condition it cannot reach. A timed cycle that behaves normally proves both.
Which pattern do you have
- The cycle ends after a few minutes with the load wet — Moisture sensing reading dry.
- The cycle runs far beyond its estimate — Airflow or heat, and the machine is waiting.
- Timed cycles work but automatic ones do not — That points squarely at the sensing.
- The machine stops and restarts on its own — A thermal device cycling rather than a program fault.
- It will not start a cycle at all — Read the will-not-start page instead.
- Not this fault: cycles complete but clothes stay damp — That is the drying-performance page.
Ranked for this class of machine
- Moisture sensor bars coated with softener residue — First for early-ending cycles, and the cheapest fix on the page.
- Restricted airflow stretching or stalling the cycle — First for cycles that never end.
- Small loads confusing the sensing — Third: a single item may never touch the sensor bars at all.
- Thermal cut-out cycling on an overheating machine — Fourth, and it shows as stopping and restarting.
- Wrong program selected for the load — Fifth, and more common than people admit.
- Control or sensor circuit fault — Last, after the five above.
Diagnose in this order
- Run a timed cycle instead of an automatic one — If timed works, the fault is in the sensing, not the machine.
- Clean the moisture sensor bars inside the drum — Two minutes, and it is the leading cause.
- Clean the lint filter and check the duct — It covers the never-ending case.
- Try a normal-sized load rather than one or two items — Small loads defeat moisture sensing by design.
Owner-side steps
- Wipe the metal sensor bars inside the drum with rubbing alcohol — They are usually just inside the door opening; residue is invisible.
Tools: cloth, rubbing alcoholAbout 10 min
- Run a timed cycle and compare it with an automatic one — The single most informative test on this page.
About 45 min
- Clean the lint filter and rinse off any softener film — Restricted air stalls automatic cycles.
Tools: soft brushAbout 10 min
- Clear the duct run and check the outside hood — It addresses the never-ending cycle directly.
Tools: duct brush, vacuumAbout 45 min
- Dry a normal-sized mixed load as a test — Small loads and single heavy items both defeat the sensing.
About 45 min
- Stop before opening the cabinet to reach the sensor wiring — Mains voltage, lint and, on gas machines, a burner are all in there.
Working around a dryer
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Let the drum cool before reaching in after a cycle, use rubbing alcohol sparingly and never spray it into a warm drum, and keep the machine out of use if it stops and restarts repeatedly, because that means it is overheating.
When to call
Call when timed cycles run correctly, the sensor bars are clean and automatic cycles still misbehave, because the fault is then in the sensing circuit or the control. Call as well if the machine stops and restarts on its own after the duct has been cleared, since a thermal device cycling on a clear vent points at a thermostat rather than at airflow.
Other faults on this dryer
Scope of this page
Generalized across dryer families under this badge rather than written for a model line; where a family-specific or model-specific page exists it is the narrower answer. Not here: sensor specifications, program timings, thermostat set points and the differences between vented, condenser and heat-pump machines.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
