Replacing the Heating Element in a Bosch Dryer

Bottom line: A vented Bosch dryer that tumbles but makes no heat — often with an E64 code — usually has a burned-out heating element. Replacing it is an intermediate 35-50 minute job; test the element and the nearby thermal fuse before you buy the part.

In a vented Bosch dryer the heating element is a resistive coil in a metal housing in the exhaust path; air is pulled across the glowing coil and into the drum. When the coil breaks its circuit, the blower and drum still run so the machine looks fine, but nothing heats. A protective thermal fuse in the same area can also open and produce the identical no-heat symptom, which is why both get tested together.

Unplug the dryer completely. The heating element operates at 240V. Verify zero voltage with multimeter before touching terminals. Note: thermal fuses near the element should also be checked. Heat pump models (WTW series) do NOT have a traditional heating element — they use a compressor circuit instead.

Tools and parts#

Step by step#

1. Confirm the element has failed#

The signs are a dryer that runs but makes no heat, damp clothes after a full cycle, or an E64 on the display. Remove the rear panel (six to eight Torx T20), find the element housing in the exhaust path, disconnect both terminals, and measure resistance — it should read about 15-25 ohms, and an open circuit means it is burned out. Check the thermal fuse for continuity while you are there, since a blown fuse gives the same no-heat symptom.

2. Remove the old element#

The element sits in a housing that slides into or bolts onto the exhaust duct area. Back out its two to four mounting screws, disconnect all the wire terminals — the two element leads, the ground, and the thermal-fuse wires — and slide the assembly out. Photograph the terminal layout before you unplug anything, because several look alike and a swapped ground lead is easy to make and hard to spot later.

3. Install the new element#

Set the new element in the same orientation and secure the screws, then reconnect every wire to its correct terminal from the photo you took. Keep every wire clear of the element coils — that clearance is critical, because a lead touching a coil melts its insulation and shorts.

4. Test the repair#

Refit the rear panel and restore power, then run a 30-minute Timed Dry with a few damp towels. The exhaust should feel warm within 5-10 minutes and the load should finish dry. If there is still no heat, recheck the thermal-fuse continuity and your wire connections, and power-cycle the dryer by unplugging it for 60 seconds. Give the load the full cycle before judging it, since a fresh element can take a few minutes to come up to full exhaust temperature.

If it still won't heat#

• No heat with a good element: a blown thermal fuse gives the identical symptom — test and replace it.
• Heats then quits: a restricted vent trips the thermal fuse repeatedly; clear the full duct.
• No heat on a heat-pump model: the WTW series has no element to replace — the heat comes from a sealed compressor circuit that needs a technician.

When to call a pro#

Sealed heat-pump or compressor work, or any 240V job you are not comfortable with, is worth handing off. EasyBear can book a same-day repair if you would rather not open the cabinet.