Kenmore Dryer F22 Error Code: Causes, Cost & Fix

What is the Kenmore Dryer F22 error?#

F22 on a Kenmore dryer is an open exhaust thermistor — the sensor that tells the board the exhaust temperature has gone open-circuit, so the control shuts down and the drum will not heat or even start. It is not dangerous, since the safe failure is no heat rather than too much. The technician's first move is to locate that thermistor at the blower housing and meter it, but there is nothing an owner can safely reach on this one.

F22 on a Kenmore Dryer: likely causes and repair cost#

On a Kenmore Dryer, the F22 code signals: exhaust thermistor open.

Typical professional repair: $75–$175 · Difficulty: moderate · usually a technician job

Symptoms that often accompany F22: The dryer will not spin up at all; It runs cold with no heat called; The fault lands the instant the cycle starts

Technician diagnostic sequence for F22:

1. Locate exhaust thermistor at the blower housing
2. Measure resistance — should read ~10K ohms at room temp; infinite = open
3. Check wiring connector for corrosion or heat damage
4. Replace thermistor if resistance reads open circuit

Parts a technician may check or replace: exhaust thermistor

Field note: A 110-prefix Kenmore dryer is Whirlpool-built, and this open-thermistor fault is the mirror image of the shorted-thermistor code below it. When the two trade off run to run, stop chasing the sensor and look for an intermittent break in the harness that opens only when the dryer warms and the wire expands.

How to troubleshoot the F22 error yourself#

Honestly, this is a set-expectations code more than a DIY one. You can run one cycle to confirm the pattern — the dryer refusing to heat and dropping the fault right at startup — which tells the technician the sensor circuit is open rather than intermittent. Beyond that, the sensor sits at the blower housing behind panels where the heat circuit lives, so I do not send owners in after it.

A technician does what the table above describes: finds the exhaust thermistor, meters its resistance against the roughly 10K ohms it should read at room temperature, and treats an infinite reading as a confirmed open. They also check the connector for corrosion or heat damage before condemning the part. One field-note tip worth knowing: if F22 trades off with the shorted-sensor code run to run, the real fault is an intermittent break in the harness that opens only as the wire warms and expands — so the wiring gets scrutinized, not just the sensor.

Is the Kenmore Dryer F22 error worth fixing?#

F22 is one of the cheaper Kenmore dryer repairs. The table above lists $75 to $175 for a professional fix, which is typically the exhaust thermistor — an inexpensive part — plus labor. On any dryer worth keeping this is an easy yes; the sensor is cheap and the machine is fully usable again afterward. I would only think twice on a dryer that is already old and stacking other failures, and even then the low cost usually still favors the repair.

Kenmore Dryer F22: frequently asked questions#

What does the F22 error mean on a Kenmore dryer?#

It is an open exhaust thermistor: the temperature sensor at the blower has gone open-circuit, so the control cannot read exhaust heat and shuts the dryer down.

Is it safe to keep using a Kenmore dryer showing F22?#

It is safe because the dryer simply refuses to heat rather than overheating. It will not dry loads, so it is best left until the sensor is replaced.

Can I clear the F22 error myself, or do I need a technician?#

There is no owner reset. The sensor sits behind panels near the heat circuit, so metering and replacing it is a technician's job.

How much does it cost to repair F22 on a Kenmore dryer?#

The table above lists $75 to $175 for a professional repair, mostly the inexpensive exhaust thermistor plus labor.

Which parts usually fail when a dryer throws F22?#

The exhaust thermistor is the common failure. Broken wiring or a corroded connector to that sensor causes the same open reading without the part being bad.

Is a Kenmore dryer with F22 worth repairing?#

Yes. It is an inexpensive sensor at $75 to $175, so the repair is worthwhile on essentially any dryer in usable shape.

Why does an open thermistor trigger F22?#

The board reads exhaust temperature through the thermistor's resistance, near 10K ohms when healthy. When it reads open instead, the control loses its temperature reference and posts F22.