The short answer
The published entry pairs this code with a low or no line voltage condition: there may be a problem with the home power supply, keeping the dryer’s heater from turning on. That points outside the appliance. An electric dryer needs both legs of its circuit, and a dryer that tumbles without heating is the classic signature of having lost one.
Whirlpool dryer code as the manufacturer publishes it
Reference| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| F31 | An L2 (Low or No Line Voltage) Error code indicates that there may be a problem with your home power supply, keeping the dryer's heater from turning on. |
What you observe alongside the code
- The drum turning normally with no heat at all — The classic lost-leg presentation.
- The console lit and the cycle counting down — Which is why this is read as an appliance fault.
- Lights dipping elsewhere when the dryer starts — Points at the circuit rather than the dryer.
- A breaker that feels warm to the back of a hand — A finding in its own right, and a reason to stop.
What triggers it, most likely first
- One leg of the double-pole supply lost — First: a breaker tripped on one pole, and the dryer tumbles while the heater gets nothing.
- A loose supply or neutral terminal — Second: a terminal that has backed off gives a sagging supply and heats where it is loose.
- Voltage drop on a long or undersized run — Third: it shows under load, which is when the dryer draws hardest.
- A utility-side supply problem — Last: rare, real, and the case where nothing in the house is at fault.
Check in this order, and why
- Switch the dryer breaker fully off and fully on, both poles — A half-tripped breaker looks engaged and feeds one leg.
- Watch whether house lights dip when the dryer starts — A visible dip points at the circuit.
- Ask whether there has been recent electrical work — Disturbed terminals are a common cause.
- Hand supply measurement to an electrician — Live terminals at dryer current are not an owner check.
Clearing the code, then the owner-safe checks
- Push the breaker fully off, then fully on, and try a heated cycle — Both poles; nudging it is not a reset.
About 10 min
- Feel the breaker and the panel cover for warmth — A warm breaker means stop and call an electrician.
About 5 min
- Note whether lights dip elsewhere as the dryer starts — Free evidence, and it decides who you call.
About 10 min
- STOP HERE — supply measurement is an electrician’s work — Leave the breaker off if anything felt warm.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the dryer or switch off its breaker before any panel comes off — a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off, and the terminal block behind the rear panel stays live at the supply. Clear the lint screen and the vent run while you are there: lint is the fuel in a dryer fire, and a restricted vent is what gets it hot enough to matter.
When this code is a service call
Call an electrician rather than an appliance technician: the published cause is the home power supply, and the suspects are the breaker, the supply terminals and the circuit feeding the dryer. Call urgently, and leave the breaker off, if the breaker or panel feels warm or smells hot. Call an appliance technician only once a correct supply has been measured at the dryer and the code still stands.
Neighbouring Whirlpool dryer codes
Which model lines this reading applies to
This reading of F31 applies to Whirlpool front-load electric and gas dryers of the generations whose documentation publishes this code, which is where the manufacturer documents it. A dial-timer dryer with no display cannot produce it, and a Maytag or Amana-badged unit from the same platform may pair the same characters with a different fault. Supply requirements differ between electric and gas variants on this platform, and between installations wired for three and four conductors.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
