GE Dryer smells like burning
Quick answer: A hot, scorched or rubbery smell during or after a cycle is a warning sign that must not be ignored. The most common source is lint that has collected on the heating element or burner and is smoldering, which follows from restricted airflow.
- If you see smoke, turn the dryer off, unplug it or shut the breaker, and do not open the door until it has cooled; opening it feeds the fire oxygen.
- Do not use the dryer again until the source of the smell is found.
- Unplug the dryer before inspecting the heater or motor and let hot parts cool.
Why does my dryer smell like something is burning?
A hot, scorched or rubbery smell during or after a cycle is a warning sign that must not be ignored. The most common source is lint that has collected on the heating element or burner and is smoldering, which follows from restricted airflow. Other causes are a slipping or melting drive belt, a seized roller or idler rubbing hot, an overheating motor, or a plastic item that fell into the drum or blower. A brand new dryer may give off a light factory-oil smell for the first few loads, which is normal.
Our fitment data covers 3,767 GE dryer models and 2,351 GE dryer parts, so the part links below are filtered to this brand; always confirm your model number before ordering.
Most Likely Causes, in Order
1. Lint smoldering on the heating element or burner
When lint escapes past a torn screen or a leaking felt seal, it collects in the heater housing or burner tube. Each cycle bakes it a little more until it chars, producing a sharp burnt-dust smell that comes and goes with the heat.
How to check: Unplug the dryer and remove the rear or lower panel to look into the heater housing or at the burner. Charred lint, dark residue on the coils or a blackened housing confirms it. Check the lint screen for tears and the drum felt seals for gaps that let lint bypass.
Fix: Vacuum the heater housing, burner area, blower and duct thoroughly, replace a torn lint screen or worn felt seal, and clean the outside vent. (Difficulty: Easy)
No GE part for this cause is in our catalog yet; search by your model number.
2. Slipping or melting drive belt
A belt that slips on the motor pulley because of a weak idler or a drum that is hard to turn heats up from friction and gives off a burnt-rubber smell. Left long enough it glazes, stretches and finally breaks.
How to check: Unplug the dryer, remove the front panel and inspect the belt for a shiny glazed surface, cracks or a rubbery smell. Spin the drum, rollers and idler pulley by hand to find whatever drags. Check the motor pulley for melted rubber.
Fix: Replace the belt and the idler pulley together, and replace seized rollers or a worn rear bearing that made the drum hard to turn. (Difficulty: Moderate)
No GE part for this cause is in our catalog yet; search by your model number.
3. Overheating drive motor
A motor with worn bearings or a lint-choked blower wheel runs hot and the varnish on its windings gives off an acrid electrical smell shortly before the overload trips.
How to check: Run the dryer for a few minutes, unplug it and carefully feel the motor housing; it should be warm, not too hot to touch. With the belt off, turn the motor shaft by hand and listen for roughness. Check the blower wheel for lint and free rotation.
Fix: Clean the blower, then replace the motor if it still runs hot or smells with no belt attached. (Difficulty: Advanced)
No GE part for this cause is in our catalog yet; search by your model number.
4. Foreign object melting in the drum or blower
A crayon, plastic toy, pen or dryer sheet that slips behind a drum baffle, into the lint housing or into the blower melts against hot metal and produces a chemical or plastic smell.
How to check: Inspect the drum interior and behind each baffle, then remove the lint screen and shine a light down the housing. Unplug the dryer and open the blower housing to check for melted debris on the wheel. Check the drum surface for melted residue.
Fix: Remove the object, scrape residue off the drum with a plastic scraper and warm soapy water, and clean the blower wheel. (Difficulty: Easy)
No GE part for this cause is in our catalog yet; search by your model number.
5. Burned wiring at the terminal block or heater
A loose connection at the power cord terminal block, the element terminals or a thermostat spade connector arcs under the heater's heavy current, melting the insulation and producing a distinct electrical burning smell.
How to check: Unplug the dryer and remove the rear cover over the terminal block. Look for discolored, melted or brittle insulation and green or black corrosion on the screws. Follow the harness to the element and thermostats and check every connector for heat damage.
Fix: Replace the burned terminal block, cord or connectors and tighten all connections. A harness with widespread heat damage should be replaced rather than spliced. (Difficulty: Moderate)
No GE part for this cause is in our catalog yet; search by your model number.
Other GE parts the catalog tags for this symptom
- Dryer High-Limit Thermostat WE4M137 — $58.18 – $105.26 (blown; dry; won't start)
- Dryer Door Switch WE4M415 — $31.85 – $34.44 (door not detected; won't start)
- Dryer Push-to-Start Switch WE4M416 — $20.42 – $32.53 (dry; intermittent operation; won't start)
- Kenmore Dryer Drum Support Shaft WE3M33 — $39.86 – $41.37 (noisy; rattling; tub off-balance)
- Dryer Drum Front Glide WE03X10007 — $65.12 – $69.31 (noisy; rattling; tub off-balance)
- Idler Spring Arm WE03X20434 — $75.75 – $104.01 (belt slipping; dry; noisy; squealing)
Popular GE dryer models
Confirm the model number on the rating plate before ordering. Each model page lists every compatible part.
Frequently Asked Questions
My new dryer smells like burning. Is that normal?
A faint oily or hot-metal smell for the first two or three loads is normal as factory coatings burn off. A strong smell, smoke or a smell that persists after a week means something is wrong.
How do I tell a rubber smell from a lint smell?
Burnt rubber is sharp and chemical and points to the belt or a roller. Burnt lint smells like scorched dust or paper and follows the heat cycling on and off. Electrical burning smells acrid and fishy and means wiring or the motor.
Can dryer lint really catch fire?
Yes. Lint is highly flammable, and lint buildup in ducts and heater housings is the leading cause of dryer fires. Clean the screen every load and the duct at least yearly.
When to Call a Professional
Call a technician if you have seen smoke or flame, find burned wiring, smell gas, or cannot locate the source after checking the heater, belt, motor and blower. Do not run the dryer again until it has been inspected.