F31
Maytag Dryer
Severity: ModerateWhat Does This Error Mean?
Maytag F31 means the control board is not seeing the expected motor speed signal.
The motor has a small sensor — Hall-effect or tachometer style — that tells the board how fast the drum is turning.
If the signal is missing or way off, F31 latches and the dryer stops.
Cause is usually the sensor, the wiring, or the motor itself, in roughly that order.
Affected Models
- Maytag Bravos top-load dryer
- Maytag Centennial dryer
- Maytag Maxima front-load dryer
- Maytag Performance Series dryer
Common Causes
- Motor speed sensor failed
- Connector between sensor and main board loose or corroded
- Sensor wire chafed against the motor mount
- Motor bearing failure causing erratic rotation
- Drive belt slipping under load
- Main board speed-input section failed
How to Fix It
-
Power off and unplug.
Pull the plug from the outlet.
Wait 60 seconds before opening any panels. -
Spin the drum by hand.
Open the door and rotate the drum gently.
It should turn freely with light resistance from the belt.
Stiff drum or grinding noise = bearing or roller failure, which can throw F31 even with a good sensor. -
Inspect the belt.
Remove the lower or rear panel.
Look at the belt around the drum.
Frayed, glazed, or loose belt = slip under load = wrong speed reading.
Replacement belts are 10-25 USD. -
Reseat the motor speed sensor.
Find the small sensor cable running from the motor to the main board.
Disconnect, blow dust off, reseat firmly.
Many F31 codes are simply a vibration-loose connector. -
Inspect the wiring.
Trace the speed sensor wire all the way from motor to board.
Look for chafing where the wire passes near hot or moving parts.
Replace damaged sections. -
Test motor coil resistance.
With the dryer unplugged, measure resistance across the motor windings per the Maytag service spec for your model.
Out-of-range readings = motor windings damaged.
Replacement motors are 150-300 USD. -
Run a test cycle.
After repair, plug in and start a Timed Dry without any laundry.
Drum should spin smoothly at normal speed.
F31 should not return.
If it does, the main board speed-input has failed — replace the board (200-400 USD).
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the dryer dry clothes if I keep restarting after F31?
Brief retries that succeed for a few minutes will dry partially, but the underlying fault remains.
Worse, if the motor speed is genuinely wrong, the drum heats unevenly and high-temperature spots can form — exactly the safety concern F31 is trying to prevent.
Repair rather than restart.