When I start the clothes dryer, it sometimes just gives off a hum. If I manually turn the drum, it works again. Occasionally it gives a little screeching noise when it is going.
What’s happening, and how do I fix it?
This is a 2003 Maytag SDE305DAYW.
Much thanks!
Does this problem always happen? Does it only happen on occasion? Has it tripped the breaker?
My first step would be to put an amp-probe on one of the wires to see if the motor is drawing high current.
Could be a worn belt which is slipping.
or a worn follower wheel (don’t know the official name). I’ve seen some weak-ass bearings in the little wheels that surround the drum.
The working parts of a dryer are pretty simple. If you can pull it out and pull the back cover off you may see something very basic to fix. Unplug it, pull the back off and have someone turn the wheel while you look at the rotating assembly.
Before I started messing around with a meter I would just open it up and take a look at the belt. It basically sounds like something is not spinning right, which means the problem is either the motor, the belt, or the drum.
If the belt looks fine I would probably loosen it and see how easily the drum spins without the belt and motor attached to it. If the drum is binding up it could be too difficult for the belt and motor to spin it.
If the belt is good and the drum is good, about the only thing left to be broken is the motor.
The screeching noise is probably the belt slipping, which in a way is a good thing because it probably means that the motor isn’t the problem. The screech could be a motor bearing though or the drum binding up. It’s hard to tell which it is without being able to hear the screech.
Most likely you just need a new belt. Hopefully that’s it, because belts are cheap.
I took a dryer apart and replaced the belt. It started making noises the Wife complained about the next day.
Call the Maytag guy.
i would think the drum binding would give all those symptoms. it would not move and cause the motor to hum, when you give a spin it may unbind and when it does spin it may rub in a way to screech.
The screeching could be any of the guide wheels (I believe that is the correct term I was looking for). All the rotating assemblies in a dryer have bearings in them which could use some love.
It started sporadically, now it is all the time. It has not tripped the breaker.
Far beyond my skills unfortunately.
Several people are keying on the belt, I suppose I’m competent enough to at least see if that is the issue.
Thanks all… more updates as events warrant! 
I took the front panel off this morning and saw enough to decide this repair is beyond me. I’ll call a repairman.
Thanks all, appreciate the help!