Tumble dryer drum not turning at all (Hoover & Candy)
✅ Safe to check yourself
This is a common, low-risk check most people can do safely. Always unplug the appliance (or isolate power) before touching internal parts.
Quick TipTake a photo of the appliance's model/serial number sticker now — you'll want it if this does end up needing a part or an engineer.
A dryer that powers on, and may even still blow warm air, but the drum itself doesn’t rotate, points to a mechanical fault in how the motor drives the drum — most commonly a snapped or slipped drive belt.
What’s safe to check yourself
- Listen carefully when you start a cycle — a motor that’s humming or running but not turning the drum (rather than being silent) strongly suggests the belt has snapped or slipped off its pulley, since the motor itself is still working.
- Check the door is closing and latching fully — some dryers won’t run the drum at all (even if the motor and fan operate) if the door safety interlock isn’t satisfied.
- Avoid repeatedly trying to force a start — running the motor with a snapped belt for extended periods doesn’t damage anything further, but there’s no benefit to repeated attempts once you’ve confirmed the drum isn’t moving.
When to call an engineer
A snapped or slipped drive belt is one of the most common tumble dryer faults and a routine, inexpensive part — but replacing it means opening the drum housing, which is more involved than most of the checks on this site. Drum support rollers or bearings failing can also stop the drum turning in some cases, which an engineer can distinguish from a belt issue during the same visit.