Speed Queen Dryer Error Code E:SH: Shorted Temperature Sensor
E:SH means the control sees a short in the temperature sensor wiring on a Speed Queen single or stacked dryer. Heating may be cut off and the cycle may stop. Let the dryer cool and leave the panels closed, then call us if the code comes back.
High: the dryer cannot read temperature and may stop or cut heat.
- Code
- E:SH
- Maker
- Speed Queen
- Equipment
- Dryers
- Applies to
- Single/stacked dryer electronic control (DRY716C family)
What does Speed Queen error code E:SH mean?
The dryer's control depends on a temperature sensor to know how hot the drum air is. A working sensor sends a reading that sits inside a believable range. When the sensor wire touches metal, is pinched, or the sensor itself fails shorted, the reading falls far outside that range, and the control cannot trust it. That is when E:SH appears (display text: E:SH). With an unreliable reading the control cannot manage heat normally, so it may stop the cycle or cut the heating off as a precaution. The manual lists three causes: a sensor lead pinched or touching metal, a sensor that has failed shorted, and a control sensor input that misreads the sensor. The meaning is about the sensor wiring, not about a clogged lint screen, though a restricted exhaust can make a dryer run hot for other reasons and is worth ruling out. For gas dryers, the rule is simple. If the room smells of gas, everyone leaves and the gas utility is called from outside.
Affected models and control systems
Speed Queen single and stacked dryers with the electronic control (DRY716C family). Other controller generations label sensor trouble differently.
Code numbers and their meaning can change between control generations. We match the full model and control before acting on a code.
What you may notice
- E:SH on the display
- Heating stops partway through a cycle
- Laundry comes out cool and damp
Possible causes
Listed in Speed Queen's documentation
- Temperature sensor lead pinched or touching metal
- Temperature sensor failed shorted
- Control sensor input misreading the sensor
Other likely causes — what usually sits behind error code E:SH on this control. A technician confirms which one it is before any part is replaced.
- A wire chafed against a sharp edge where the sensor lead runs along the back of the cabinet
- A sensor lead damaged during an earlier lint-trap or duct cleaning
Safe checks before calling for service
- Give the dryer time to cool with the door closed.
- Make sure the lint screen is clean and the exhaust duct is not visibly crushed.
- If the room smells of gas, go outside first and call the gas utility.
- If E:SH returns, call us for service and do not open panels; tell us what the cycle was doing.
How a technician diagnoses error code E:SH
- Read E:SH and confirm it returns on a cold start.
- Inspect the sensor and its lead along the full run for pinching or contact with metal.
- Measure sensor resistance and compare with its specification.
- Isolate the harness from the control to see whether the short stays at the sensor or the wiring.
- Replace the part that fails the test, then confirm normal heat control.
- Tracing a short in a harness near heating parts needs the machine opened and disconnected from line voltage.
- Resistance and short-circuit tests require a meter and the correct specification.
- The control input should only be judged after the sensor and wire are proven good.
How error code E:SH differs from similar codes
E:OP reports an open sensor circuit; E:SH reports a shorted one.
Technical reference
- Document
- Single and Stacked Dryers Troubleshooting DRY716C, Part No. 513447, April 2010, Error Codes (p.29)
- Edition
- Part No. 513447, April 2010
- Models / control
- Single/stacked dryer electronic control (DRY716C family)
- Section
- Error Codes (p.29)
- Checked
- October 2026
We use the maker's document to read the code and do not reproduce it. Always confirm the complete model and control before applying these steps.
Related Speed Queen dryer error codes
Is it safe to keep running a dryer showing E:SH?
No. The control cannot read temperature, so it should stay out of service until it is repaired.
Could a clogged duct cause E:SH?
Not directly. A blocked duct causes overheating on its own, but E:SH is about the sensor circuit reading as shorted.
Why does the code show up even when the dryer is cold?
A short in the wiring or sensor is present regardless of temperature.
Need help with Speed Queen error code E:SH?
A technician confirms the cause on site and gives you the price in writing before any work starts.