[crustyjoe]

Dryer gets power (door light works) but Dryer acts dead otherwise, starter switch does nothing. Help!

[kayakcrzy]

If you take the top off, and look up top on the right hand side there will be a thermal fuse. Make sure the dryer is unplugged, and take the 2 wires off of it, and put some tape on it, so it does not hit metal, and then try the dryer, and see if it comes on. If you need me you can reach me at my website at ApplianceEducator.com Tom

[denman]

Here is a link to your unit's parts breakdown
GE DBXR453GA0WW

Note you had a O in your Model Number when it should be a zero

The parts breakdown shows a interlock switch in the Blower area.
This is a belt break switch and may well be your problem
Your belt may have snapped

Here is a good link for additional help re: opening it up etc.
The FAQ's are very good
Dryer Help Sections, repairing dryers, Kenmore, Whirlpool, Maytag, Inglis, GE, Frigidaire, White Westinghouse, Magic Chef, Norge, changing a 3 prong cord to a 4 prong cord, no heat, electric dryers, gas dryers, how to take apart my dryer, what can st

[AmpDraw]

Check the door switch as well, on a GE dryer the door switches break easily and is your most likely and easiest culprit.

Easy enough to check it, should be at the bottom left side when you open the door, if the light turns on off as you press and release the button then its good.

[crustyjoe]

Thanks! Not the door switch, that seems to be working... Will check the thermal fuse next, didn't see that in the diagram from the other poster, what will that look like?

[AmpDraw]

Can't locate a parts breakdown on the model number you provided, the thermal fuse is located on the heater box that houses the heating elements, you can't mis it, its just a small part with two wires on it. In reality you could just connect those two wires together long enough to see if it runs. Do not leave that bypassed like this though if it then works. That thermal fuse is a very important part that shuts the heat off if the dryer over heats.

I seriously doubt that is where your problem is though, if the thermal fuse goes bad on most dryers it will still run, it just won;t heat. My next best guess for you would be that dryer push to start switch, this is another part many GE dryers have commonly go bad on them. After that it could be the belt switch (possible broken belt and switch is good doing what its supposed to do, or switch itself is bad). Or it could be the timer or the motor, likelyhood of each probably in that order.

That diagram the other person posted for you is a gas dryer, you listed this as electric. The thermal fuse though is item number 530 in this diagram (on the gas unit). Yours will be in that same general area except you'll have the electric heating coils back there. Again though, I don;t think thats where your problem is.

They call it a "THERMOSTAT SAFETY", its not actually a fuse, some people may also call it a "TOL Safety" or even a "High Limit".

http://www.partselect.com/Schematics/GE/00106716i04.gif