Oven Not Working? A Guide on Troubleshooting for Repair or Replacement

Ovens are pretty reliable for the most part, but as they get older, you may run into the oven not working, despite no visible damage. Here’s how to find out why

Ovens are reliable, but as they age, you might run into issues that you would have never experienced otherwise. 

The lack of visible damage can be daunting, and leave you clueless as to what has happened.

But to your fortune, we can safely say that most of the common issues are minimal, and can be resolved on your own. 

If you’re interested in learning how to overcome the most common oven issues, keep reading.

So let’s get started with your oven not working, and finish with your oven working fine.

It No Longer Self-Cleans

Most people nowadays have a self-cleaning oven. So it’s not uncommon to recognize that it might stop doing that at some point. If that’s the case for you, you could try the following steps:

1. Ensure you are enabling the cycle appropriately. 
2. Set the knobs and timers correctly. 
3. Large spills might not be able to clean properly, so don’t expect the machine to do it all.

If you still have issues, call a repairman to replace the door lock switch and motor, the thermostat, control board, and some other parts that are preventing self-cleaning.

The Light Inside of the Oven No Longer Works

It’s a light bulb, what did you expect? It is bound to go out at some point. Here’s how can you replace it:

1. Remove the cover for the bulb, a counterclockwise turn should do the job. 
2. Remove the bulb by pulling it out, or twisting it out.
3. Use gloves to handle the new bulb, and put it in the socket.

For this to go right, ensure that you have the correct bulb. You can check online for the model of your oven, and the applicable parts that it requires.

The Oven Door Is Not Closing

An oven with a door that doesn’t close is a hazard. So quickly follow these steps to see if you can fix it:

1. Turn off the gas, if you have a gas oven. If not, unplug the oven.
2. Pull the door straight and out to remove it. If it won’t pull up, look for screws you can unscrew.
3. Ensure the hinges are fine and don’t need replacement. If they do, replace.
4. Take a look at the door springs. If they are broken, you need to replace them. 
5. Remove them with pliers, they will be wrapped around two bolts. When you add the new springs, rewrap them at the ends of the new springs. 
6. Replace the rubber gasket around the door. 

If the door no longer closes, the door sense should be replaced. This is a tough thing to do, so you should employ the services of an expert.

The Oven Does Not Heat Properly 

If your oven is not heating to the appropriate temperature, there might be a problem with the heating element, the gas igniter, or the temperature sensor.

1. Check the sensor, it should not touch the inside wall of the oven.
2. If it’s not working, replace it. You can use an ohmmeter to make sure it’s fine. The resistance should rise as the temperature increased.
3. Ensure the heating element is working. If all is working, recalibrate the oven.
4. Heat it to 350 Fahrenheit. Check the temperature inside after 20 minutes, and every 20 minutes after that for the next two hours. 
5. Add up the sum of the readings, divide by the number of readings, and get the average temperature.
6. Adjust the temperature dial for the oven accordingly.

This simple process helps with the majority of heating issues that an oven might or might not have.

The Oven Does Not Heat At All

If your oven is not heating at all, you have an issue with the igniter or the heating element.

If you have a gas oven, the problem might be with the gas line, especially if the burner is not working. In this case, you need professional servicing. 

But if you have an electric oven, you might be able to replace the element yourself.

1. Use a screwdriver to remove the heating element. They are located in the oven. 
2. If gas oven, remove the igniter from underneath the oven surface. To get to it, remove the storage drawer or broiler.
3. Make sure the ovens are turned off before you serve them. 

To get new parts for your oven, you can check the model online and find an appropriate replacement outlet.

But your best bet is to contact a specialist who will already have all of the tools, and parts necessary for replacement. These oven repair services are a good place to start.

The Ranger Burner Does Not Heat Up

If you have an electric stove, the ranger burner will need electricity for it to heat up. The burner can expire, and then it needs to be replaced. If one of your ranger burners is not heating up, continue the following steps:

1. Switch out the faulty range burner with the one you know works. Unplug from burner socket, and plug a new one.
2. If the burner heats up, the problem is the other burner. Replace it. 
3. If the working burner does not heat up, the problem is the socket or the infinite switch. 
4. If the socket looks damaged, you need to replace it.
5. If it does not work, after testing the burner – you have to replace the infinite switch. 
6. Replace and test again.

After these steps, everything should be working as new. If not, you will need a specialist to come to take a look.

Oven Not Working? It is Now!

Now that you understand how to go from the oven not working to oven working, you are well on your way to starting enjoying cooked food once again.

If you’re interested in reading more about similar topics, check out the rest of our blog.