An oven that will not heat, takes forever to reach temperature, or burns the back of a tray while the front stays pale makes cooking a guessing game. Some causes are simple settings. Others are a failed part. This guide walks through both, in the order we check them.
Is it a setting?
- Control lock. If the display shows LOC, Lock or a padlock, the controls are locked. Your manual shows the button to hold to release it.
- Delay start or Sabbath mode. A code such as SAB, Sab or a delayed start time means the oven is waiting on purpose.
- Celsius and Fahrenheit. Whirlpool ovens showing a C after the temperature are in Celsius. 180 in Celsius is about 350 in Fahrenheit, so the oven is not under heating, it is reading differently.
- Demo mode. Samsung ranges show tESt when demo mode is on, and the oven will not heat at all until it is turned off.
Electric ovens: the elements
Look at the bake element at the bottom and the broil element at the top with the oven on. A working element glows evenly. A dark patch, a blister or a break in the element means it has failed. An oven that broils but will not bake, or the other way round, usually points to one element. Do not touch the elements, and switch the breaker off before anyone works near them.
Gas ovens: the igniter
A gas oven lights with a glow igniter. Turn the oven on and listen and look: the igniter should glow within a minute and the gas should light soon after. An igniter that glows but never lights the gas has usually weakened with age and needs replacing. If you ever smell gas, leave the home and call your gas utility first.
Uneven heating
If the oven heats but cooks unevenly, check the simple things first. Is the rack in the middle position? Is a tray blocking the vent or the fan? Is the door closing fully, with the seal intact all the way round? A torn or flattened door gasket lets heat out at one side. On a convection oven, a fan that no longer turns leaves hot and cold spots.
Error codes
Write down any code on the display. Samsung uses C-24 when the oven temperature rises faster than normal, usually because the vent at the back of the cooktop is covered. Whirlpool shows F9 or F9 E0 for a wiring or power supply problem. Our oven error codes page lists the codes we have checked against the manufacturers’ own support pages.
Many codes clear with a power reset: switch the breaker off for one minute, switch it back on, and watch the oven for a minute. If the code returns, a part needs attention.
When to call
A failed element, igniter, temperature sensor or control board is a repair job. We repair Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, Maytag, Amana, KitchenAid, Frigidaire, Electrolux and GE ovens and ranges at your home across Niagara and Hamilton, and the parts we fit carry a 3-month warranty.
If the problem is still there after these checks, book an oven repair in Niagara Falls or contact us or call (437) 231-4954. Tell us the brand, the model number and what the appliance is doing. We come to homes across the Niagara Region and the Greater Hamilton Area, often the same day or the next day, seven days a week. The service call is just $79, and you get a clear written quote before any work starts.