Oven Repair / Symptom Guide
Oven Not Heating — Diagnosis by Symptom
Ovens can fail in three different patterns: no heat at all, preheats but never reaches temperature, or heats unevenly. Each pattern points to a different component. Cooktop working but oven dead is common and almost always electrical — wiring or element, not gas.
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Common Causes
1. Bake element failed (electric)
The visible coil at the bottom of an electric oven. If it has a visible break or bubble, it's dead. The broil element (top) might still work — you can finish dinner if you swap to broil mode.
2. Igniter failed (gas)
On gas ovens, the igniter glows orange to ignite gas. When it weakens, it never gets hot enough to open the gas valve. You'll hear the click but smell no gas, and the oven never heats. This is the most common gas-oven failure.
3. Temperature sensor (RTD probe)
A thin metal rod inside the oven that tells the control board the temperature. When it fails, the board sees wrong temp — either won't heat at all, or heats endlessly without cycling.
4. Control board / clock
Many oven controls require the clock to be set, or the oven to be out of "lock" mode (self-clean lock). Sometimes a power flicker leaves the oven in a stuck state. Try unplugging for 5 min.
5. Thermal fuse / safety thermostat
Trips when the oven overheats, often from blocked vents or self-clean cycle damage. After it trips, the oven simply won't heat. Easy fix once located.
What You Can Check Yourself
Try these in order — most take 5-10 minutes and many resolve the problem without a service call.
- 1
Test the broil element (electric)
Switch to broil. Look in the oven — top element should glow orange in 1-2 minutes. If only broil works, your bake element is dead. If neither works, problem is upstream (control board, thermal fuse).
- 2
Watch the igniter (gas)
Turn on the oven. Open the door slightly and look at the igniter (long ceramic rod at the back, usually near the bottom). It should glow bright orange within 60 seconds. If it glows weakly or not at all, igniter is failing.
- 3
Reset the control
Unplug the oven (or flip the breaker) for 5 full minutes. Plug back in. Make sure the clock is set (some ovens won't bake without it) and you're not in lock/sabbath mode. Try again.
- 4
Check the calibration
Put an oven thermometer inside. Set to 350°F, wait 15 min. If the dial says 350 but thermometer reads 280, sensor is drifting. Many ovens have a calibration offset in the menu — adjust if you find the actual temp is consistently low.
When to Call a Pro
- →Bake element visibly broken — needs replacement, easy job for a tech
- →Gas oven igniter not glowing or glowing weakly
- →Oven temperature is 50°F+ off and calibration doesn't help
- →Error codes on display (look up your model + code online for clues)
- →Self-clean cycle was running before failure — thermal fuse likely tripped, plus possible damage to other components
Typical cost
$60 diagnostic. Bake element / igniter $180–$260. Sensor or thermal fuse $150–$220. Control board $250–$450.
Service Areas
We provide oven repair service in Calabasas, Woodland Hills, Thousand Oaks, West Hills, Agoura Hills, Hidden Hills, Simi Valley, Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Topanga, Westlake Village, Oak Park, and Newbury Park, and nearby communities throughout the West San Fernando Valley.
Need a Pro Now?
Local technician, same-day service in most of LA County. $60 diagnostic credited toward your repair. 30-day warranty on every fix.