Repair an Electric or Gas Range

Solve these common stove problems: the gas burner won't light, the oven won't heat and the electric burner won't heat.

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Solve most problems in 5 minutes... and avoid that $50 service call

A. The gas burner won’t light (gas range).

B. The oven won’t heat (gas or electric range).

C. The electric burner won’t heat (electric range).

If the burners on your stove don’t light or the oven isn’t heating, read this article before you call the repair service. Chances are good you can solve the problem yourself with a five-minute cleaning. We’ll show you how, as well as how to troubleshoot the new-style electronic ignition burners and replace their key parts. While you typically have to call in a pro to fix an oven, go through “Follow this checklist to catch the little glitches that are easy to overlook. We’ll also show you how to test and replace the burner and socket on electric ranges.

All the repairs and cleaning that we show can be safely done without shutting off the gas to the stove. But don’t leave a burner dial on. It’ll emit gas into the room. If at any time you smell gas, turn off the gas at the shutoff behind the range or at the main supply near the meter and ventilate the room. Then call your local utility or a service professional for assistance. (Look under “Appliances, Service and Repair” in your Yellow Pages.)

CAUTION: ALWAYS UNPLUG YOUR RANGE BEFORE WORKING ON IT!

A. The Gas Burner on a Gas Range Won’t Light
Step 1: Clean the Pilot or Igniter

SEALED BURNER RANGE

STANDARD GAS RANGE

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1. Lift the hinged top. Most stove tops lift up. However, stoves with sealed burners don’t have tops that lift.

STANDING PILOT

2. Poke a needle into the pilot hole and clean out the soot or other debris. Take care not to ream it wider. Brush the remaining soot and boiled-over food away from the tip with a toothbrush. Hold a lit match to the opening to relight the pilot, lower the lid and turn on your burners to test them.

3. Identify a spark ignition range by a little ceramic nub located between two burners. Look for wires running to it. The igniters on sealed burner ranges are alongside the burners.

SPARK IGNITION

4. Brush away gunk around and on the igniter with an old toothbrush. It’s common for food that has boiled over to build up here. Clean the metal “ground” above the igniter wire, too. It must be clean to conduct a spark. Close the lid and turn the burner knob to “Light” to test the burner.

A one-minute cleaning will solve 75 percent of burner problems. To get at the ignition system, lift the lid of your stove (Photo 1). Give it a rap with the heel of your hand if it’s stuck. If your stove has sealed burners, identified by the igniter or little nub at the back of each burner (Photo 1 inset), the lid won’t lift. But you can clean the igniter the same way (Photo 4). If your burner still doesn’t ignite, go to Step 2.

Identify a standing pilot by a small gas tube running to a tip with a hole at the center of two burners (Photo 2). If the pilot (flame) is burning, skip to Step 2.

Identify spark ignition by the ceramic nub either under the top (Photo 3) or beside the burner in a sealed burner range (Photo 1). It clicks when it’s working.

A. The Gas Burner Still Won’t Light
Step 2: Clean the Burner Assembly

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1. Lift the burner assembly off the support arm as you slide it away from the burner valve port. It just rests there. Remove the shipping screws if they’re still in place. (You don’t have to reinstall them.) Your burner assembly may look a bit different from ours, but you can clean all the components the same way.

2. Shove the brush into the flash tube to clear gunk and dust. Although some pros use water and degreasers to clean the burner assembly, we don’t recommend them because they could cause rust.

3. Clear all the flash ports with a needle, then do the same to the burner ports. Brush away any debris with a toothbrush.

4. Stick the needle in the burner valve port a few times to clear any debris.

This takes five minutes. Clean the burner assembly the same way for both spark ignition stoves and standing pilots. You’ll need a small-diameter brush. We purchased a tube brush ($3) from a drugstore. Appliance parts stores have them too. If you have sealed burners, you’re limited to cleaning only the burner ports (Photo 3). The other parts are sealed so they won’t get clogged.

Set the assembly in place and try your burners. If they still won’t ignite and you own a spark ignition stove, go to Step 3. If you have a standing pilot, raise or lower the flame height slightly by turning a small setscrew located on the small gas line feeding the pilot. Consult your owner’s manual or call a pro to help find this screw and to tell you the proper setting for your range.

A Oh, Man! the Gas Burner Still Won’t Light
Step 3: Check the Spark Ignition System (Electronic Ignition Only)

SWITCH REPLACEMENT

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1. Pull off the burner dials and remove any screws that secure the front cover. Remove the cover. Slide the wires off the terminals and insert them into the new switch in the same location. Some connections have a pressure clamp to secure the wire. Release the wire by shoving a small screw-driver into the slot and prying. Screw in the new switch and reinstall the cover.

MODULE REPLACEMENT

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2. Locate the module by tracing the switch wires back to the source. The module is a little box about 2 x 2 x 3 in. The location on the stove will vary. Ours was behind the right side panel. It can be taken off by removing the screws and sliding it forward. If it’s not on the side or behind the stove, check your owner’s manual for help. Slide the wires off their terminals, one at a time, and transfer each to the new module so you don’t mix them up. Remove the screws that secure the old module to the stove body and screw the new one in place.

Switches, control modules or igniters can go bad on a stove with electronic ignition. Use the following guide to test these devices.

1. Check that the stove is plugged in, there is power to the outlet, and the circuit breaker hasn’t tripped. Spark ignition stoves need electricity to power the igniters. If your oven light turns on, you have power.

2. Test if the switch (Photo 1) is at fault by turning a functioning burner to the “Light” position while simultaneously turning the one that’s not working to “Light.” If the burner that wasn’t working now comes on, the burner has a bad switch. See Photo 1 for instructions on replacing a switch. Switches cost about $15.

3. One at a time, turn each burner dial to “Light” for three seconds, then off again. Watch the igniters to see if they spark while you’re doing this. (Turning off the kitchen lights may help you see them.) Replace the module (Photo 2) if none of the igniters sparks. This is a common problem. Modules cost about $30.

4. Call in a pro to test the igniters. Igniters rarely fail, but they are difficult to test.

B. The Oven Won’t Heat

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1. Check your owner’s manual to see if your oven ignition system has a fuse. Ours was located under the cooktop, though locations vary. Replace it with the same size fuse if the fuse element is burnt.

2. Check to see if the pilot is lit (standing pilot only). It’s accessible under the panel in the oven or from underneath. If it’s not lit, clean it as you would the cooktop pilot (Photo 2). Also clean the tube or slit under the burner that connects the pilot to the gas ports on the opposite side of the burner. A burst of compressed air helps clear the soot. Light the pilot.

Follow This Checklist

Before you open your wallet and call a professional to repair your oven:

• Reset your “time cook” function if your oven has one. They are often set wrong and prevent the stove from coming on. Service pros see this problem often, much to the homeowner’s embarrassment!

• Make sure the stove is plugged in and you have power to the outlet. Electronic ignition systems and some standing pilots need electricity to operate.

• Check the oven ignition fuse (Photo 1). You’ll need your owner’s manual to locate it.

• Check the pilot, if your oven has one (Photo 2). If it’s out, clean and relight it according to the manufacturer’s directions. If you’re unsure how, call a service pro.

Tips for Buying Replacement Parts
Before you go to purchase a part, write down the brand name, model number and serial number of the range. The range will have an engraved plate with this information usually located under the cooktop lid or on the back. Look in the Yellow Pages under “Appliances, Parts” for a supplier. Call first to be sure the part you need is in stock. Three Internet parts sources are listed below.

C. The Electric Burner Won’t Heat (Electric Range Only)
Diagnose the Problem

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1. Compare the nonfunctioning burner with the other burners. If it looks pitted and scorched, unplug the range, then slip the burner out of its socket and replace it. To remove a burner, simply lift it slightly and pull the prongs from the socket. You may have to wiggle it slightly to get the prongs to release. Some burners are held by a screw that you must remove.

2. Wiggle the burner in the socket. If it’s loose in the socket, pull it out and spread the burner terminals slightly for a tighter connection. Do this gently—the metal is fragile and you don’t want to crack the heating element! Then clean the socket with a wire brush. Reinstall the burner, plug the stove back in and test the results.

3. Replace a scorched socket by removing the screws that secure it to the range top. Then unscrew the range wires and screw them to the terminals on the new socket.

If your range has a burner that’s not working, chances are you can fix it without any special tools. To diagnose a burner problem, go through the steps in order. If the burners still don’t work, call a service professional for help. Our list should take care of 95 percent of the problems that could occur with a burner. If you see burnt wires, have a pro look at the range. It could indicate a bigger problem.

CAUTION: ALWAYS UNPLUG YOUR ELECTRIC RANGE BEFORE REMOVING A BURNER.

1. Check the burner for wear. If it’s pitted and scorched (Photo 1), replace it. New elements cost from $10 to $40.

2. Check the connections for a solid contact (Photo 2).

3. Remove a functioning burner of the same size and try it in the socket that’s not working. If that burner works, replace the bad burner with a new one.

4. Inspect the burner socket. If it’s charred or scorched, replace it (Photo 3). There are two main types of wire connections. Sockets have either screw connections (Photo 3) or wire leads that you attach to the range wiring with the supplied ceramic wire connectors. Sockets range in price from $9 to $25.

   Internet Sources for Parts
   

   www.repairclinic.com

   www.american-appliance.com

   www3.sears.com

From The Family Handyman - November 2001

 

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