Oven faults can strike at any time and when they do, it can be a massive inconvenience. The oven is an essential kitchen appliance that we really can’t do without! When working properly we can bake, roast, heat and dry with ease, but when things go wrong it can be nothing short of a disaster.
From not heating at all to cooking unevenly, ovens can wear out and break with lots of use. Here are 14 of the most common oven problems you can run into and how to fix them yourself.
Common Oven Problems:
1 – The oven is totally dead
First things first, check the electricity supply and make sure it is okay, if the oven is on a 13amp socket & plug, the fuse may have blown. If it is on a 30amp mains power supply, the electricity supply may have been interrupted so check the main fuse board in the house. If the oven has a digital timer, it may be stuck in automatic, check that the oven is not on automatic. There are several causes here including melted and loose wire connections, thermal fuses that break, and failure of the electronic components in an electric oven. Check the power supply initially and then turn off the power before making any wiring repairs, and only do so if you’re competent and have the right tools.
2 – The oven overheats and burns everything
Normally this is a simple thermostat failure which would manifest itself as this symptom. The oven thermostat not working properly so the temperature isn’t regulated or controlled. The thermostat will fail to cut off the heating supply to the elements. Replacing the thermostat is your easy option here.
Another component that may be faulty is the thermal fuse which is meant as a safety device to cut off any current if the temperature gets too high. If your oven has overheated due to this particular failure it may not turn on the next time you use it. Change the faulty thermal fuse and your oven will function happily again.
3 – It’s not heating up
If the oven fan and light come on but the element won’t heat up then the oven element requires replacing. In some cases, this may also be linked to a faulty thermal fuse or thermal switch.
4 – The oven or cooker is noisy
Noise from the oven is limited to being produced by the moving parts so the fan motor and cooling fan motor are the most obvious causes where fitted.
- Fan oven motor failure
- Oven cooling fan motor failure
- Physical damage
5 – Uneven temperature
The temperature sensor inside the oven may not be working properly and can cause the oven to not heat to the correct temperature. Make sure the sensor isn’t touching the inside wall as that affects its ability to function – replacing a faulty one is quite simple.
6 – It’s not cooking evenly
After checking the heating elements and the temperature sensor you can try repositioning the cooking racks and the baking tins to see if that helps at all. You may need to re-read the instruction manual to see if your oven cooks differently to how you use it!
7 – The oven does not heat up
If the fan is running and the thermostat light comes on but you get no heat (or just the thermostat light on in non-fan ovens and cookers) then the probability is that the fan element or oven elements have failed. These are usually fairly straightforward to test for continuity and to replace, however safety must be observed. The safety thermostats or, on some models, a thermal fuse can also cause this failure although if they have failed there is normally a reason such as a faulty thermostat or poor ventilation.
- Fan oven element
- Oven element/s
- Oven thermostat
- Oven changeover switch
- Thermal fuse or safety thermostats
8 – The oven cuts out
Thermal switch is usually required, however also check the cooling fan.
9 – The grill element in my oven doesn’t work
This would usually indicate that the grill element is faulty. If the light comes on but the grill element won’t heat up then the grill element requires replacing. Also check the main oven changeover switch, energy regulator if fitted and any overheat thermostats.
- Grill element
- Oven changeover switch
- Overheat thermostat
- Main oven thermostat, if used to regulate the grill temperature
10 – The oven door isn’t closing properly
Normally this will be faulty hinges or the hinge runners. Hinges may have broken or become misaligned. Also, old door seals can perish and become loose causing an obstruction – in this case, the door seal needs to be replaced.
- Door hinges
- Door hinge rollers/runners
11 – The oven door fell off
Normally this will be faulty hinges or the hinge runners.
12 – The oven cuts out after it’s been on for a while
This is an overheating problem which can be caused by the main oven thermostat or a faulty safety thermostat that will be causing the problem. It can also be caused by a failure of the cooling fan, where fitted, but usually these go noisy before failing, only rarely do they go open circuit.
- Main oven thermostat
- Faulty oven safety thermostat
- Faulty oven cooling fan motor
- Poor installation, ventilation issue
13 – The oven door glass has shattered
The problem can be caused by minor defects in the glass and these can be caused in many way including:
- Hotpots from resting hot dishes on the glass
- Slamming the door which can weaken the glass
- Leaving wet dish towels either on the glass or in contact hanging on the door causing a temperature differential
- Impact damage
- Temperature regulation problem
- Improper installation, ventilation
- Large casserole dishes (or similar) touching the inner glass whilst cooking
- Oven thermostat problem (overheating)
- Oven door seal faulty
- Oven door hinges faulty
14 – Self-Cleaning Setting Won’t Heat
Your oven uses different processes for heating food and for the heating function of the self-cleaning oven feature. It’s completely possible for your oven to work, but for the self-cleaning feature to be broken. This problem is most likely lies with the oven thermostat. If that’s the case, it will need to be replaced.
The oven repair specialists
For more information on troubleshooting ovens, take a look at our repair forum. It includes solutions to common appliance problems and error codes and how to solve them.
To book an oven repair, use our online booking service to arrange for one of our fully trained engineers to carry out the repair for you. Or call us on 0208 226 3633 to arrange an appointment today. All our repairs comes as standard with 12 month guarantee for parts and labour, carried out by fully qualified and regularly trained engineers.
Cooker & Oven Faults We Repair
Dead, No heat, No clock, No display, Knobs, Noisy, Door issue, Tripping electrics, and more…
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