When one cooktop burner stops working but the others are fine, you've got a localized failure — usually a $20–$80 part swap. The right fix depends on whether you've got gas, coil electric, smooth-top electric, or induction.
Many cooktop symptoms can be diagnosed and fixed on the first visit. Flat $149 trip fee, credited toward the repair when you approve it.
Need cooktop repair? Call 7am–9pm, every day.
Step-by-step
Gas: open flame from burner ports. Electric coil: visible spiral coils that glow red. Smooth-top: glass surface, hidden radiant elements. Induction: glass surface, only heats with magnetic cookware.
Lift the cap off the dead burner. Clean the small holes around the rim with a sewing needle or straightened paper clip (avoid wooden toothpicks that can break off in the port). Wipe the igniter (the small ceramic post) with a dry cloth. Reseat the cap level. Test.
If you hear clicking but no flame: gas valve to the cooktop is closed, the burner is misaligned (cap not seated), or the burner is so clogged that gas can't reach the igniter. If no clicking: igniter or spark module bad.
Remove a working coil and a dead one. Plug the working coil into the dead one's receptacle. If it heats = original coil was bad ($25–$45 part). If it doesn't heat = receptacle or switch is bad.
Switch off the cooktop breaker first, then lift the cooktop (it lifts on hinges from the front edge on most models). Disconnect the dead element's wires and ohm it out — should read 30–80Ω depending on wattage. Open = bad element ($60–$120 part).
Try a pan you KNOW is induction-compatible (a magnet sticks firmly to the bottom). If still no detection, the coil or sensor under that burner has failed — induction repair is technician-only.
Order the OEM part for your model number (the model tag is usually under the cooktop or on a sticker just inside the rim). Most swaps are 15–30 minutes with a screwdriver. Follow the wiring diagram exactly.
Stop and call
Safety + model triggers
Gas cooktop and you smell gas at any time during testing.
Leave the kitchen, ventilate, and call your gas utility FIRST. Do not flip switches or use the igniter.
Multiple burners dead at the same time, OR breaker trips when you turn one on.
Switch panel, control board, or supply wiring fault — direct short risks panel damage.
Smooth-top with cracked or chipped glass surface.
Replace the entire cooktop — the glass is bonded to the elements and won't seal again.
Built-in cooktop with downdraft, or premium induction (Wolf, Thermador, Bosch Benchmark).
Coils are paired to specific control boards by serial — wrong part means no detection.
Induction cooktop with no detection on multiple zones.
HV inverter and IGBT modules — same shock risk as a microwave; not DIY-serviceable.
Other reasons to call
FAQs
Almost always a clogged burner port or a wet/dirty igniter. Clean the port holes with a sewing needle, wipe the igniter dry with a cloth, and make sure the burner cap is seated level. That fixes most single-burner gas problems.
Coil cooktop: swap the element with a working one — if it doesn't heat in the new position, the element is bad. Smooth-top: ohm out the radiant element (30–80Ω good, open = bad). Induction: test with confirmed magnetic cookware first.
The pan isn't induction-compatible (magnet test: if a magnet sticks firmly to the bottom, it works). Some induction cooktops also need the pan to cover at least 50% of the burner ring.
Yes if you can switch off the breaker, lift the cooktop and are comfortable with a screwdriver and wire connectors — about 30 minutes with the OEM part. Check the manufacturer's service or owner manual for your model number first.
Gas igniter: $189–$260. Electric coil + receptacle: $189–$280. Radiant element (smooth-top): $260–$380. Induction coil: $400–$600 (usually not worth it). Our flat $149 trip fee is credited toward the repair when you approve it.
Related service
Gas, electric, smooth-top radiant, and induction cooktops — we fix every kind. Same-day windows across the Twin Cities and Central MN with OEM parts on every truck and a flat $149 trip fee that's credited toward the repair when you approve it.
See cooktop repair detailsLocal service area
More guides
When a single burner fails and the rest work, the problem is local to that burner. On a gas cooktop it is usually a dirty or wet igniter or clogged burner ports. On an electric coil it is the element or its receptacle. On a smooth-top it is the radiant element or its switch. On induction it is the coil or the pan detection.
Central Minnesota Appliance Repair sees all four types in Minneapolis, St. Paul and the metro. A burner that fails alone is easier and cheaper to fix than one that fails along with its neighbors, because several dead burners point to a shared part like a control board or the power supply.
| Cooktop type | Symptom | Likely cause | DIY-safe check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas | Clicks, no flame | Wet or dirty igniter, clogged port | Dry the cap, clean the ports with a needle |
| Gas | Flame is yellow or uneven | Clogged ports or misaligned cap | Reseat the cap and wipe the ports |
| Electric coil | One coil stays cold | Burnt coil or damaged receptacle | Swap with a coil from another burner |
| Smooth-top | Element does not glow | Failed element or infinite switch | Try a different knob setting |
| Induction | Error or no heating | Pan not detected, coil or board fault | Test with a magnet-friendly pan |
| Any | Several burners dead at once | Control board, wiring or breaker | Check the breaker, then call |
The $149 trip fee is credited toward the repair when you approve it.
Leave the house, do not use switches, lighters or phones inside, and call your gas utility or 911 from outside. Do not try to find the leak yourself. Do not turn burners on and off to test. A gas smell is an emergency, not a repair question.
If you smell gas only briefly when you light a burner and it clears at once, that is normal. A lingering smell, a hissing sound or a smell with no burner on is not. After the gas utility has cleared the home, a technician can inspect the appliance, but gas lines and valves are not a homeowner repair.
Turn all burners off, let the cooktop cool, then lift the cap and head. Clean the ports with a sewing needle or a toothpick, dry everything fully and reseat the parts level. Water in a port keeps it from lighting.
Make sure the coil is seated all the way in the receptacle. Move it to a working burner to see whether the coil or the socket is bad. A coil that glows on one burner and not another points to the socket.
Check that the glass is not cracked and the control is set to a heating level. Some zones also have a dual or bridge setting that needs the right selection.
Use a pan a magnet sticks to, centered on the zone, and match the pan size to the zone. A warped pan or a very small pan may not be detected.
Check that the breaker has not tripped. Keep the surface and the knobs dry, and do not pour water on a burner that will not turn off.
Most single-burner repairs are worth doing: igniters, switches, coils and elements are inexpensive parts on a durable appliance. A cracked glass top or a failed induction board on an older unit is the case where replacement may be better. Ask for the cause and a written price before approving.
For ranges, see the appliance repair cost guide. To book, use cooktop repair, and read cooktop burner not working for the service page. Range burners on a freestanding stove are covered under stove burner not working. For a full range, see range repair.
On most cooktops the igniter clicks while the knob is at Lite; clicking with the knob off usually means moisture or a spill at the burner or a wet switch. A misaligned cap can also cause it. Dry and clean the burner first.
A yellow flame means poor combustion, often from a dirty port or a blocked air mixture. Clean the burner. If it stays yellow, call, because it can produce carbon monoxide.
It can damage the control or the switch for that zone. If one zone does not heat and the others do, the infinite switch or element is the likely failed part.
On electric and induction models, yes, as long as there is no burning smell or damage. On gas, stop if there is any gas odor, and call your utility.
Need cooktop repair? Call 7am–9pm, every day.
