Electric oven not heating is almost always the bake element, igniter, or control board — in that order. Gas ovens almost always come back to the igniter. We diagnose the exact cause first, because swapping the control board when the element is the failure point is a $385 mistake.
Reviewed by Mike Larson, Master Appliance Technician · 18+ yrs in-field · Last reviewed
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Quick answer
If your oven isn't heating, 5 causes cover ~95% of what we find: (1) bake element burned out on electric ovens — $215–$315; (2) weak oven igniter on gas ovens — $245–$345; (3) failed temperature sensor (RTD) — oven runs cool or wildly wrong, $185–$265; (4) failed control board (clock works, oven doesn't) — $345–$485; (5) tripped thermal fuse from self-clean cycle — $185–$255. We diagnose first, then quote in writing. Flat $149 trip fee waived on approval. 1-year written warranty.
Root causes, ranked by what we find
What it is: You can see a break, bubble, or burn spot on the element coil. Sometimes the broiler still works while the bake element is dead. Most common electric-oven failure at the 5–10 year mark.
Fix: Replace OEM bake element. Verify resistance (typically 19–30 ohms) and amp draw under load.
Typical all-in: $215–$315 all-in
What it is: Igniter glows orange but the gas valve never opens. The igniter has weakened past the amperage threshold (~3.2A) needed to open the safety valve. Universal failure point on Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, GE, and Samsung gas ovens at 5–8 years.
Fix: Replace OEM oven igniter (round or flat-style per platform). Verify amp draw and valve open.
Typical all-in: $245–$345 all-in
What it is: Oven heats but runs 50–100°F off, or the display shows an F3/F4 error. The platinum RTD probe in the oven cavity has drifted out of spec or opened.
Fix: Replace OEM temperature sensor. Verify resistance at room temp (~1080Ω for most platforms) and calibrate.
Typical all-in: $185–$265 all-in
What it is: Clock and timer work fine, but the bake/broil relay never closes. Oven shows no error but won't heat. Often follows a power surge or a self-clean cycle that overheated the rear electronics bay.
Fix: Replace OEM control board (ERC). Verify relay function and oven cycling.
Typical all-in: $345–$485 all-in
What it is: Oven was used in self-clean recently and now won't heat at all. The high-limit thermal fuse opened to protect the wiring from extreme heat — by design. Common failure pattern on Whirlpool, KitchenAid, and GE wall ovens.
Fix: Replace OEM thermal fuse, verify the underlying overheat cause (failed cooling fan, blocked vent), and re-test.
Typical all-in: $185–$255 all-in
Diagnostic order
Pull out the racks and inspect the bake element on the bottom of the cavity. A break, bubble, or burn spot = failed element, regardless of what the display says. Cheapest fix when present.
Set oven to 350°F and look through the broiler drawer. The igniter should glow bright orange within 60 seconds, then the gas valve should open with an audible whoosh. Glow but no whoosh = weak igniter.
With oven cold, measure the resistance of the sensor (back wall of oven cavity). Most platforms run 1050–1100Ω at room temp. Open circuit or out-of-spec = sensor failure.
If oven was recently self-cleaned and shows no heat at all, check the thermal fuse continuity behind the rear panel before quoting a control board.
Control board is the last suspect, not the first. We test relay output with a multimeter before recommending a $345–$485 board replacement.
FAQs
Repairs under $400 are almost always worth it on any oven under 15 years. Control board work on a 12+ year wall oven sometimes doesn't pencil against replacement — but elements, igniters, and sensors almost always do. We give you the honest math in writing.
Slow preheat is usually a weakened bake element (electric) or a weakening igniter (gas) — not a calibration issue. Both will fail completely within months once they start running slow. Get it diagnosed before the holiday cooking season.
Most no-heat repairs land $185–$345 all-in. Control board work runs $345–$485. Flat $149 trip fee is credited to whatever repair you approve. We diagnose first, written quote before any work.
Yes — Whirlpool, KitchenAid, GE, Café, JennAir, Bosch, Thermador, Wolf, Miele, Samsung, and Frigidaire wall and double-wall ovens. Built-in repairs run higher (typically $315–$685) because access is more involved.
Use it sparingly. Self-clean cycles run the cavity to 900°F+ and stress the electronics bay, thermal fuse, and door hinges. We see a measurable spike in oven failures within 30 days of a self-clean run. Steam-clean or manual cleaning is gentler on the appliance.
Yes — common OEM bake elements, oven igniters, RTD sensors, and thermal fuses for Whirlpool, KitchenAid, GE, Samsung, LG, Frigidaire, and Bosch platforms. Control boards are typically overnight order.
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