1. Dirty or wet spark electrode (gas — clicks but won't light)
What it is: Every gas burner has a ceramic-tipped electrode that throws a spark to ignite the gas. Food spillover, water from a boil-over, or grease on the electrode shorts the spark to ground — you hear clicking, but no flame catches. Symptom: one burner clicks endlessly with no light, or every burner clicks when only one knob is turned (a wet electrode on ANY burner makes the whole cooktop click).
Fix: With all burners off and the cooktop cool, pull the burner cap and head, scrub the electrode tip with a soft toothbrush (no metal), verify burner ports are clear, and reseat the cap squarely. Test ignition on every burner.
Typical all-in: DIY · $0 if it's a cleaning
2. Failed surface element (electric coil)
What it is: Electric coil burners (Whirlpool / Frigidaire / GE / Maytag plug-in coil platforms) open up after 6–10 years — the nichrome wire inside cracks. Symptom: one coil never gets hot, or only one half (the 'inner' or 'outer' loop of a dual-zone coil) heats. The 5-minute swap test (move a known-good coil to the dead spot) confirms it on the first try.
Fix: Swap-test to confirm element vs receptacle, replace OEM surface element. Always inspect the porcelain receptacle for arc burns — burned receptacles take out new elements within weeks.
Typical all-in: $245–$365 all-in
3. Failed infinite switch (electric — knob behind the cooktop)
What it is: The infinite switch behind each surface knob cycles power to the element. When it fails open, the element never heats; when it fails closed, the element runs full power and won't shut off (a safety problem). Symptom: one specific burner dead at every setting; the swap test rules out the element. Common across every electric brand at year 8+.
Fix: Pull the cooktop / range backsplash, test switch continuity at OFF / LO / HI, replace OEM infinite switch. Verify the burned receptacle isn't dragging the new switch down.
Typical all-in: $245–$365 all-in
4. Cracked radiant element (glass-top — visible crack or open coil)
What it is: Glass-top ranges use radiant elements under the ceramic surface. The coiled element can crack from thermal shock (cold water onto a hot burner) or simply age out. Symptom: one burner ring stays cold or only partially glows, often a hairline crack visible in the coil when on in a dim kitchen. Whirlpool / GE / Frigidaire / Samsung NE glass-tops are the most-frequent service.
Fix: Lift the glass top (requires special suction-handle / two techs on large ranges), inspect element, replace OEM radiant. Verify the glass-top thermal limiter and the surface control board.
Typical all-in: $285–$425 all-in
5. Failed gas valve / safety valve (gas — won't light, no clicking)
What it is: If the knob turns but you hear no clicking AND no gas hiss, the burner's safety valve or the spark module isn't firing. On modern sealed-burner cooktops (KitchenAid / Whirlpool / Samsung / GE), this is usually the spark module or a failed switch in the knob assembly. On older units, a failed safety valve.
Fix: Test spark module 120V input and click output, test knob switches for closure, replace OEM as found. Verify gas supply (other burners light, range gas shutoff is open).
Typical all-in: $285–$425 all-in
6. Failed induction zone or generator board (induction)
What it is: Induction cooktops (Bosch, KitchenAid, Samsung NZ, LG, GE Profile) use a generator board to drive each zone's coil. When one zone's generator board fails, that zone shows a fault code (the code varies by brand) or just doesn't respond to a touch. Symptom: one zone dead, others fine, sometimes a fan that won't shut off. More likely as induction units age.
Fix: Read fault log, test generator board outputs, replace OEM generator board. On Bosch and Samsung, the board is zone-specific — confirm part number against the dead zone.
Typical all-in: $385–$565 all-in
7. Burned surface element receptacle (electric coil — the part the coil plugs into)
What it is: Loose coil-to-receptacle contact arcs over time, burns the receptacle terminals, and either kills the element or runs the new element hot enough to fail in weeks. Symptom: the swap test points to the receptacle, and the receptacle is dead, you can see black burn marks at the contact points. Common at year 10+ on Whirlpool / Frigidaire / GE coil platforms.
Fix: Replace OEM receptacle (sometimes called the surface unit kit), trim wire ends back to clean copper, secure new terminal block. Always paired with a fresh element on the same burner.
Typical all-in: $265–$385 all-in
8. Failed surface control board (rare — last suspect)
What it is: Past everything above, the surface control board has failed to drive the relay for one specific burner. This is a rare cause — usually after a power surge or a long-term boil-over that wicked into the control bay. Most common on Samsung NE / NX glass-tops and GE Profile.
Fix: Verify relay-call voltage at the failed burner output, replace OEM surface control board. Always confirm the element / switch / receptacle are good before swapping a $250 board.
Typical all-in: $385–$565 all-in
