Who wants to spend time prepping dinner only to find the oven not working when you need it? We’ll troubleshoot a Frigidaire oven not heating from a faulty bake element to a defective igniter, so a hot meal isn’t far away.
Common Causes for a Frigidaire Oven Not Heating
When you find your Frigidaire oven element not working, there are often several possibilities to consider. We’ll help figure out what went wrong and how to diagnose the problem.
Incoming Power Issue
What It Is: When your oven won’t heat, sometimes it’s not the oven that’s the problem; it’s a lack of electricity. Your home’s circuit breaker and electrical outlet have to provide the power the oven needs to operate. The oven’s power cord must also be in working order for the oven to receive electricity.
What Can Go Wrong: Little glitches like a tripped circuit breaker or broken fuse can cut off power to your oven. A faulty electrical outlet or damage to the oven’s power cord can also eliminate power.
How to Diagnose:
- Check your circuit breaker for broken fuses or tripped breakers
- Inspect the oven’s power cord for damage
- Use a multimeter to determine if your electrical outlet is providing enough voltage.
Bake Element is Faulty
What It Is: Sometimes, a faulty bake element can result in a Frigidaire oven not heating. The bake element is located at the bottom of the oven and the heat that cooks food.
What Can Go Wrong: Over time, the bake element can become damaged. When this happens, blistering or even breaks can occur. In some cases, the bake element can be faulty and will malfunction.
How to Diagnose:
- Inspect the bake element for signs of blistering or breakage
- Test the part with a multimeter to determine continuity
Igniter is Defective
What It Is: Another common reason for a Frigidaire oven not heating is a defective igniter switch. In gas ovens, the igniter draws electricity to heat up and open the gas valve, allowing gas to flow and ignite the heating element.
What Can Go Wrong: Over time, the igniter can weaken and won’t be able to open. In other instances, the igniter is defective.
How to Diagnose: To assess the igniter, observe it while the oven is on. If it fails to light the heating element after 90 seconds, it’s likely weakened or is defective.
Thermal Fuse is Burned Out
What It Is: An oven’s thermal fuse is a safety feature that prevents the oven from getting too hot. If this occurs, the fuse will trip to cut power to the oven.
What Can Go Wrong: In some cases, the fuse will blow even if overheating isn’t an issue, and the oven won’t heat up. This typically indicates that the fuse is defective.
How to Diagnose: A blown thermal fuse is diagnosed by testing it for continuity. As thermal fuses can be damaged by the high temperatures of an oven’s self-cleaning cycle, we recommend using a natural oven cleaner to avoid malfunctions.
While troubleshooting is helpful when you have a Frigidaire oven not heating, sometimes you can’t avoid an oven repair. In that case, Sloan Appliance is here to help. Call us to set up an appointment with our expert technicians.
