If you have a Whirlpool oven and it’s not heating, this guide will tell you how to find the cause of the problem and fix it. All you need to do is start with the first possible cause in the guide and work your way down the list until you have found the exact cause and apply the fix we suggest.
All the major Whirlpool oven models are covered in this guide, including:
- 1SF014BEW0
- 1SF014BEW1
- 1SF014BEW2
- 1SF034PEW0
- 1SF034PEW1
- 1SF034PEW2
- G7CG3064XS00
- RDE1300P2
- RF263LXTQ3
- WCG51US0DS00
- WCG51US6DS00
- WCG97US0DS00
- WEG730H0DS0
- WFC310S0AW0
- WFE540H0AS0
- WFE540H0ES0
- WFG320M0BB0
- WFG320M0BS0
- WFG320M0BW0
- WFG505M0BS0
- WFG540H0ES0
- Make sure the power is working.
The best place to start is to check that the power is working correctly. This applies to both gas and electric ovens. Your oven requires the correct amount of alternating current to work (250 volts for electric ovens and 120 volts for gas ovens) and if it doesn’t get the correct amount, your oven won’t be able to turn on. If the power is working and your oven display screen is turning on, you can move on to step 2.
This is how you check the power supply:
- If possible, try to plug your oven into a different power socket than the normal one it’s plugged into. If your oven works in a different socket, the original socket will need to be repaired or replaced by an electrician.
- If the oven still doesn’t work in a separate plug, the circuit breaker will need to be checked to ensure it has the right voltage. If it doesn’t have the right voltage, it will need to be repaired or replaced. If both the socket and circuit breaker are working correctly and your Whirlpool oven still doesn’t turn on, an electrician will need to check all of your oven’s wiring.
2. Check the gas supply.
If the power supply has been ruled out as the cause of the problem, the next step is to check the gas supply. If you have an electric oven, you can skip straight to step 5.
To check the gas supply, you need to:
- Make sure the main safety gas valve is turned on. If not, turn it on.
- Check that all the other gas valves within your system are switched on. If not, turn them on.
- If all gas valves are switched on, try to turn your oven on and check if you can smell gas coming from the oven. If you can smell gas, this is a good sign that the gas supply is working correctly, and you can move on to step 3.
- If you cannot smell gas, you will need to check the valves with a multimeter (if they are electronic) to ensure they have continuity.
- If any of the valves are faulty, replace them. If they aren’t faulty, you will need to get a qualified technician to come and inspect your gas supply lines.
3. Make sure the igniter is working.
The next step is to check the igniter to ensure it is working correctly. The igniter lights the gas when you turn your oven on and when it stops working, your oven will be unable to heat.
This is how to check the igniter:
- Locate the igniter (it’s next to the burner).
- Attempt to turn your oven on.
- If the gas doesn’t ignite, test the igniter with a multimeter (make sure you disconnect it first and turn the gas and power off).
- If the igniter doesn’t have continuity, replace it. If it does have continuity, reattach it to your oven and move on to step 4.
- Once the new igniter is installed into your Whirlpool oven, attempt to turn your oven on. If it still doesn’t heat, move on to step 4.
4. Make sure the broil spark electrode is working.
The spark electrode is another component in your Whirlpool gas oven that helps to ignite the bake or broil flame so the oven can heat. If it stops working, your Whirlpool oven will not heat.
This is how to check the spark electrode:
- Turn the power and gas off.
- Locate the spark electrode and check it thoroughly for any damage.
- If damaged, it will need to be replaced. If it isn’t damaged, test the spark electrode with a multimeter (make sure you disconnect it first and keep the gas and power off).
- If the spark electrode doesn’t have continuity, replace it. If it does have continuity, reattach it to your oven and move on to step 6 (step 5 is for electric ovens only).
- Once the new spark electrode is installed in your Whirlpool oven, attempt to turn your oven on. If it still doesn’t heat, move on to step 6 (step 5 is for electric ovens only).
5. Make sure the bake element is working.
Whirlpool ovens that are powered by electricity have elements in them that heat up and provide heat to your oven. If the element stops working correctly, your oven will not heat.
This is how to check the bake element:
- Turn your oven on to its highest temperature.
- After a couple of minutes, look at the element and see if it is a bright red color. If the element is not bright red, this is a good indication that the element is faulty and needs to be replaced. If it is bright red, move on to step 6.
- To ensure that the element is faulty, you can disconnect it and test it with a multimeter (make sure it has cooled down first).
- If the element doesn’t have continuity, replace it. If it does have continuity, move on to step 6.
- When the new element is installed, check if your Whirlpool oven is heating correctly. If not, move on to step 6.
6. Make sure the thermal fuse is working.
The next step is to check the thermal fuse in your Whirlpool oven. The purpose of this fuse is to monitor the temperature in your oven and if it overheats, the fuse tells the main control board to turn your oven off. Sometimes, the fuse can become faulty and your oven will not be able to turn on.
This is how to check the thermal fuse:
- Turn the power and gas off.
- Locate the thermal fuse.
- Test the thermal fuse with a multimeter (make sure you disconnect it first).
- If the thermal fuse doesn’t have continuity, replace it. If it does have continuity, reattach it to your oven and move on to step 7.
- Once the new thermal fuse is installed in your Whirlpool oven, attempt to turn your oven on. If it still doesn’t heat, move on to step 7.
7. Replace the control board.
If you still haven’t fixed your Whirlpool oven that isn’t heating, the final step is to replace the control board. The board is difficult to test, so your best option is to replace it and hope that it fixes the problem. Alternatively, you can get a qualified technician to come and inspect your oven or you might want to consider purchasing a new one.