Hot Cooktop Light Staying On? 4 Tips To Help Solve It

Are you frustrated because the light on the front of your burner won’t turn off even when you have turned off the stove? If so, this can be a stressful situation. You must make sure the burner is off when you are done cooking. Otherwise, you run the risk of wasting energy and burning yourself.

There are a number of possible reasons why the burner light stays on even after you have turned it off. Before you can fix the issue, you need to figure out why this is happening. That way, you can figure out if you need to replace the light or the entire stove. 

What are a few possible reasons why the burner light is staying on? Take a look at a few possible causes, and remember to reach out to a professional if you have any questions.

How Does the Burner Light Work?

Before we can go about fixing the burner light, it is important to understand how the light operates. The exact mechanism of action can vary depending on the type of stove you have. In general, when you turn the dial, the burner is supposed to get hot. It is the same regardless of whether you have a gas stove or an electric stove.

When the thermostat sensors that the burner is on (or hot), the light should come on. Then, when you turn off the burner, the light should gradually fade. You have probably noticed this if you have had your stove for a while.

Therefore, there are multiple parts in your stove that are talking to each other. All of them have to say the same thing in order for the light to function properly. If any of these parts is not working appropriately, then the burner light might not turn off. 

Materials Needed To Test the Burner Light

You should not need a lot of materials to test the burner light itself. Of course, you must have access to your stove. Then, you might need a screwdriver to disassemble the stove. It is possible you may also need a multimeter to test the power to individual components of your stove. Once you have gathered all of the materials you need, it is time to take a closer look at the stove.

The Burner Light Stays On: 4 Possible Causes and Fixes

There are numerous reasons why the hot burner light stays lit on your stove. At the same time, there are four common causes you might encounter. These include:

1. The Cooktop Is Still On (or Hot)

It is important not to overlook the most common reason why the light is still on. If you see that the hot cooktop light is still on, you must take a closer look at the stove to make sure you have actually turned it off. This is the entire purpose of the light being lit up. 

There are a lot of dangers that come with leaving the cooktop on. For example, you run the risk of melting everything that is left on the stove. If you have a gas burner, you run the risk of releasing gas into the air, possibly lighting your house on fire. 

Of course, if you leave the cooktop on, you also run the risk of wasting a significant amount of energy. Therefore, the first thing you should do is double-check the stove and make sure it has been turned off.

If you are certain that you have turned off the individual burners, and the light is still on, then you should check and see if the surface is still hot. There are some stoves that have lights that turn off as soon as you turn off the burner. There are other stoves that have lights that remain on even if the stove is off but still hot. 

To figure out if this is the case, the test is relatively straightforward. Turn off the burner, wait a few minutes, and see if the light turns off. If it does, you know you have a stove with a light that will stay on until it has cooled completely. 

If you have crossed all of these possibilities off the list, it is time to dig a bit deeper. 

2. The Switch Itself Is Dead

The next possibility is that you have a switch that is dead. There is a specific switch inside the start that is responsible for relaying information between the thermostat and the light. Depending on the way in which your stove has been made, the light may stay permanently on if the switch has died. 

To figure out if this is what has happened with your switch, you need to take apart the stove to test the switch itself. You should take a look at the manual and see where the switch is located. Then, get a screwdriver to remove the screws. 

After you have removed the individual screws, take off the front of a cooktop. Find a switch that is connected to the burner light. Then, you will need to use a multimeter to test the power to the switch. You should get a reading that is significantly above 0. 

If you get a reading that is zero (or close to it), then you have your culprit. The switch has died, and you will need to replace it. You might be able to order a switch on your own, or you may have to reach out to a professional who can do this for you. 

In general, a switch is going to be significantly less expensive than a new stove, so you are probably better off replacing the switch instead of getting an entirely new stove; however, you do have to think about the cost before you make this decision. 

3. The Switch Has Gotten Stuck

Another possibility is that the switch has gotten stuck. For example, there may be multiple contact points in this relay of information that are sticking together. If the contact points have gotten stuck together, then the burner light might be lit up even if the burners have been turned off.

Take a closer look at the switch. If you have already disassembled the cooktop, you should be able to find it relatively easily. If you have put the cooktop back together, you need to follow the steps in the manual to disassemble it again.

It should not be difficult to tell if the contact points have gotten stuck together. Usually, they looked disfigured. One of the most common reasons why the contact points have got stuck together is that they have melted into place. 

If the contact points have gotten stuck together, then there is a good chance the switch is going to fail in the near future as well. Therefore, you might have to replace the contact points and the entire switch. You might need to reach out to a professional who can help you with this as well. 

4. There Is a Short-Circuit in the Heating Element

Finally, if the cooktop is staying hot even after you have turned off the burner, then you know why the light is on. There is a problem with one of the burners, causing it to remain hot even when you have shut it off. 

First, you need to see if this is a problem with an individual burner or with all of the burners. This will let you know if there is a problem with the wiring of one burner or a problem with the wiring of the entire stove. 

Before you start to work on any of these wires, you must disconnect the stove from the wall. Then, make sure you give it time to cool down. You do not want to start working on the wires of your burners when they are still live. 

If there is a short circuit, there is constant power flowing to the burner. You’ll have to address this problem if you want your stove to work properly. If you do not have any experience working with electricity, then you need to call a professional electrician who can help you. Even if you decide to work on this on your own, you must make sure you take the appropriate safety precautions. That way, you can reduce your risk of getting hurt. 

These are just a few of the many possibilities regarding why a burner light might stay on. Make sure you address each of these individual possibilities before you decide what to do next.

How Can You Prevent These Issues from Happening?

Stoves, like other machines, are going to develop problems from time to time. Therefore, there is no perfect way to prevent these issues from happening. The most important thing you have to do is keep yourself clean and treat it with care. 

You should clean your stove after every use to make sure food debris does not get stuck in it. Then, you should also shut off your stove as soon as you are done with it. That way, you do not cause any of the elements to overheat. If you reduce the stress on your stove, you can make sure it lasts as long as possible.

Address a Burner That Stays Hot: Figure Out the Problem

It can be very frustrating if you see a burner light that is still on even after you have turned it off. If the burner light is staying hot, the first thing you have to figure out is whether the cooktop is still hot or whether there is an electrical issue underneath the surface.

If the problem is related to the wiring of the stove, you may need to take apart the stove to figure out what is wrong. If you do not feel comfortable working on any of these issues, you need to reach out to a professional who can help you. That way, you can reduce your chances of getting hurt while working on your stove.