Why Your Oven Won’t Turn On & How To Fix It

Stuck trying to figure out why your oven won’t turn on?

Sadly, this is a known issue and can be super frustrating when it happens. After all, we rely on our ovens on a regular basis.

Luckily, you’ve come to the right place for answers.

If your oven won’t turn on, chances are there’s a problem with the bake element, igniter, or spark electrode. Having a faulty thermal fuse, circuit board, or gas safety valve could also explain the issue.

Don’t worry, though. Keep reading to learn more about how to fix these issues!

6 Reasons Why Your Oven Won’t Turn On (With Fixes):

I’m sure you’ll agree with me that there’s nothing more annoying than wanting to bake something, only to find that the oven won’t turn on.

This is why I’ve prepared a list of the most common reasons why this happens (with fixes). These are:

#1 There Is a Problem with the Bake Element

One of the first reasons why your oven might not turn on is that there is something wrong with the bake element.

You see, the bake element is responsible for generating heat for the rest of the oven. When this element is working properly, it should glow red hot. But, if the element is not blowing properly, it is a sign that the oven is not heating. 

If the heating element has become burned out, it might be physically damaged. Therefore, you may want to take a look at the bake element for signs of blisters or holes.

You may also want to use a multimeter to test the electricity going through the bake element. If your bake element has a lot of holes in it, or if you find that it is not conducting any electricity, this is a sign that it is dead. 

If there is something wrong with your bake element, then you need to replace it.

You should take a look at the manual to figure out what type of bake element you need. Then, check how expensive the bake element is to figure out if it is actually worth it to repair or replace it.

There are some situations where it may be better to get an entirely new oven. 

#2 The Igniter Is Dead

If you have a gas oven, then one of the most common reasons why your oven won’t turn on is that there’s something wrong with the igniter.

The igniter is one of the most important parts of the gas oven because it draws an electrical current through the safety valve, opening it. It is also responsible for igniting the gas in the burner.

Bear in mind that, since you are dealing with an open gas source, you need to make sure you shut off the gas to the oven before you work on the igniter.

Then, to figure out if there’s a problem with the igniter, take a look at it when you turn the oven on. Does the igniter look like it is doing anything? Or, does it look like it is having a difficult time getting the oven to turn on?

If you notice that is the latter, then you’ll need to repair or replace the igniter.

If you do not have experience working with a gas oven, then you may want to reach out to a professional who can address this problem for you. 

#3 Something Is Wrong with a Spark Electrode

If your oven is still refusing to turn on, there’s a good chance there’s something wrong with the spark electrode.

This is a spark plug that causes the spark to jump from the electrode to the shield, igniting the gas to turn on your oven.

You should take a look at the electric assembly system to see if there are any cracks present. Usually, your electrode is sitting in a porcelain house. If there are cracks in the housing system, the electrode will not behave properly. 

You may also want to use a multimeter to test the electrode. If you do not get any current going through the electrode, then you may need to replace it.

Fortunately, this is usually not an expensive fix. At the same time, you may want to hire a professional to do this properly. 

#4 The Thermal Fuse Has Blown

Your oven has a defensive mechanism that prevents it from overheating. If the thermal fuse senses that your oven is overheating, it will trip, causing the oven to turn off.

If the thermal fuse has already blown, then the oven is not going to turn on because it will sense there is no safety measure in place.

Another reason why your oven might not be turning on is that the thermal fuse is tripping when it should not. In this case, the thermal fuse has gotten a bit overzealous, preventing the upper from turning on before you even start cooking. This is another potential issue with the thermal fuse that you need to address. 

Regardless, you should take a look at the thermal fuse using a multimeter. If you find that a thermal fuse does not have any power going to it, then it is not working properly. As a result, you will need to replace it. 

To do it, you’ll need to take a look at the manual to see what type of thermal fuse you need. This way, you can get the best one for your oven. 

#5 The Oven Control Board Is Not Behaving Properly

The next thing you may want to look at is the control board of your oven, essentially, this is the motherboard of your appliance.

It has a wide variety of relays that are responsible for sending signals to the various functions of the oven. This includes your baking system, your broiling system, and any other settings you might have. 

If you have a defective control board, it is not going to send signals to the rest of the oven. This could explain why your oven won’t turn on.

This is a very rare problem, so you need to look closely to make sure this is the issue. It has a wide variety of components, and you need to test all of them individually before you determine if you need to replace the oven control board. 

If you do need a new control board for your oven, you need to check the total cost of this repair. Because this is such an integral part of an oven, it may be better for you to get an entirely new oven instead. 

#6 The Gas Safety Valve Has Failed

Moving on, you should also check the gas safety valve, since this is responsible for preventing gas from flowing into the oven when it is not in use.

You do not want gas going to the oven when it is not turned on because this creates a significant safety issue. 

If the safety valve has failed, the oven won’t turn on. The safety valve might not open, so gas cannot flow into the oven.

Similar to the oven control board, this is a very unusual problem with an oven. Therefore, you should take a look at all the other parts before you settle on the gas safety valve.

If you do need to test the gas safety valve, use a multimeter. It should have power flowing to it. If that’s not the case, then you need to replace it. 

Even though this is not a particularly hard replacement, it can be difficult for you to find the right safety valve. You need to take a look at the manual to see what type of safety valve you require.

Then, you need to make sure it works properly before you turn on the oven again. 

Frequently Asked Questions About an Oven Not Turning On

A few of the most common questions people have about an oven not turning on include:

#1 How Expensive Is It to Replace an Oven That Will Not Turn On?

It depends on the type of oven you want. Ovens come in all shapes and sizes. It is not unusual for a good oven to cost more than $1,000.

#2 Is It Worth It for Me to Repair an Oven That Is Not Turning On?

It depends on the exact problem you are having with your oven. In some cases, parts are not that expensive to find.

In other cases, you may have to spend a lot of money to replace a defective part, such as an oven control door. Make sure you get quotes on the price of the repair before you decide if this is worth it.

Conclusion

That about covers it! Hopefully, with the help of the fixes above, you’ll be able to solve the issue.

Remember, if your oven won’t turn on, you’ll need to check the bake element, igniter, spark electrode, and thermal fuse. Moreover, don’t forget to make sure that the control board and gas safety valve are working correctly.

To reduce the chances of developing problems, you may want to get your oven inspected periodically to ensure everything is behaving as it should. 

Thanks for taking the time to read this quick guide! Please take a look at a few related articles below to learn more about ovens.