Kenmore Oven: not heating

Professional Repair Guide

What is this symptom?

If your Kenmore oven is not heating, you may find it remains cold or fails to reach the desired temperature for cooking. Common causes include a faulty heating element or igniter, a malfunctioning temperature sensor, or issues with the control board. Troubleshooting these problems can help restore your oven's functionality.

Urgency: Medium

Important Tips for Kenmore Models

  • Kenmore ovens share common failure points with many electric/gas ovens, such as heating elements, sensors, and control boards; model-specific parts vary so verify part numbers.

Possible Causes

Faulty heating element (electric ovens) / Bake burner igniter (gas ovens)

How to Identify: Electric elements should glow red; lack of glow or visible burns/cracks suggests failure. Gas igniter may glow but not ignite gas or not glow at all. Testing continuity with a multimeter confirms failure.

Part: Heating element (electric) / Igniter (gas)

Faulty temperature sensor / thermostat

How to Identify: Oven doesn't reach target temperature despite elements/igniter functioning; multimeter test of sensor resistance (approx ~1100 ohms at room temp identifies faults.

Part: Temperature sensor / Thermostat

Control board failure

How to Identify: Oven controls behave unusually, no voltage is sent to heating components; requires voltage test to elements/igniter to confirm control board issue.

Part: Oven control board

Loose or damaged wiring / terminal issues

How to Identify: Visual inspection shows burned or loose wires; oven fails to heat due to interrupted power to heating components.

Part: Wiring connections, terminal block

Thermal fuse blown

How to Identify: Oven doesn’t heat post overtemperature event; fuse tests without continuity on multimeter.

Part: Thermal fuse

DIY Solutions

Inspect and replace heating element / igniter

Moderate 30–60 minutes
Tools Needed: Screwdriver, Multimeter
  1. Disconnect power or gas supply to the oven.
  2. Remove oven racks and access panel to view heating element or igniter.
  3. Visually inspect for damage (cracks, blisters) and test continuity with a multimeter.
  4. If defective, detach wires and replace with a compatible heating element or igniter.
  5. Reassemble and restore power/gas to test function.
⚠️ Safety First: Always disconnect power/gas before servicing.

Test and replace temperature sensor

Moderate 30–45 minutes
Tools Needed: Screwdriver, Multimeter
  1. Power off and remove oven racks.
  2. Locate the temperature sensor (back wall of the oven).
  3. Remove sensor and test resistance with a multimeter.
  4. If reading is outside expected range (~1100 ohms at room temp), replace with identical part.
  5. Reinstall sensor and test oven heating performance.
⚠️ Safety First: Disconnect power before handling internal parts.

Reset oven and check basic power

Easy 5–10 minutes
  1. Ensure oven is plugged in and circuit breaker has not tripped.
  2. Turn power off at breaker for 30 seconds and restore.
  3. Try preheating oven to check if heating resumes.
⚠️ Safety First: Ensure circuit breaker handling is done safely.

Professional Repairs

Replace oven control board

Estimated Cost: $150 - $400

Repair wiring and terminal connections

Estimated Cost: $100 - $250

Replace thermal fuse

Estimated Cost: $50 - $150

When to Call a Professional

The oven still doesn’t heat after replacing visible components (elements/sensor).
Complex electrical issues detected (smoke, burning smell, repeated breaker trips).
Control board suspected faulty or internal wiring problems.

Preventive Maintenance

  • Clean oven interior and inspect elements: Buildup that can cause element stress and uneven heating
    Frequency: Every 3 months
  • Check door seals: Heat loss leading to inefficient heating
    Frequency: Annually

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Kenmore Oven not heating?
Common causes include a faulty heating element, temperature sensor, or control board failure.
How do I fix Kenmore Oven not heating myself?
Inspect and replace the heating element or temperature sensor. Reset power to the oven.
How much does it cost to fix not heating?
Professional repairs can range from $50 for a thermal fuse to $400 for a control board replacement.
When should I call a technician for not heating?
If DIY fixes do not resolve the issue or if you suspect wiring problems, contact a technician.

Community Analytical Insights

Analysis based on real user discussions from appliance repair communities

Can I Fix This Myself?

65%
DIY Success Rate Difficulty: DIY

Common Issues Reported by Users

  • Igniter failure (8 mentions)
  • Heating element issue (6 mentions)
  • Control board malfunction (5 mentions)
  • Temperature sensor failure (4 mentions)
  • Relay board issue (3 mentions)

User Suggested Solutions

  1. Replace the igniter with an OEM part.

    Success rate: 9.0%

  2. Replace the bake element.

    Success rate: 8.0%

  3. Check and possibly replace the control board.

    Success rate: 6.0%

  4. Check for 240 VAC to the heating elements.

    Success rate: 5.0%

  5. Replace relays on the PCB relay board.

    Success rate: 3.0%
Analysis based on 37 community discussions
View Sources

Data compiled from real discussions on r/appliancerepair and r/Appliances:

  1. Kenmore gas oven not heating. I've checked most of the thing...
  2. Kenmore Oven randomly shuts off while baking
  3. Pls help with my oven. I feel like I'm losing a fight. I'm g...
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  6. F10 error code on old Kenmore
  7. My 20 year old kenmore oven gave us an error code of 4 then ...
  8. Can’t bake need help pls.
  9. Kenmore oven won't heat anymore, had a burning smell. Best w...
  10. Kenmore oven stopped heating while cooking
  11. Kenmore In-Wall Replacement Element
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  17. Oven broken but stovetop works.
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  20. Kenmore model C970-687021 oven no longer heating
  21. Kenmore Oven Suddenly Stopped Heating
  22. Kenmore pro dual oven maxes out at 285F
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  24. PLEASE HELP ME...KENMORE 790.4558 Series No Heat oven or to...
  25. Help!! 1970s Kenmore 911.9278412 oven bake element
  26. Kenmore Oven Bake No Heat
  27. Oven baking element burned out, and I’m confused
  28. Kenmore Oven Locked and Stovetop will not heat up
  29. My Kenmore oven and broiler aren't working. Stovetop lights ...
  30. Kenmore gas oven model 790.72863301 intermittently slow to h...
  31. Can’t remove igniter on Kenmore oven
  32. Kenmore oven not working but stovetop does
  33. Kenmore Oven 790.48803100 Temp Probe Jack
  34. I replaced an oven element, but the oven isn't working now. ...
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Community Discussions

Heating element won't turn on

Replaced the control board, which fixed the issue.

DIY View on Reddit →

broiler element broke at one of the bends

Replacement broiler element found for $30 on SearsPartsDirect.

DIY View on Reddit →

baking element touching the bottom of the oven

Replaced the baking element with a new OEM part.

DIY View on Reddit →

oven isn’t raising the temperature

Replaced the bake element

DIY View on Reddit →

bake element will not heat

Replaced relays on the PCB relay board and resoldered connections, which resolved the heating issue.

DIY View on Reddit →

Source: Reddit r/appliancerepair

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