If your Kenmore oven heating element is not working or your Kenmore oven won’t heat, this article is for you. We will look at Kenmore oven heating problems and how to fix them.
Table of Contents
Electric Kenmore Oven Not Heating — How To Fix
Below, we have listed the possible reasons why your electric Kenmore oven won’t heat and what to do about them.
1. Bake Element
This is the first and most likely reason why your electric Kenmore oven won’t heat. The bake element in an oven is the major heating component. So, if the bake element fails, the oven won’t heat. You could call a technician to replace this component for you or you could replace it yourself. If you would like to replace the bake element in your Kenmore oven, read this article: Kenmore Oven Element [Problems & Proven Solutions]
Also read the article in the link if your Kenmore oven heating element is not working to know the possible causes and what to do about them. If your Kenmore oven is not heating but the broiler is, your Kenmore oven heating element stays on, or your electric Kenmore oven is heating slowly, read the article in the link to replace the bake element.
2. Damaged Wire
If one or both of the wires connected to the bake element is faulty, the oven won’t heat. If you have replaced the bake element but your Kenmore oven still won’t heat, this is the next thing to check. Inspect the wires connected to bake element. If one or both of the wires appear burnt or damaged in any way, contact a technician to fix them.
3. Control Board
The control board sends voltage to the bake element in the oven. So, if the control board fails, the oven won’t heat. If you have checked the bake element and wires but they aren’t faulty, the control board probably is. Read this article: Kenmore Oven Control [Issues & Proven Solutions] to learn how to replace the control board in your Kenmore oven.
Gas Kenmore Oven Not Heating — How To Fix
Below, we have listed the possible reasons your gas Kenmore oven won’t heat and what to do about them.
1. Igniter
If your gas Kenmore oven won’t heat, the igniter is probably faulty. Below, we show you how to replace the igniter in your Kenmore oven…
Step 1: Unplug the oven’s power cord from the outlet and shut off the gas supply for safety. You will need to pull the oven away from the wall to do this.
Step 2: Open the door of the oven.
Step 3: Remove the racks from the oven and take out the two screws which hold the oven’s bottom panel in place using a Philips head screwdriver.
Step 4: Lift the panel out of the oven.
Step 5: Take out the nut which holds the flame spreader in place and lift it out of the oven.
Step 6: Pull the oven’s bottom drawer forward.
Step 7: Take out the screw which holds the igniter wire cover to the left side of the oven.
Step 8: Slide the cover to the side and disconnect the wire plug.
Step 9: Disconnect the other igniter wires from the terminals of the safety valve.
Step 10: Take out the screws which hold the igniter to the burner tube and take it out.
Step 11: Get a new igniter.
Step 12: Using a pair of wire strippers, cut the wire with the black insulation from the old igniter.
Step 13: Cut about two inches from the wire of the new igniter.
Step 14: Strip the ends of the two wires you cut and twist them together.
Step 15: Secure the wires with ceramic wire nuts. Do not use plastic wire nuts.
Step 16: Do the same with the wires connected to the wire plug of the old igniter.
Step 17: Secure the old igniter wire plug to the new wires with the ceramic wire nuts.
Step 18: Take the igniter back to the oven and secure it with the screws.
Step 19: Connect the igniter wires to the safety valve.
Step 20: Reconnect the wire plug and reposition the cover.
Step 21: Secure the cover with the screws.
Step 22: Push the oven’s bottom drawer back in and reposition the flame spreader.
Step 23: Secure the flame spreader with the nut.
Step 24: Reposition the oven’s bottom panel and hold it in place with the two screws.
Step 25: Slide the racks back into the oven and shut the door.
Step 26: Plug the oven’s power cord back in.
Step 27: Turn the gas supply on and return the oven to its usual position.
Also follow the steps above to replace your igniter if your Kenmore oven is not heating and smells like gas.
The video below will show you how to replace the igniter in your Kenmore oven.
2. Spark Electrode
In some Kenmore ovens, a spark electrode is used and not an igniter. So, if your gas Kenmore oven won’t heat and it doesn’t have an igniter, the spark electrode is the first thing to check. Below, we show you how to replace the spark electrode in your Kenmore oven…
Step 1: Pull the oven away from the wall and unplug the power cord.
Step 2: Shut off the gas supply.
Step 3: Open the door of the oven.
Step 4: Remove the racks and set them aside.
Step 5: Using a Philips head screwdriver, take out the screws which hold the oven’s bottom panel in place.
Step 6: Lift the panel out of the oven and set it aside.
Step 7: Take out the screws which hold the flame spreader in place.
Step 8: Lift the flame spreader out of the oven.
Step 9: Take out the screw at the front and back of the oven which hold the burner tube.
Step 10: Lift the burner tube and disconnect the wire from the spark electrode.
Step 11: Take out the screws which hold the spark electrode to the burner tube.
Step 12: Get a new spark electrode and screw it to the burner tube.
Step 13: Connect the wire to the spark electrode and reposition the burner tube in the oven.
Step 14: Secure the tube with the screws.
Step 15: Return the flame spreader and the screws which secure it.
Step 16: Reposition the oven’s bottom panel and hold it in place with the screws.
Step 17: Slide the racks back into the oven.
Step 18: Shut the oven door.
Step 19: Turn the oven’s gas supply on.
Step 20: Plug the oven’s power cord back in and return the oven to its usual position.
Watch the video below for a visual of how to replace the spark electrode in your Kenmore oven.
3. Safety Valve
If replacing the igniter or spark electrode doesn’t fix the problem, the safety valve is the next thing to check. Follow the steps below to test and replace the safety valve in your Kenmore oven…
Step 1: Unplug the oven’s power cord and shut off the gas supply.
Step 2: Disconnect the gas supply line from the safety valve using a 3/4 inch wrench and a 9/16th inch wrench. The 3/4 inch wrench is to secure the safety valve as you use the 9/16th inch wrench to disconnect the gas line.
Step 3: Open the oven door and remove the racks.
Step 4: Using a Philips head screwdriver, take out the screws which hold the oven’s bottom panel in place and lift it out of the oven.
Step 5: Pull the oven’s bottom drawer forward.
Step 6: Take out the nut which holds the flame spreader and lift it out as well.
Step 7: Disconnect the wires from the terminals of the safety valve.
Step 8: Take out the two screws which hold the burner tube in place and move it aside.
Step 9: Next, take out the quarter inch screw which holds the safety valve and mounting plate to the oven.
Step 10: Remove the mounting plate from the safety valve.
Step 11: Using a multimeter, test the safety valve. If there is no continuity, the valve is faulty and should be replaced.
Step 12: Get a new valve and position the mounting plate on it.
Step 13: Secure the valve to the oven with the screw.
Step 14: Reposition the burner tube and hold it in place with the two screws.
Step 15: Reconnect the wires to the terminals of the safety valve.
Step 16: Return the flame spreader and the nut which holds it in place.
Step 17: Reposition the oven’s bottom panel and hold it in place with the screws.
Step 18: Return the racks to the oven and shut the door.
Step 19: Go back to the oven’s rear and reconnect the gas line to the safety valve.
Step 20: Plug the oven back in and turn the gas supply on.
The video below will show you how to replace a Kenmore oven safety valve.
4. Control Board
This is the final possible reason why your gas Kenmore oven won’t heat. The control board sends voltage to both the safety valve and igniter. So, if the control board fails, the igniter and safety valve won’t work. If you have checked the components above but none of them is faulty, read the “Kenmore Oven Control” article in the “Electric Kenmore Oven Not Heating” section above.
Check out these articles…
Kenmore Oven Element [Problems & Proven Solutions]
Kenmore Oven Modes [How To, Guide]
Kenmore Oven Light [Problems & Proven Solutions]
Kenmore Oven Error Codes [Proven Solutions]
Kenmore Oven Broiler [How To, Issues & Solutions]
Kenmore Oven Not Heating After Self Clean — How To Fix
If your Kenmore oven is not heating after using the self clean feature, the thermal fuse has burnt out. To replace the fuse in your Kenmore oven, do the following…
Step 1: Unplug the oven’s power cord and open the door.
Step 2: Pull off the control knobs and remove the four retainers which hold the control panel in place. You can do this with a flat head screwdriver.
Step 3: Disconnect the wires from the control panel and set it aside.
Step 4: Take out the screws which hold the metal panel to the oven with a Philips head screwdriver.
Step 5: Disconnect the wire harnesses from the metal panel and unscrew the grounding wire as well.
Step 6: Take out the screws at the top and bottom of the oven which hold the black plastic cover in place.
Step 7: Remove the plastic cover and peel off the gasket from the edge of the glass stove top.
Step 8: Take out the screws which hold the stove top and lift it up.
Step 9: Set the stove top on a cloth lined surface.
Step 10: Disconnect the wires from the thermal fuse. The fuse is green in color.
Step 11: Take out the two Philips head screws which hold the fuse in place and get a new one.
Step 12: Screw the new fuse to the oven and reconnect the wires to the terminals.
Step 13: Reposition the stove top and hold it in place with the screws.
Step 14: Return the gasket to the stove top.
Step 15: Return the plastic cover also and hold it in place with the screws.
Step 16: Reconnect the wire harnesses to the metal panel and screw the grounding wire back as well.
Step 17: Secure the metal panel to the oven with the screws.
Step 18: Connect the wires back to the control panel and position it on the oven.
Step 19: Return the retainers which hold the panel in place.
Step 20: Push the control knobs back in and shut the oven door.
Step 21: Plug the oven’s power cord back in and return the oven to its usual position.
The video below will show you how to replace the fuse in a Kenmore oven.
Kenmore Oven Won’t Stop Heating — How To Fix
If your Kenmore oven won’t stop heating, the heating elements or the control board could be faulty. To test if your heating elements are faulty, follow these steps…
Step 1: Unplug the oven’s power cord and take off the back panel.
Step 2: Disconnect the wires from the terminals of the bake element.
Step 3: Get a multimeter and turn the dial to the lowest ohms setting.
Step 4: Touch one multimeter probe to one of the terminals of the bake element.
Step 5: Look at the display of the multimeter. The multimeter shouldn’t show any reading. If the multimeter shows a reading, the element has shorted out and should be replaced.
Step 6: Lift the multimeter probe from the bake element terminal and place it on the other terminal to do the same test.
Step 7: Also perform this same test with the broil element.
If the bake or broil element is faulty, read the “Kenmore Oven Element” article in the “Electric Kenmore Oven Not Heating” section above to replace them.
If neither the bake or broil element is faulty, the control board probably is. Also read the control board article in the “Electric Kenmore Oven Not Heating” section above.
Kenmore Oven Not Heating Evenly — How To Fix
Below we talk about the possible reasons why your Kenmore oven won’t heat evenly and what to do about them.
1. Broil Element
When the bake function is selected, both the bake and broil element turn on to heat the oven. If the broil element fails, it could cause uneven cooking. Turn the oven on and look at the broil element. The element is located on the top wall of the oven. If the broil element doesn’t heat up or heats up just a bit, it should be replaced. Read this article: Kenmore Oven Broiler [How To, Issues & Solutions] to replace the broil element in your Kenmore oven.
2. Convection Fan Motor
If the broil element isn’t faulty, the next thing you should check is the convection fan motor. If the fan motor fails, the oven won’t bake evenly. Follow the steps below to test and replace the fan motor in your Kenmore oven…
Step 1: Disconnect the power to the oven.
Step 2: Open the door of the oven and slide out the racks.
Step 3: Set the racks aside.
Step 4: Take out the screws which hold the oven’s fan blade cover.
Step 5: Set the fan blade cover aside and go to the oven’s rear.
Step 6: Using a Philips head screwdriver, take out the screws which hold the oven’s back panel in place.
Step 7: Set the panel aside.
Step 8: Disconnect the wires from the fan motor and test it with a multimeter. If there is no continuity, the fan motor should be replaced.
Step 9: Take out the nut which holds the fan blade in place using an adjustable wrench.
Step 10: Remove the fan blade and take out the screws which hold the fan motor in place.
Step 11: Remove the fan motor and get a new one.
Step 12: Screw the new fan motor into place and reconnect the wires.
Step 13: Reposition the oven’s back panel and hold it in place with the screws.
Step 14: Slide the fan blade back onto the motor shaft and hold it in place with the nut.
Step 15: Return the fan blade cover and the screws which secure it.
Step 16: Slide the racks back into the oven.
Step 17: Shut the oven door.
Step 18: Plug the oven’s power cord back in.
The video below will show you how to replace the fan motor in a Kenmore oven.
Kenmore Gas Oven Not Heating To Correct Temperature
If your Kenmore gas oven stops heating before it gets to the right temperature, the igniter is faulty. Read the “Gas Kenmore Oven Not Heating” section above to learn how to replace the igniter in your Kenmore oven. However, if the igniter is not faulty but your oven still won’t heat to the right temperature, the sensor is failing. Follow these steps to replace the sensor in your Kenmore oven…
Step 1: Unplug the oven’s power cord.
Step 2: Open the door of the oven.
Step 3: Take out the oven racks.
Step 4: Using a Philips head screwdriver, take out the screws on the oven’s back wall which hold the sensor in place.
Step 5: Pull the sensor out and disconnect the wire plug from it. Make sure the wire doesn’t fall through the hole.
Step 6: Get a new sensor and connect the wire plug to it.
Step 7: Screw the sensor to the oven.
Step 8: Return the racks to the oven.
Step 9: Shut the door.
Step 10: Plug the oven’s power cord back in.
The video below will show you how to replace the sensor in a Kenmore oven.
Kenmore Oven Overheating — How To Fix
If your Kenmore oven is overheating, it is most likely because of a faulty temperature sensor. Read the section directly above this one to replace the sensor in your Kenmore oven. If the sensor isn’t faulty, read the “Kenmore Oven Element” article in the “Electric Kenmore Oven Not Heating” section to test the bake element. If both the bake element and sensor aren’t faulty, the cooling fan must be. Read this article: Kenmore Oven Fan [Issues & Proven Solutions] if you would like to replace the cooling fan in your Kenmore oven.