Your Cooker Oven Is Not Heating Up Properly
About to pop something in the oven to cook and made the unfortunate discovery that it will no longer heat up? No need to panic. It may well just be something and nothing. To help you avoid having to spend the entire week eating cold food or frozen microwave meals, here we explain the various different things you need to check to discover the source of the fault.
THE POTENTIAL CAUSES FOR THIS FAULT:
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There is an issue with the electricity supply to the appliance
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The timer has been set incorrectly
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The door lock is broken
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The adjustable thermostat is defective
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The temperature sensor is faulty
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The terminal block is not properly tightened
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The safety thermostat is defective
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The grill element is no longer working
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The base element is faulty
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The circular element has failed
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The convection fan isn't working
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The commutator is no longer functioning
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The main circuit board (PCB) needs replacing
WARNING
Before you do anything to your appliance, make sure you disconnect it from the power supply.
There is a risk of electric shock.
Wear suitable protective gloves if you need to dismantle anything.
There is a risk of getting cut or injured
There is an issue with the electricity supply to the appliance
To check whether this is indeed the case, switch your oven's light on. If it works okay, you can skip to the next section. If it doesn't work, however, you'll first need to check that the light itself is in working order. If it is, your appliance will very likely have an electricity supply problem. You'll therefore simply need to check it's properly plugged in/connected up and there are no issue with your mains.
The timer has been set incorrectly
Oven clocks/timers come in both electronic and mechanical types. As well as providing a clock function, they also enable you set the oven to come on at a later time. If the time display is flashing, or if the oven has been programmed to come on at a specific time or the timer is set to auto or "0", the oven may refuse to switch on. If this is the situation in your case, we recommend you check the section about setting the clock/timer in the user manual for your appliance.
The door lock is broken
The door safety lock ensures the door is kept securely closed when the oven is in pyrolysis mode (self-clean) and, in particular, indicates whether the door is actually locked or not. If the lock's striker pin is bent, broken, out of position or not coming into contact with the door when it's closed, the appliance will not heat up. You can check the condition of the lock striker pin yourself. It will normally be located beneath the main control panel. If it's defective or damaged, you'll need to replace it.
The adjustable thermostat is defective
The adjustable thermostat enables you to set the internal temperature of the oven. If it's defective, the oven will not be able to heat up. You can check its condition yourself. It will be located behind the temperature control dial. You will observe see that it has two connectors. Disconnect them from the thermostat and check that it for continuity using a multimeter in ohmmeter mode. If there is no continuity, you will need to think about replacing the adjustable thermostat.
Purchase an oven adjustable thermostat
The temperature sensor is faulty
The temperature sensor lets the main circuit board (PCB) know whether your oven has reached the required temperature or not. If it's defective, the oven will no longer be able to heat up. You can test the sensor using a multimeter in ohmmeter mode. Disconnect all its connectors and place the meter's two probes on the sensor's two terminals to check for continuity. If it does not have continuity, it will need to be replaced. If, however, you do get an ohm value, please get in touch with our technical service or contact the manufacturer directly to find out what the correct value should be for your oven.
Purchase an oven temperature sensor
The terminal block is not properly tightened
The terminal block connects your oven to the electric mains supply. If it's not properly tightened, or has melted, your oven will not work. Locate the terminal block on the back of your oven and check to see whether the problem is actually coming from there or not. If it's defective or damaged, you'll need to replace it.
The safety thermostat is defective
The safety thermostat prevents the oven from overheating. If it's faulty, the oven will no longer be able to heat up. Safety thermostats can sometimes be tripped/activated due to a defective cooling fan or if there's a fault with the temperature regulation system. You can check the safety thermostat using a multimeter in ohmmeter mode. First, disconnect all the thermostat's connectors. Then place the meter's two probes on the thermostat's two terminals to check it has continuity (you should get a value). Some safety thermostats can be reset (via a small red button on the top). If it has no continuity and won't reset, you will need to replace it.
The grill element is no longer working
The grill element is located at the top of your oven's internal cavity. Its purpose is to provide the heat for the oven's grill function. If it's defective, the oven won't be able to heat up properly. You can check the grill element by putting the oven in "grill" mode. Leave it to heat up for a few seconds, then hold your hand in the upper part of the oven (without touching anything) to see if you can detect any heat given off by the element. You can also check the element for continuity using a multimeter in ohmmeter mode. It should have open continuity.
Purchase an oven grill element
The base element is faulty
The base element is located at the bottom of your oven's interior cavity. It provides the heat in the lower part of the appliance. If it's defective, the oven won't be able to heat up properly. You can check this element using the same test used for the grill element, but this time holding your hand in the bottom part of the oven.
The circular element has failed
The circular element enables your oven to operate in convection mode. You'll find it at the back of your oven's interior, behind the heat distribution panel. If it's defective, the oven won't be able to heat up properly. You can also check the element for continuity using a multimeter in ohmmeter mode. It should have open continuity. If it doesn't, replace it.
Purchase an oven circular element
The convection fan isn't working
The purpose of the convection fan is to circulate the heat generated by your oven's heating elements. If it's jammed or defective, it won't be able to rotate. The effect of this will be to make it seem as if the oven has not heated up properly when you take your food out. To check whether the fan is working, switch your oven on and look at the back wall of its interior cavity. If the fan is not rotating, get a multimeter and set it to voltmeter mode – carefully follow the recommended electrical safety procedures when carrying out this procedure: RISK OF ELECTROCUTION. Place the meter's two probes on the convection fan's terminals (with the electricity to the appliance turned off), then turn the oven on. If you get a reading of 230 volts but the fan fails to operate, you will need to replace it. Be very careful when carrying out this procedure, and protect your hands with insulated electrical safety gloves.
Purchase an oven convection fan
The commutator is no longer functioning
The commutator enables the power to be distributed to the oven's heating elements. Over time, the electrical contacts can wear out, resulting in the current no longer getting through. This will cause your oven to suddenly stop heating up properly. If you want to check the commutator yourself, you'll find it behind the oven's selector dial. The fault will often be visible to the naked eye. Alternatively, you can use a multimeter to check that the contacts all have continuity when engaged.
The main circuit board (PCB) needs replacing
The circuit board (PCB) manages all your oven's functions, i.e. convection fan motor, heating elements, etc. If you have already checked everything else and it's all fine, it could be the circuit board that needs to be replaced. You can either do this yourself or call on the services of a manufacturer-approved engineer.