Your Microwave Oven's Turntable Is Not Turning

Is your microwave turntable not turning properly or no longer turning at all? Below we explain the possible causes for this malfunction.

THE POTENTIAL CAUSES FOR THIS ISSUE:

• The turntable stop button has been pressed

• The turntable drive coupling is broken

• The turntable motor is faulty

• The door latch is not working properly

• The main circuit board (PCB) is defective

WARNING
We recommend adopting a very cautious and safety-conscious approach if you need to take your microwave apart at any point.
Microwave ovens produce powerful electrical discharges that can potentially be fatal.
Never test and use a multimeter on the appliance with it still plugged into the mains. The voltages on either the magnetron, transformer or capacitor may be too high for the multimeter to cope with.
Even when unplugged, the capacitor inside the microwave oven can still produce power electrical discharges.
We therefore recommend you leave the appliance to discharge for at least one day before taking it apart.
When you first open the microwave up, make sure you short circuit the capacitor using a pair of electrically insulated pliers (with the appliance unplugged from the mains of course).
We also recommend wearing a pair of electrically insulated gloves to ensure you are able to work in complete safety.
Carrying out repairs on a microwave oven requires a very careful and safety conscious approach. SOS Accessoire cannot be held responsible for any accidents that may occur.

The turntable stop button has been pressed

Many microwaves are equipped with a button that allows you to stop the turntable so you can place a square-shaped dish inside it, for example. The first thing to check, therefore, is that this function has not been activated (if your appliance is equipped with it).

The turntable drive coupling is broken

The turntable drive coupling enables the glass turntable in your microwave to rotate. If this component is damaged or missing, the turntable won't be able to turn. You can easily replace yourself it if it's defective. Don't forget to unplug the appliance from the electricity when carrying out this operation however.

Purchase a microwave turntable drive coupling

The turntable motor is faulty

The turntable motor ensures that the food you put in your microwave is cooked uniformly throughout. If the motor is faulty and no longer turning the turntable, the microwaves will not be correctly distributed and your food will not be cooked uniformly. You can check this component using a multimeter in ohmmeter mode. First find where the motor is located underneath the appliance. Next, disconnect all the connectors and place the multimeter's probes on the motor's terminals to test for continuity (you should get a reading). Make sure you carefully read the safety instructions at the top of the page!

Purchase a microwave turntable motor

The door latch is not working properly

Microwave door latches are fitted with several small switches. If one of these is faulty, the latch will not work, preventing the turntable from rotating. You can test the door latch using a multimeter in ohmmeter mode, with the door both in its open position and its closed position. Open up the outer panels of your microwave and locate the door latch microswitches. Disconnect all the electrical connectors and place the multimeter's two probes on the microswitches' terminals. You should get continuity in one of each switch's two positions (i.e. door open or door closed). Remember to follow the safety instructions provided at the beginning of this article.

The main circuit board (PCB) is defective

The main circuit board manages all your microwave's functions (cooking, turntable motor, light, etc.). If everything else detailed above has been checked, it may be that the circuit board needs replacing. You can do this yourself, as long as you carefully adhere to the safety instructions provided at the beginning of this article. Alternately, you can call on the services of a manufacturer-approved engineer.