Electric Oven Not Working But Stove Top Is? (7 Easy Fixes)

Finding out your oven won’t heat just as you’re about to start dinner is a major inconvenience. However, the fact that your stovetop burners are still working is actually a vital diagnostic clue. It tells us that your home’s circuit breaker hasn’t tripped and the main power supply to the appliance is likely intact.

In most electric ranges, the stovetop and the oven operate on a shared 240-volt circuit, but they use independent internal components. When the oven fails while the stove lives on, the issue is almost always a localized component failure. In this guide, we will walk through the professional diagnostic process to identify the culprit, from simple settings to complex control board issues. The most common causes include:

• A Burnt Bake Element: Check for visible cracks or blisters on the bottom coil.
• Blown Thermal Fuse: Common after running a self-cleaning cycle.
• Faulty Temperature Sensor: If the sensor fails, the oven won’t signal the board to heat.
• Failed Oven Relay: A malfunctioning main control board won’t send power to the elements.
• Broken Wire Connection: High heat can melt the spade connectors at the back of the oven.

The “Basics First” Safety Check

Before you reach for your toolbox, perform a “no-tools” inspection. It is surprisingly common for an oven to stop working simply because a setting was accidentally toggled.

• The Self-Clean Lock: If you recently ran a self-cleaning cycle, the door latch might be stuck. Most ovens will not engage the heating elements if the latch sensor thinks the door is locked or in a “cleaning state.” Ensure the latch is fully retracted.
• Time Bake & Delay Start: Check your clock and timer settings. If “Delay Start” or “Time Bake” is active, the oven is simply waiting for a specific time to turn on. Switch the oven back to “Manual” or “Clear/Off” to reset the logic.
• Child Lock: Some modern GE and Samsung models have a “Lockout” feature that disables the oven but leaves the burners functional for safety. Ensure the “Control Lock” light is off.
• Control panel lights: check to see if the oven display (temp, bake/broil) lights up at all.

Safety Warning: Before proceeding to the steps below, pull the range away from the wall and unplug it, or flip the dedicated 40-amp or 50-amp breaker in your electrical panel. Never test internal wiring on a live appliance.

Testing the Bake and Broil Elements

Electric ovens generally utilize two heating elements: the Bake Element (bottom) and the Broil Element (top). If one fails, the oven may heat very slowly or not at all.

Check if broil element will heat up (set the oven for broil and wait 5 min. If broil will heat up, then most likely bake element burnt out)

Visual Inspection: Look for physical signs of a “blowout.” If an element has failed, you will often see:

• Pitting or “blisters” on the surface of the black coil.
• Visible cracks or a clean break in the element.
• A bright orange “hot spot” that occurred right before it stopped working.

The Continuity Test: If the element looks fine but won’t heat, you need to test it for “continuity”—a continuous electrical path. Using a multimeter set to the Ohms (Ω) setting, touch the probes to the two terminals of the element. You should see a reading between 15 and 30 ohms. If the meter shows “OL” or infinity, the internal filament is broken, and the element must be replaced. Use the Youtube video below for a complete guide.

The Post-Self-Clean Culprit: The Thermal Fuse

One of the most frequent reasons an oven fails while the stove works is a blown Thermal Fuse (or Thermal Cut-out). If you recently used SELF CLEAN function, this is likely the problem.

During a self-cleaning cycle, your oven reaches temperatures exceeding 800°F. To prevent the appliance from catching fire, a small safety fuse is designed to “trip” or blow if the internal temperature gets too high. If this fuse blows, it cuts all power to the oven elements but usually leaves the stovetop and clock display functional.

The thermal fuse is usually located on the back of the oven or near the blower motor. Unlike a circuit breaker, once this fuse blows, it cannot be reset; it must be replaced with a new part. Replacements are easily available on Amazon for $15-30, click here. Double check your model number.

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The Temperature Sensor (RTD)

The Oven Temperature Sensor is a small metal probe typically located in the upper back corner of the oven interior. It acts as the oven’s thermometer, sending resistance signals to the control board. When the sensor isn’t working or burns out, this might cause the oven to stall or stop working altogether.

If the sensor is faulty or “open,” the control board may think the oven is already at temperature or detect an error, preventing the elements from ever turning on.

Before removing or replacing the sensor, check to see that all wires are connected properly. It could be a digital sensor or a temperature-sensing bulb. If the bulb is burnt out or if it is loose, adjust or replace it, and this will likely resolve the issue.

You can test the sensor with a multimeter. At room temperature (approx. 70°F), a standard sensor should read about 1080 to 1100 ohms. If the reading is significantly off, your oven won’t know when to start heating.

Burnt Wire Connections

Because ovens draw a massive amount of current, the wires inside the appliance are subject to extreme heat. Over time, the spade connectors that attach to the heating elements can become brittle and “burn off.”

If you pull the range out and remove the back panel, inspect the wires leading to the bake and broil elements. If you see a wire that has melted or a terminal that looks charred/blackened, you have found your problem. You will need to strip the wire back and crimp on a new high-temperature female spade connector.

The Oven Control Board (The “Brain”)

If the elements, fuse, and sensor all test positive for continuity, the issue likely lies in the Oven Control Board.

The control board contains relays—mechanical switches that “clink” into place to send 240 volts of electricity to the elements. If a relay is burnt or stuck, the board might “think” it is heating, but no power is actually leaving the board.

• The “Click” Test: When you press “Bake” and “Start,” you should hear a distinct click from the back of the stove. No click often means a dead relay.
• Visual Board Check: Inspect the back of the circuit board for “cold solder joints” or black scorch marks. If the board is damaged, it typically requires a full replacement.

Other Possible Issues

Thermostat or Selector Switch Have Burnt Out

A quick check of the thermostat selector switch might indicate the reason behind your oven’s failure to operate. The switch may be sticking or defective, preventing the oven settings from working. If so, the switch will need to be replaced.

To replace the switch you’ll have to

• Open the panel which is usually at the back of your oven (check the manual as positioning and panel open/close instructions vary)
• Remove the selector switch by pulling off the knob (you’ll pull the knob off from the front of the oven)
• Once removed, purchase the replacement thermostat, and replace the selector switch accordingly. Replace the back panel and test.

The Oven Temperature Needs to be Calibrated (Older Models)

If your oven isn’t working (not reaching the correct temperature or getting too hot), it might need to be calibrated. The calibration dial is at the back of your temperature knob on most ovens. The adjustment screw dial allows you to adjust the temperature settings.

You’ll turn the dial clockwise or counterclockwise, depending on whether you want to increase or decrease the temperature settings when calibrating it. Turning the dial about 1/2 turn, will adjust the temperature anywhere between 20 to 25 degrees.

If your oven is over or under heating, calibration might make a big difference in helping adjust temperatures back to their correct range.

The Relays in Your Oven Needs to be Repaired or Replaced

A bad relay can also cause your oven to stop functioning or for temperatures not to reach the appropriate level when trying to use your oven. Ovens with two heating elements, typically have two relays. To gain access to the relay you’ll need to check your oven’s owner manual.

In order to perform a check and see if this is causing the malfunction you’ll want to

• Turn off electricity
• Remove the back panel of your oven (probably the same location as the heating elements or close by)
• Using a Vohm you’ll check the ohm reading by removing the wires connected to the relays and attaching them to the ohm testing terminals
• If there’s no reading or it’s below the suggested range (every oven varies, check the owner’s manual), you might need to replace the control board

Summary: Which Part Should You Replace?

To save money, follow this logic:

• Oven is totally cold, elements look fine: Check the Thermal Fuse or Control Board.
• Oven gets warm but not hot: One element (Bake or Broil) is likely burnt out.
• Oven worked until I cleaned it: It’s almost certainly the Thermal Fuse.
• Buttons don’t respond at all: The Control Board has failed.

By systematically testing these components, you can often repair your oven for the cost of a $20–$50 part, saving you hundreds of dollars on a professional service call or a new appliance.