Why Kenmore Oven Shuts Off While Baking? How To Troubleshoot it?

Ovens are designed to operate at high temperatures, so they shouldn’t have any problems while you’re using them for baking. So, a Kenmore oven that shuts off while baking is clearly experiencing a problem that requires troubleshooting.

Your Kenmore oven shuts off while baking because the relays on the control board are affected by a burned-out soldering joint. Besides that, an old relay board could itself overheat and shut off due to long-term wear. Loose electrical wiring can also cause the same outcome. Lastly, the oven could be shutting itself off to protect against an overheating condition, likely due to a blocked vent.

Unusual behavior like this takes some effort to troubleshoot, but it’s completely fixable. Continue reading to learn more about the root causes and the solutions you can use to resolve them.

Why Does My Kenmore Oven Shut Off While Baking?

Your Kenmore oven will shut off while baking due to an electrical problem. Here are the specific reasons that happens and what you can do to fix them:

Control Board Relay

Everything your oven does is coordinated by an electric oven control board. That board has several relays attached to it, which are electrically-controlled switches. Each of those relays is soldered to the control board, forming the connection through which electric power and signals flow back and forth.

So, when you select your baking temperature and duration, the control board will carry out your instructions. It’ll use its relays to turn oven components on and off as needed to reach your set baking temperature and maintain it for as long as you desire.

The first reason your oven shuts off while baking is that there’s a problem with one or more of the relays soldered to the board. More specifically, the soldering was not done correctly and has likely burned out as a result.

When that happens, the control board and affected relays will malfunction, causing the oven to shut off during baking.

You can confirm this by removing the control board from the oven and inspecting the back of the oven control board. There, you’ll find that one or more of the soldering points for the relays is burned out and does not look like the others.

The solution: You can fix this problem by redoing the soldering point for the affected relay. That will restore the connection between the relay and the board, allowing both parts to function correctly. 

As a result, the oven will complete the baking cycle without more problems.

If you cannot redo the soldering for the board, it’s best to hire a professional to do it for you. You don’t risk damaging the board or the relay by accident.

Read: KENMORE Oven Is Not Heating? How To Fix It?

Old Oven Control Board (oven shuts off)

As you read earlier, the oven control board controls all components according to your temperature and duration settings. Like all other appliance parts, the oven control board has a limited lifespan.

Suppose you’ve had your oven for several years. The older the oven is, the more likely the oven control board will wear out and malfunction.

It fails and causes the oven to shut off during baking because the control board is overheating. So, naturally, the whole oven becomes warmer while you’re using it for baking something.

However, an oven control board nearing the end of its lifespan will also generate too much heat. Combine that with the radiating heat from the oven cavity during baking, and the control board will malfunction, causing the whole appliance to shut off.

The solution: If your oven control board is old, overheating, and causing malfunctions, then the most practical solution is to replace the board with one that works. That could mean purchasing a brand-new replacement or getting a used one if that’s not possible.

Without a replacement, you can expect your oven to continue shutting off while baking, among other malfunctions.

Read: Kenmore Oven Shows F10 Error Code And Beeps. How To Fix?

Loose Wiring

Earlier, you read how the oven control board is responsible for all other components in the appliance. Due to that, the board has plenty of wires connecting it to those components to send electrical power and signals as needed.

Those wires can only function correctly if they maintain a tight connection. If the wiring is loose for any reason, it could cause the oven to malfunction or even shut off completely.

Loose wires might not seem apparent initially, but only when the oven becomes hot enough to prepare for baking.

Once the oven reaches preheating temperatures, that will affect the loose wiring and cause the oven to shut off.

You can confirm that this is the case by inspecting the board and all its wiring. First, you must check the wire harnesses on both ends, i.e., the control board and the components they connect to.

The solution: If loose wiring is to blame for your oven shutting off while baking, then the only solution necessary is to reconnect the wiring firmly. When that’s done correctly, the heat from the baking should no longer affect them or cause the oven to shut off.

As you inspect the wiring connections, checking the wires themselves is also an excellent idea. They must be free from damage signs like burns, melted portions, holes, rips, or tears.

You could prevent other future problems by replacing any damaged wires while you troubleshoot this problem.

Read: Why Oven Not Cooking Evenly?

Overheating Issues

Lastly, your oven could be shutting off because it’s overheating when you try to bake something inside. 

Ovens operate at extremely high temperatures and pose a fire risk to your home. As such, manufacturers include one or more safety features in their appliances to prevent that from happening.

Typically, those safety features work by shutting the oven off completely when it reaches dangerous temperatures. That’s another likely reason your oven shuts off while baking.

But that begs the question: Why is the oven overheating?

A simple reason for that is the oven’s vents are clogged or blocked. That could be due to a dust and debris buildup in the vent or because it’s blocked externally by a foreign object.

The solution: You can fix the overheating problem and prevent it from happening again by cleaning the oven’s vents thoroughly. While the oven is off, use a vacuum to remove any debris clogged inside the vent. Then, wipe away any loose debris with a dry cloth.

You’ll also want to be mindful of the oven’s position. There should be a small gap between the vent and the nearest object. That gap will ensure enough airflow for heat to escape the oven as intended and prevent it from overheating while baking.

Read: Oven Cooling Fan Noise. What Causes And How To Fix It?

Final Thoughts

Despite how well-built Kenmore ovens are, there’s always a chance of a defect. One such defect is the soldering joint for the oven control board relays. When the soldering joint burns out, that can cause the oven to malfunction and shut off, especially when it’s hot.

Besides that, the oven control board as a whole could malfunction and overheat due to old age.

That heat can also affect other components and cause the same outcome. For example, loose wiring can be affected by heat from the oven during baking.

Lastly, the oven could be shutting itself off as a protective measure because its vents are blocked, and the appliance is overheating.

Read: Why Frigidaire Oven Not Heating – Common Causes And Solutions