Kenmore Oven Not Heating? How to Fix It

Kenmore is a trusted appliance brand with over 100 years of history and a reputation for producing reliable home appliances, including ovens. However, like any appliance, Kenmore ovens can occasionally experience issues that prevent them from working properly.

If your Kenmore oven is no longer heating, it’s likely due to one of several common causes, such as a burnt-out heating element, a faulty temperature sensor, or an issue with the igniter. This article will cover the most likely reasons for a Kenmore oven not heating.

By following the troubleshooting tips provided here, you should hopefully have your Kenmore oven up and running again in no time.

Why is my Kenmore oven not heating?

Let’s look at some of the most likely causes of your Kenmore oven not heating, along with step-by-step instructions to help you fix them.

A heating element is broken

The heating elements are the main heat-producing components of electric ovens. Your Kenmore likely has two or three heating elements, depending on whether it’s a convection oven or not. These elements include:

• Bake element (bottom element)
• Broil element (top element)
• Convection element (near the fan at the back of the oven)

You can easily tell whether the broil element is broken by setting the oven to broil or grill mode and then waiting a few minutes to see if the top element glows red inside the oven’s cavity.

However, the bake and convection elements are often covered, meaning you’d have to remove the back and bottom panels inside the oven cavity to see if they glow red. If you do this, you should also check the elements for visible signs of damage such as cracks or blistering.

You can also disconnect the wires from a heating element and test it with a multimeter to see if it’s faulty. Remember to unplug the oven first for safety if you do this.

How to fix it

If you find a heating element that doesn’t glow red, is visibly damaged, or doesn’t show continuity when tested, the best course of action is to replace it.

Replacing an oven’s heating element is a task you can do yourself. It involves accessing the element, unscrewing it, disconnecting the wires, and fitting a new element in its place. Replacement parts, like heating elements, are readily available for purchase online.

There’s an issue with the igniter

If your Kenmore is a gas oven, a common cause of heating problems is a faulty igniter. The igniter is the component that ignites the gas that fuels the oven burner.

You can find the bake igniter at the bottom of the oven cavity and the broil igniter at the top of the oven cavity. You’ll likely need to remove the bottom panel to access the bake igniter.

How to fix it

Sometimes issues with an igniter can be fixed, while other times a replacement is necessary. To address the problem, follow these steps:

1. Locate the bottom and top igniters, removing any panels you need to gain access to them.
2. Check that the gas supply valve is fully open.
3. Set your oven to bake or broil and wait two minutes. If the igniter doesn’t glow bright orange or white, it could be faulty.
4. Inspect the igniters for damage or grime buildup.
5. If dirty, gently clean them using a soft cloth or brush. Then test to see if the oven now heats.
6. If visibly damaged, such as being cracked, the igniter will need replacing.
7. Unplug the oven, disconnect the igniter wires, and test the igniter with a multimeter for continuity. If it doesn’t have continuity, it will need replacing.
8. To replace a faulty igniter, unscrew or unbolt it from the burner assembly, disconnect its two wires, and then fit the new one in its place.

The oven isn’t receiving enough power

If your Kenmore oven isn’t turning on at all, it could be because the circuit breaker has tripped or it’s not receiving the required voltage of 220–240 volts.

How to fix it

You can fix issues related to the power supply by following these steps:

1. Ensure that the oven’s dedicated circuit breaker hasn’t tripped.
2. Reset the circuit breaker by switching it off, waiting a few seconds, and then switching it back on.
3. Check that the oven is plugged into a 220–240-volt outlet, not a standard 120-volt outlet.

The door isn’t closing properly

A common cause of a Kenmore oven not heating properly, or cooking unevenly, is that the door isn’t closing fully. That’s because the gap around the door allows much of the hot air to escape from the oven cavity.

How to fix it

Fixing an oven door that doesn’t close properly can sometimes be challenging since various issues could be the cause. Here’s a brief outline of steps to take to fix the issue:

1. Clean the door gasket if it’s dirty, or replace it if damaged.
2. Check that nothing is obstructing the door, such as a misplaced rack or other item, and ensure nothing is caught in the door frame.
3. Check the door hinges, and tighten or replace them if they’re loose or bent.
4. Check the door latch, and adjust it if it doesn’t align with the latch hook. If damaged, replace the latch.
5. Check if the door springs are stretched or broken. Replace if necessary.

The temperature sensor is faulty

The temperature sensor monitors the temperature inside the oven cavity and cycles the heat on and off to maintain the right temperature. A faulty temperature sensor can cause the oven to heat improperly or not at all.

How to fix it

You can fix a faulty temperature sensor by following these steps:

1. Unplug the oven for safety.
2. Locate the temperature sensor on the back wall of the oven cavity. It’s a thin metal rod protruding through the back panel.
3. Remove the screw securing it to the back panel.
4. Pull out the temperature sensor and disconnect its wire harness.
5. Set the multimeter to the ohms setting and test the sensor. At room temperature, the reading should be between 1,000 and 1,100 ohms, and it should increase as heat is applied.
6. Use a hair dryer to apply heat to the sensor.
7. If the reading doesn’t increase, or if it’s outside of the normal range at room temperature, replace the temperature sensor with a new one.