GE Oven Not Working But Stove Is

Quick Answer

When a GE oven fails while the stove works, the most likely cause is a burnt-out bake element in electric models or a failed igniter in gas models. First, check if the oven will heat on the Broil setting to see if the issue is isolated to a single heating element.

Nine times out of ten when I show up to a cold GE oven with working burners, it's one of two things: a fried bake element or a dying igniter. If you ignore this, you're basically just ordering takeout until it magically fixes itself (spoiler: it won't). Good news is these are usually $30-80 parts and a Saturday afternoon fix. I've done dozens of these.

GeOvenSeverity: moderateDifficulty: intermediate90% DIY Success

Time to Fix

30–90 min

Difficulty

intermediate

Parts Cost

$20 – $85

Tools Needed

Phillips #2 screwdriver, 1/4 inch nut driver

GE Oven Not Working But Stove Is

OK so here's the deal. Working stove means your main power connection is fine, which is actually great news because that rules out a ton of stuff. You're looking at something specific to the oven circuit. Could be a $35 bake element that literally cracked in half, could be a $60 igniter that's too weak to open the gas valve anymore. Either way, this is one of the more approachable appliance repairs out there and usually costs way less than a service call.

Most Likely Causes

Based on aggregated repair data, here is the probability breakdown for this error code:

Burnt-out Bake Element or Failed Igniter55%

Faulty Oven Control Board Relay20%

Blown Thermal Fuse15%

Damaged Temperature Sensor10%

Symptoms You May Notice

Surface burners light and heat totally normally, zero issues there
The oven display, clock, and timer all work fine, but nothing actually gets hot when you set a bake temperature
On gas models, you can see the igniter glowing orange but never hear the gas whoosh on, and after a couple minutes the board just gives up and shuts off
The bake element at the bottom of an electric oven is completely cold 15 minutes after you set it to 350, no warmth at all when you carefully hold your hand near it
Small blister, crack, or black burn mark visible on the element rod itself, sometimes with a faint burnt smell near the element terminals

Can you reset a Ge oven to clear the OVEN-NOT-WORKING code?

Go to your breaker box and find the double-pole breaker for the range, it's the wider one that's actually two switches connected, usually labeled Range or Oven. Flip it completely off. Wait a full 60 seconds, not 10, not 30, a full minute so the capacitors on the board discharge completely. Flip it back on and try setting a bake temperature. If it was a software freeze or a sensor glitch that locked up the board, this'll clear it and the oven should respond normally.

Tools Required for Diagnosis

Phillips #2 screwdriver1/4 inch nut driverDigital multimeterWork glovesFlashlight or headlampNeedle-nose pliersSmartphone (for photographing wire connections before removal)

Service / Diagnostic Mode

On many GE models, press and hold the 'Bake' and 'Broil' pads simultaneously for 3 seconds until the display changes to show 'SF'. This enters Service Mode where you can view error codes or test specific relays.

Diagnostic Checklist

Follow these steps in order. We start with the easiest external fixes before opening up the machine.

Did the fix not work?

If the problem comes back after following these steps, a component has permanently failed and needs replacement. Check the specific error code your oven is showing:

F2 Error →F3 Error →

ComponentComponent Under Test

Expected Range0–1100 ohms

ConditionIf Open (OL) or infinite, replace component.

Replacement Parts

If your diagnostic testing proves the component has failed, you will need a replacement. We recommend OEM parts over aftermarket for water-handling components.

Part Name	OEM Number	Estimated Price
Oven Bake ElementWB44T10010 · $25–$60	WB44T10010	$25 – $60
Oven IgniterWB13K21 · $35–$85	WB13K21	$35 – $85
Oven Temperature SensorWB21X5301 · $20–$50	WB21X5301	$20 – $50

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my GE stove work but the oven doesn't?

The stove burners and oven run on completely separate circuits inside the range, which is why one can die while the other keeps working fine. On electric ranges, you've got two legs of 240V power coming in, and sometimes one leg trips from a loose connection at the terminal block, which affects only the oven circuit. On gas ranges, the surface burners use spark ignition while the oven needs a high-draw glow-bar igniter that pulls way more current and tends to wear out long before the burners do. They're basically two independent systems sharing the same cabinet.

How much does it cost to fix a GE oven that won't heat?

DIY is usually very manageable. A bake element runs $25-60 and takes about 20 minutes to swap out. An igniter is $30-80 and maybe 30 minutes of work if you've never done it before. If you call a tech, expect $150-350 total including labor for either of those. Control board replacements are where it gets expensive, often $200-500 depending on the model, and at that point you want to weigh the cost against what the range is actually worth. For a 3-4 year old range? Fix it. For something 12 years old that's already been repaired twice? Worth thinking about.

Is there a reset button on a GE oven?

Nope, no physical reset button on most GE ranges. What you can do is a hard reset at the breaker. Flip it off for 60 seconds and back on. This clears whatever state the control board got stuck in, assuming it's a software thing and not a physically broken part. If you've got a GE Profile or Cafe model with a touchscreen, sometimes the board just needs that power cycle to stop throwing a fit. But if you've got a broken element or dead igniter, no amount of resetting changes that. The hardware still needs to come out.

Can I still use my stove if the oven is broken?

Yeah, in almost every case. The surface burners run on completely separate circuits or gas lines from the oven system, so they're not affected at all. The one exception is if you're smelling gas when the oven is off, or if you're seeing sparks or smoke coming from the control panel area. In those cases stop using everything and shut the gas off at the supply valve behind the range. But a regular oven-won't-heat situation with no weird smells or odd behavior from the stove? Your cooktop is completely fine to use while you wait for parts.

How do I know if it's the igniter or the gas valve on my GE gas oven?

Watch the igniter closely when you turn the oven on. If it glows a bright orange and stays lit for 60-90 seconds but the gas never comes on, it's almost certainly the igniter. Even though it looks like it's working, it's not drawing enough current to actually open the valve. A healthy igniter pulls around 3.2-3.6 amps. If yours is pulling less, that valve won't budge no matter how long you wait. A bad gas valve is actually pretty rare, and you'd normally confirm the igniter is good with a multimeter first before even considering the valve.

Related Ge Oven Error Codes

Code: F2GE Oven F2 Error Code: Overheating Issue Code: F3GE Oven F3 Error Code: Open Sensor Circuit

Same Fix on Other Brands

Whirlpool ovenNOT-HEATING: Whirlpool Oven Not Heating: Top Causes and Fixes

Models Known to Experience OVEN-NOT-WORKING Errors

This repair applies to most Ge ovens with this error code. Common model numbers include:

JBS60DKWW, JGB660SEJSS, JB645RKSS, JGS760SELSS, PB911SJSS, JB750SJSS, JGS750SELSS, JGBS66REKSS

Written by

Mike Sullivan

Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 20 years experience

Last verified for technical accuracy on May 10, 2025