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Gas Stove Oven Not Working: Expert Troubleshooting & Fixes

Quick Answer

The most common reason a gas oven won't work is a weakened igniter that glows but doesn't get hot enough to open the gas valve. First, check if your surface burners light to ensure the gas supply is actually on.

I've fixed probably 200 gas ovens at this point, and honestly 80% of them were just a tired igniter. The tricky part? A bad igniter still glows orange, so people assume it's fine. If you ignore this, you'll keep eating cold food or eventually smell gas pooling in the oven cavity. It's worth fixing sooner rather than later, and it's usually a $40 part.

GenericOvenSeverity: highDifficulty: intermediate92% DIY Success
Time to Fix
30–90 min
Difficulty
intermediate
Parts Cost
$25 – $160
Tools Needed
Phillips #2 screwdriver, 1/4 inch nut driver

Gas Stove Oven Not Working: Expert Troubleshooting & Fixes

OK so your gas oven won't heat. Don't panic. It's almost never the control board, even though that's what everyone assumes first. Most of the time it's a $40 igniter that takes 30 minutes to swap out. Gas ovens are actually pretty simple machines once you know where to look, and I'll walk you through exactly how to figure out which part's causing your problem.

Most Likely Causes

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

Weak or burned-out bake igniter70%
Faulty gas safety valve (dual solenoid)12%
Blown thermal fuse or high-limit thermostat8%
Burned out oven control board relay7%
Wiring harness damage or loose connection3%

Symptoms You May Notice

  • The igniter glows a dull orange for 90 seconds or more, you hear nothing, and the oven stays completely cold.
  • Takes 45+ minutes to reach 350 degrees and the temperature swings way more than it used to.
  • You turn it to Bake and hear a relay click from the control board, but absolutely nothing happens inside the oven cavity.
  • Faint gas smell for the first minute when the oven's on, then it just stops and never actually lights.
  • Broil function works perfectly fine but Bake is completely dead.

Can you reset a Generic oven to clear the OVEN-NOT-HEATING code?

Most gas ovens don't have a user-accessible reset button, but you can do a soft reset by unplugging the stove from the wall for 5 full minutes, then plugging it back in. That clears any error states stored in the control board's memory. Some older GE and Frigidaire models have a small red thermal reset button on the back wall inside the oven cavity. Press it firmly until you feel or hear it click.

Tools Required for Diagnosis

Phillips #2 screwdriver1/4 inch nut driverDigital multimeterFlashlight or headlampWork glovesSlip-joint pliers (for stubborn wire connectors)

Diagnostic Checklist

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

ComponentComponent Under Test
Expected Range40–400 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
Flat Style Oven Igniter74007498 · $25–$65
Round Style Oven IgniterWB13K21 · $30–$80
Gas Safety ValveWP9763716 · $85–$160

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my oven igniter glow but the gas won't light?
This is the classic failure and honestly the thing that trips up most homeowners. As igniters age, their internal resistance creeps up. They still glow because they're technically still conducting electricity, but they don't draw enough current to hit the threshold the safety valve needs before it'll open. That threshold is usually around 3.2 to 3.6 amps. A new igniter might pull 4+ amps. A worn one might only pull 2.5. Replacing the igniter fixes this about 90% of the time, and the part's usually $40 to $70 depending on your brand.
Can I light my gas oven with a match if the igniter is broken?
Short answer: no, don't try it. Modern gas ovens, basically anything made after 1990 or so, use a safety valve that won't open until it gets enough electrical current from the igniter. There's no manual override built in. If the igniter isn't working, no gas flows to the oven burner, period. You might smell a tiny bit of gas when you turn the knob since that's just what's already in the line, but a lit match isn't going to help. It'll just make you nervous and waste your time.
How much does it cost to fix a gas oven that won't heat?
DIY: figure $30 to $80 for the igniter depending on your brand. Universal igniters run about $25 to $35 and honestly work fine on most ranges. OEM parts from the manufacturer cost more, usually $60 to $80, but they tend to last longer in my experience. If you're calling a tech, you're probably looking at $200 to $350 total. That covers a service call fee (usually $75 to $100), the marked-up part, and an hour of labor. Worth doing it yourself if you're comfortable with basic tools.
How long should a gas oven igniter last?
Average is 5 to 7 years with normal use. But self-clean cycles are killer on igniters. The oven hits 900+ degrees during self-clean and that thermal stress hammers the ceramic element over time. I always tell customers: if your oven's more than 5 years old and you've been running self-clean regularly, budget for an igniter replacement. It's not really a question of if, it's when.
My broil works but bake doesn't. What does that mean?
That's actually a really helpful clue. The broil burner and bake burner are two completely separate circuits with their own igniters. So if broil fires up fine but bake doesn't, you've just ruled out the gas supply, the main power, and a whole bunch of other possible causes. You're almost certainly looking at the bake igniter specifically, or possibly the bake relay on the control board. I'd check the bake igniter first since it's a $40 fix, and about 85% of the time that's exactly the problem.

Models Known to Experience OVEN-NOT-HEATING Errors

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

Whirlpool WFG505M0BS, GE JGBS66REKSS, Samsung NX58H5600SS, Frigidaire FFGF3054TSA, Maytag MGR8800FZ, LG LRG3061ST, Kenmore 74232, GE JGBS60DEKBB

MS

Written by

Mike Sullivan

Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 20 years experience

Last verified for technical accuracy on May 20, 2024