Why Is My Electric Oven Not Getting Up to Temperature?

Quick Answer

When your oven struggles to reach its target temperature, the most frequent culprit is a partially failed heating system, usually a burnt-out bake element. Start by turning the oven on and checking if the bottom heating coil glows red. If it stays dark, the element is broken and needs to be replaced.

In my fifteen years doing this, an oven that only kind of heats is honestly more frustrating than one that's totally dead. You're usually trying to roast a chicken with just the broil element limping along because the bake element quit. Don't ignore it. Running it this way puts extra stress on the control board relays, and those run $150 to $300 to replace. A $30 element fix now beats a $250 board replacement later.

GenericOvenSeverity: highDifficulty: intermediate92% DIY Success

Time to Fix

20–90 min

Difficulty

intermediate

Parts Cost

$15 – $55

Tools Needed

Phillips #2 screwdriver, 1/4 inch nut driver

Why Is My Electric Oven Not Getting Up to Temperature?

OK so here's the deal. Before you call anyone, you can probably figure this out yourself with just a multimeter and a screwdriver. Most of these repairs cost under $60 in parts and take maybe 45 minutes. I've seen people pay $200 for a service call just to find out their bake element had a visible crack in it they could've spotted themselves.

Most Likely Causes

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

Burned out bake element (bottom coil)55%

Faulty oven temperature sensor (RTD)20%

Failed oven control board relay15%

Loose or burnt wire at the terminal block10%

Symptoms You May Notice

The oven takes 45 minutes or longer to reach 350 degrees, sometimes never quite getting there at all.
Food comes out burnt on top and raw on the bottom, which is a dead giveaway that only the broil element is working and the bake element has failed.
You put an oven thermometer on the rack and it reads 100 to 150 degrees lower than whatever the display says.
The bottom coil just sits there dark and cold during a bake cycle with zero glow.
Error codes like F3, F2, or E1 show up on the display right in the middle of cooking.

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

Most electric ovens don't have a dedicated software reset for heating failures. But if your oven somehow ended up in Demo Mode or has a Control Lock active, it won't heat even though everything else looks normal. Flip the breaker off for 60 seconds to hard-reset the control board. If this started right after a self-clean cycle, get behind the rear panel and look for a small red button on the high-limit thermostat and press it firmly. After any reset, wait 5 full minutes before testing heat.

Tools Required for Diagnosis

Phillips #2 screwdriver1/4 inch nut driverMultimeterWork glovesFlashlightNeedle-nose pliers

Diagnostic Checklist

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

ComponentComponent Under Test

Expected Range10–1100 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
Bake Heating ElementWB44T10010 · $25–$55	WB44T10010	$25 – $55
Oven Temperature Sensor316233903 · $15–$40	316233903	$15 – $40

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my oven take an hour to reach 350 degrees?

This almost always means one of your two heating elements is burned out. If the bake element fails, the oven tries to preheat using only the broil element up top. Since heat rises, that top element is terrible at heating the bottom of the cavity, so preheat takes forever and your food cooks totally unevenly. Check whether the bottom coil glows red when you turn on bake. If it doesn't, that's your problem right there.

Can I still use my oven if it's not reaching temperature?

I don't recommend it. If an element is blistered or shorted, it can eventually arc to the oven frame, which can blow the main control board or cause a small electrical fire. It's way safer and cheaper to fix the element now than to risk taking out the expensive electronics in the process. Seriously, a $30 element versus a $250 board isn't a hard call.

Is it worth fixing a 10 year old electric oven?

Absolutely. Most bake elements and sensors cost between $20 and $60. Compared to $800 or more for a new range, spending an hour on a DIY repair is a no-brainer. Electric ovens are pretty simple machines and can easily go 20 years with a few minor part swaps along the way. Unless the control board is fried on a cheap oven, the math almost always favors fixing it.

Does the self-clean cycle cause heating problems?

Yes, I see this all the time. Self-clean pushes the oven past 800 degrees, which is brutal on elements, wiring, and thermal fuses. I've had customers call me the morning after running a cleaning cycle because their oven wouldn't heat at all. If that's your situation, check the high-limit thermostat reset button and the thermal fuse first before you start pulling elements or ordering parts.

How much does it cost to replace a bake element yourself?

It's honestly one of the cheapest appliance repairs you'll ever do. Most bake elements run $20 to $60 depending on your brand and model. Temperature sensors are in that same range, usually $25 to $50. The control board is where costs jump, typically $150 to $350 for the part alone. So always rule out the element and sensor before anyone starts talking board replacement. Two screws and a plug connector is all it takes to swap most elements.

Same Fix on Other Brands

Whirlpool ovenF3-E0: Whirlpool Oven F3-E0: Sensor Circuit Open Ge ovenF2: GE Oven F2 Error: Over Temperature Condition

Models Known to Experience NOT-HEATING Errors

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

JB645RKSS, WFE515S0ES, LDE4413ST, FFEF3054TS, NE59M4320SS

Written by

Mike Sullivan

Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 20 years experience

Last verified for technical accuracy on May 20, 2024