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Whirlpool Oven Not Heating Up: Causes and Fixes

Quick Answer

A Whirlpool oven not heating up is usually caused by a burnt-out bake element in electric models or a failed igniter in gas units. Replacing the faulty heating component is the most effective way to restore heat.

If your Whirlpool oven stops heating and you just ignore it, you're not just missing dinner tonight. You're probably letting a $30 bake element turn into a $300 repair because other stuff starts failing downstream. Nine times out of ten when I show up to one of these calls, it's a cracked element or a weak gas igniter. Both are totally fixable in under an hour if you know where to look.

WhirlpoolOvenSeverity: moderateDifficulty: intermediate75% DIY Success
Time to Fix
15–90 min
Difficulty
intermediate
Parts Cost
$0 (no parts needed)
Tools Needed
Phillips #2 screwdriver, Quarter-inch nut driver or socket

Whirlpool Oven Not Heating Up: Causes and Fixes

OK so here's the deal. A Whirlpool oven that won't heat is usually a $25-80 parts fix if you catch it early. Electric models almost always point to the bake element or thermal fuse. Gas models? Probably the igniter, which is honestly one of the easier DIY repairs out there. Whirlpool's been using basically the same igniter design since around 2010, so parts are everywhere and they're cheap.

Common Causes

  • The bake element has physically burned through or cracked, which you can often spot just by looking for a blistered area, a black scorch mark, or an actual hole in the coil sitting on the oven floor.
  • The gas igniter is glowing orange but it's too weak to pull the 3.2 amps minimum needed to open the safety gas valve, so the burner never lights even though it looks like it's trying.
  • The thermal fuse behind the rear access panel has blown from an overheating event, and here's the thing about thermal fuses, they don't reset themselves. Ever. You have to replace it, and you need to figure out why it blew in the first place.
  • The oven temperature sensor (that skinny probe sticking into the upper-right corner of the oven cavity) has drifted out of spec or failed open, so the control board thinks the oven is already at 400 when it's actually stone cold and never calls for heat.
  • A failed relay on the control board that controls the bake element circuit. Less common than the others, but I see it on older units, especially models built before 2019 that have had a lot of self-clean cycles run on them.

Symptoms You May Notice

  • You set it to 350, wait 20 minutes, stick your hand in and it's basically room temperature, maybe just barely warm near the top from residual heat but nowhere near cooking temp.
  • Gas oven clicks and clicks trying to ignite, the igniter glows a dull orange, but the burner never actually lights and there's no gas smell building up in the cavity.
  • The display shows the preheat indicator and even beeps like it's ready, but when you put an oven thermometer in, it's reading 150 degrees when it claimed to hit 350.
  • Bake works fine but broil doesn't, or the reverse. One circuit's dead but the other is fine, which actually makes diagnosis easier because you know exactly which element to check first.

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

Flip the circuit breaker off for the oven, or unplug it at the wall. Wait a full 5 minutes, not just 60 seconds. This gives the control board time to fully discharge. Flip the breaker back on, then set the clock if prompted since some Whirlpool models actually lock out bake functions until the clock is configured. Run a bake cycle at 350°F and wait 15 minutes to confirm heat is coming up properly.

Tools Required for Diagnosis

Phillips #2 screwdriverQuarter-inch nut driver or socketMultimeter with ohms and continuity settingsFlashlight or headlampWork glovesNeedle-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 Range1080–1100 ohms
ConditionIf Open (OL) or infinite, replace component.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to fix a Whirlpool oven not heating up?
If you DIY it, you're usually looking at $20-150 in parts. Bake element runs $25-60 depending on the model. Gas igniter is $15-45. Thermal fuse is under $20. Oven sensor is $20-30. The control board is the expensive one, $150-300 for the part alone, and honestly if that's the diagnosis I'd get a second opinion before spending that kind of money. If you hire a tech, add $100-200 for labor on top of whatever the part costs.
Is it worth repairing a Whirlpool oven that won't heat?
If it's under 10 years old and you're not replacing the control board, almost always yes. A $40 bake element on a 5-year-old range is a total no-brainer. Where I'd hesitate is if you're looking at $400+ combined parts and labor on a 12-year-old oven that's already had other issues. At that point a new unit starts making more financial sense.
Can I fix this myself?
On electric models, yeah, for most of it. Swapping a bake element or thermal fuse is about as involved as changing a light fixture. The main thing is respecting the 240V. Don't poke around inside with power on, ever. Gas igniter swaps are also pretty DIY-able. But if you suspect an actual gas valve problem or you smell gas at any point, stop and call a pro.
Why does my Whirlpool oven preheat but never reach the right temperature?
That's almost always the oven temperature sensor being out of calibration or starting to fail. The element is working but the sensor is reporting a higher temp than what's actually in the oven, so the board cuts heat too early. Test the sensor resistance at room temp, should be 1080-1100 ohms. You can also stick an independent oven thermometer in there and compare readings. Big discrepancy between the display and the thermometer points directly at the sensor.
How long does a Whirlpool bake element usually last?
Typically 7-12 years with normal use. Heavy use and frequent self-clean cycles can shorten that to 4-6 years. The self-clean cycle is genuinely the biggest killer of bake elements because it holds the oven above 900°F for hours at a stretch. I tell people if your oven is working fine, run self-clean maybe twice a year maximum. Running it every month is just beating up your components.

Models Known to Experience NOT-HEATING Errors

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

WFE515S0ES, WOS72EC0HZ, WEE510S0FS, WFG505M0BS, WFG320M0BW, WFE525S0HS, WOS51EC0HS, WFE775H0HZ

MS

Written by

Mike Sullivan

Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 20 years experience

Last verified for technical accuracy on March 17, 2026