A Frigidaire oven not heating up displays different symptoms, such as not warming at all, halting in the preheating phase, lower temperatures than your chosen setting, etc. The distinct symptoms indicate there are probable causes. So, why is your Frigidaire oven not heating up, and how do you fix it?
Here’s why your Frigidaire oven is not heating up:
- Electrical issues
- Failing element
- Low gas pressure
- Defective sensor
- Control board issues
- A malfunctioning fan, door, or vent
Only one of these issues may be preventing your Frigidaire oven from heating up. However, it may not be easy to straightaway detect the causal problem, which is why you must inspect most of the usual suspects. Read on as I explain why your Frigidaire oven isn’t heating up and how to fix it.
Electrical Issues
Frigidaire gas ovens aren’t particularly vulnerable to electrical issues. Besides, a lack of power or wiring problems will affect the control panel, so you’ll know there’s an electrical issue as soon as you interact with the settings.
However, a Frigidaire electric oven won’t heat up if there is an issue with the voltage, current, or wiring. You’re probably aware that your Frigidaire electric oven needs a 240V power outlet and a 30A to 60A double-pole circuit breaker. The minimum requirement is a 20A circuit.
Thus, a significant voltage or amperage fluctuation can affect an electric Frigidaire oven causing it to fail to heat up. I am presuming that your circuit breaker isn’t tripped and the wall outlet has power. Otherwise, you’ll be unable to pinpoint any problem.
Also, frayed or loose wiring can cause heating problems, especially at the terminal connections. A poor connection or wiring issue may not disable the control board or display panel, so you will still get to use the knobs, buttons, or touchpad. However, the heating element won’t work.
Furthermore, the terminal block itself may be defective. So, even if the wires are alright, there is no voltage or current fluctuation, and everything else is fine, your Frigidaire electric oven won’t heat up due to the fauty terminal block.
How To Fix
Here are the steps to take to inspect and fix the electrical issues, including the terminal block:
- Check the circuit breaker and ensure it is on, or reset it.
- Test the wall outlet for power or use another 240V source.
- Don’t use extension cords or any such accessories.
- Unplug the oven before accessing its internal components.
- Take off the rear access panel to inspect the terminals.
- Ensure the terminal wires are alright and snugly fitted.
- Replace the wires if they are burnt, frayed, or damaged or
- You may have to replace the oven’s terminal block.
Don’t suspect the terminal block unless both your electric oven and stove aren’t heating. Electric ovens like Frigidaire have 3 cables or wires connected to the terminal block. The left and right wires are connected to 120V terminals in the wall outlet, which gives you a total of 240V.
Thus, if you use a voltmeter to test the voltage on the left and center wires of the oven terminals, the reading will be ~120V. Likewise, you’ll get a ~120V reading if you test the center and right wires on the oven terminals. Testing the left and right terminals will get you a 240V reading.
If you don’t get these readings, the wires are faulty, or the wall outlet has a voltage issue. In case you wish to do this test, exercise extreme caution because you’ll need the oven to be plugged in to measure the voltage. I don’t recommend carrying out this step if you don’t have sufficient experience.
Should you have to replace a Frigidaire oven’s terminal block, here’s how to do it:
Failing Element
A Frigidaire electric oven won’t heat up if one or more heating elements are failing. Like many electronic and electrical parts, the heating elements don’t necessarily go kaput entirely. These parts may fail gradually, which is the issue that causes an oven to take too long to heat up.
Subject to your Frigidaire electric oven model, one or more of the following may be failing:
- Bake element
- Broil element
- Assist element
- Side elements
Observe the electric heating element as you set your Frigidaire oven to a specific mode and temperature. So, if you select the bake mode, check whether the bottom element starts to glow. If it doesn’t, the heating element is broken. Likewise, check the top element for the broil mode.
The assist element is at the back, usually near the fan. Some models also have elements on the sides of the oven cavity. Any heating element that’s not glowing red or orange when it should be, depending on your mode, is broken or failing.
How To Fix
First, verify if the heating element is indeed broken. Here are the steps to take:
- Unplug the Frigidaire electric oven.
- Take off the rear access panel.
- Set your multimeter to ohms.
- Place the probes on the terminals. A reading of 20 to 30 ohms is fine while anything up to 100 ohms is alright. However, no reading means the element is bad.
- Get a new heating element for your oven.
You don’t have to take out the bake or broil heating element from the oven, as you can access their terminals from the back. However, some heating elements may not have the terminals exposed, even if you remove the rear access panel. In such cases, you have to unscrew the elements and take them out of the oven or the housing to test for continuity or resistance.
Low Gas Pressure
Low gas pressure doesn’t apply to Frigidaire electric ovens. Also, low pressure on a gas oven may not be the appliance’s fault. If your natural gas supply pressure is low, you have to address that before you diagnose the oven. Besides, low gas pressure will also affect the stove burners.
That said, all Frigidaire gas ovens have a safety valve, similar to a conventional regulator. If this safety valve is stuck or broken, you may have low gas pressure in the oven. In rare cases, the safety valve may fail and remain open, which can lead to a gas leak in your house.
How To Fix
Here are the steps to take to inspect and remedy low gas pressure problems:
- Ensure the main gas supply valve is on.
- Check if the oven burners have flames.
- Observe the flames around the burners.
- If the flames are weak, check the gas pressure. Natural gas supply pressure is ~17 millibar (0.25 psi).
Low gas pressure may be due to a failing safety valve in the oven. Also, a malfunctioning igniter may be the real problem because it won’t open the safety valve in a Frigidaire gas oven.
A faulty igniter won’t light the burners. Plus, if the igniter is failing, it may shut the safety valve, and the burners will go off during preheating. Thus, if you don’t see flames in a gas oven, replace the igniter or the safety valve.
Defective Sensor
A defective sensor or resistance temperature detector (RTD) in your Frigidaire oven can prevent it from heating up, whether the oven is gas or electric. This sensor is usually at the back if you look inside the cavity.
A misaligned, failing, or broken sensor can affect preheating and the ultimate temperature. If the temperature detector touches the cavity or wall, it may sense a higher temperature than what is really inside the oven and shut it. So, you have to fix or replace the defective sensor.
How To Fix
You can fix a misaligned resistance temperature detector. To do so, ensure the sensor doesn’t touch the cavity. Also, check the wires or harness to verify if the connection is alright. Otherwise, you have to test whether the sensor is working and replace the probe if it is defective.
Here’s how you can test a temperature sensor in a Frigidaire oven:
- Unplug the appliance and remove the rear access panel.
- Take apart the wire harness connected to the sensor.
- Get a multimeter and touch the probes at the terminals.
- Check if the reading is ~1090 ohms at room temperature. If the resistance is too far off, the temperature sensor is bad.
- Replace the RTD or resistance temperature detector.
Control Board Issues
Most Frigidaire ovens contain more than one control board. Your range may have an electronic oven control (EOC) and an electronic surface element control board (ESEC). Additionally, your model may have a mini oven control board.
The clock timer control board may have an issue. Generally, you can fix timer issues by setting the clock. However, if the mini oven control board is faulty or you have broken relays in the main EOC, you have to replace these components. Your oven has separate bake and broil relays. Also, there is a power relay on the control board.
How To Fix
A Frigidaire oven’s control board may be partially working if you can interact with the display or knobs, buttons, touchpad, etc. So, check if the bake or broil element isn’t working. If either isn’t, you can replace the specific relay on the control board. If both aren[t working, replace the power relay.
Here’s a video to help you replace broken relays on a Frigidaire oven control board:
You have to replace the control board if the bake, broil, and power relays aren’t the problem.
A Malfunctioning Fan, Door, or Vent
A faulty fan, leaky door, and blocked vent can prevent a Frigidaire oven from heating up.
A blocked vent and broken fan will allow the oven to overheat, hence the temperature sensor will shut the appliance. Additionally, a door with a leaky gasket or seal will let hot air out, thus your Frigidaire oven won’t heat up to the selected temperature in any mode.
How To Fix
Here are the standard remedies for these issues:
- Replace the convection fan in the oven if it is broken.
- Replace the door gasket if it is worn out or damaged.
- Keep the oven vent clean and clear of all obstructions.