The 5 Most Common Oven Issues to Watch Out For

An oven on the fritz isn't just inconvenient—it disrupts daily routines, from family dinners to holiday feasts. Spotting early signs of trouble helps you stay ahead of bigger repairs or replacements. Let's dive into the five most frequent oven issues homeowners encounter and how to recognize them quickly.

1. Oven Doesn't Maintain the Set Temperature

When your oven doesn't heat properly, cooking meals becomes a guessing game.

The likely culprit? A faulty temperature sensor or a worn-out heating element in an electric oven. A bad igniter or malfunctioning temperature sensor in a gas oven.

Regularly check your meals—if they consistently come out undercooked or unevenly baked, your oven might need attention.

If oven temperature is only slightly off, you may be able to fix the problem by checking actual oven temperature and then calibrating oven temperature on the control.

How to Check Actual Oven Temperature

Follow these steps to use an accurate oven thermometer to compare actual versus set temperature:

1. Put an oven thermometer on the middle rack and set the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Let the oven preheat and then wait at least 10 minutes more for the temperature to level out from the preheating temperature spike.
3. Then check the reading on the oven thermometer through the oven window. Record the oven temperature.
4. Wait 2 minutes and record a second oven temperature reading from the thermometer.
5. Check the oven temperature 3 more times because oven temperature rises and falls constantly throughout the baking cycle.
6. Find the average of your 5 temperature readings: (T1 + T2 + T3 + T4 + T5)/5 = ACTUAL AVERAGE TEMPERATURE.

Now that you’ve accurately measured actual average temperature, you’ll know how much to adjust the control during calibration.

How to Calibrate an Electronic Oven Control

The electronic oven control board (EOC) uses an oven temperature sensor probe to detect the actual temperature inside the oven cavity. When your actual average temperature reading inside the oven differs from the set temperature on the EOC, you can adjust or calibrate the EOC by creating an “offset” to compensate for the inaccuracy. Most EOC’s can be adjusted by an offset up to 35-degrees.

Refer to the owner’s manual for your oven for instructions for your model. Here’s an example from an owner’s manual that shows how to adjust the oven temperature in a common oven:

If you’re unable to complete this adjustment on your own, schedule oven repair service and we’ll send a service technician to your home to calibrate the EOC.

How to Calibrate an Oven Control Thermostat

An oven control thermostat uses a temperature sensor and potentiometer to cycle the bake element on and off to maintain the set oven temperature.

The difference between 350 degrees F and the average temperature you measured is the offset you'll use to calibrate (or adjust) the oven potentiometer.

For example, if the average was 330 degrees F, the offset is +20 degrees; if the average was 380 degrees F, the offset is -30 degrees.

Note: You can adjust most oven control thermostat by about 35 degrees in either direction. If the average temperature is off by more than 35 degrees, you’ll likely need to replace the oven control thermostat.

Here are instructions for adjusting the oven control thermostat in common types of ovens. (The exact steps vary by manufacturer, so check your owner's manual for instructions for your model.)

1. Pull off the temperature control knob.
2. On the back of the control knob you’ll find small adjustment screws and a pointer in a track. The back of the knob may be labeled Cooler at one end and Hotter at the other.
3. Loosen the screws just enough that you can move the pointer.
4. Move the pointer toward Cooler if the oven overcooks or Hotter if it undercooks. Each audible click adjusts set temperature about 10 degrees.
5. Tighten the screw and replace the knob.

Here’s an image to illustrate the temperature adjustment:

Repeat the process for checking the actual average temperature. Continue adjusting the oven control thermostat until actual average oven temperature matches the set temperature on the control.

If you’re unable to adjust the oven control thermostat on your own, schedule appliance repair service and we’ll send a Sears Home Services technician to your home to adjust the temperature or replace the oven control thermostat for you.

How to Replace the Oven Temperature Sensor

When oven temperature is consistently off by more than 50 degrees, you may need to replace the oven temperature sensor.

Here’s a video that shows how to replace the temperature sensor in common ovens:

2. Oven Heats Beyond the Desired Temperature

An oven that’s overheating isn't just a hassle; it’s hazardous. A malfunctioning thermostat or a damaged temperature sensor typically causes overheating Warning signs include burnt food, excessive smoke, or oven walls unusually hot to the touch.

Address overheating quickly to protect your safety and your food.

Overheating in an oven with an electronic control is often caused by a stuck relay on the electronic control board or a faulty oven temperature sensor.

Many ovens will shut off the oven and display an error code when the oven overheats. Look up the error code on our Error Code Charts and follow the troubleshooting tips to resolve the problem or have a technician fix the oven if you’re not confident that you can resolve the issue yourself.

On many ovens, you’ll see the F10 error code when the oven overheats. Follow the troubleshooting steps in this video to find and fix the problem:

3. Oven Fails to Heat Up Entirely

Nothing is more frustrating than setting your oven, only to discover it remains cold.

A defective igniter in gas ovens or burned-out heating elements in electric models often trigger this issue. Prompt repairs prevent costly downtime.

Here’s a popular YouTube video from Sears Home Services that shows how to safely diagnose and fix a problem with a gas oven not heating:

This video shows how to diagnose and fix an electric oven not heating:

4. Oven Door Won’t Close Properly

A door that won't seal wastes energy and creates uneven cooking conditions. Worn hinges, damaged seals, or misaligned door frames commonly cause doors to stay ajar.

Pay attention to escaping heat or difficulty opening and closing—these signs suggest it's time to inspect or replace door components.

Faulty door hinges are one of the top causes of oven door problems. If you find problems with the door hinges, replace them using the tips shown in this DIY video:

5. Self-Cleaning Feature Isn’t Working

Many homeowners rely on the self-cleaning cycle to tackle tough oven messes.

If this feature stalls or refuses to activate, a malfunctioning door latch, wiring failure or defective electronic control board is usually at fault.

Always ensure the oven door locks securely when initiating self-clean mode. If it doesn't, professional assistance can pinpoint and resolve the issue.

Take Quick Action to Avoid Bigger Problems

Timely intervention saves money and hassle when facing oven issues.

If you’re unable to find and fix the cause of an oven failure on your own, schedule oven repair service and we’ll send a Sears Home Services technician to your home to quickly fix the issue.

Regular checks and responding swiftly to warning signs help maintain your oven's performance and longevity, ensuring your kitchen stays efficient and safe for years to come.