How To Repair a Range Door That Will Not Open
- Rated as EASY
- 87 repair stories
- 2 step by step videos
Oven Temperature Sensor
The oven door is supposed to unlock at the end of self-cleaning when the temperature has dropped, so if the door’s not unlocking it could be due to malfunction in the oven temperature sensor. If you’re getting a fault code that the sensor has failed, or if that just seems to be the problem, “reboot” the oven by unplugging it, waiting 5 minutes, and plugging it back in: sometimes this resets the control and your oven door will be back to normal. Next, check the owner’s manual to see if any settings on the control keypad or knobs have to be in certain places in order for the door to unlock. If the “reboot” doesn’t work, unplug the oven again and take the panel off the back, since that’s the only way into the oven while the door’s locked. Find and unplug the wire harness for the oven temperature sensor. Check your owner’s manual or the manufacturer website to find out the proper resistance of the temperature sensor and use a multi-meter to see if your sensor’s at the correct resistance. If not, you’ll need a repairperson to put a new sensor in the wire harness, plug the oven back in, and unlock the oven door. Once the door’s open, the new sensor can be put back in place permanently, along the oven’s back wall.
Door Lock Switch & Motor Assembly
If you’re unable to open the oven door when the self-cleaning is over, your door lock/motor assembly may be malfunctioning. First, try to “reboot” the oven by unplugging it, waiting 5 minutes, and plugging it back in: sometimes this resets the lock and your oven door will be back to normal. Next, check the owner’s manual to see if any settings on the control keypad or knobs have to be in certain places in order for the door to unlock. If it is still locked after these quick-fix attempts, it’s time to bypass the electronics and manually unlock the oven door. On a very old oven, you can unplug it, remove the back panel, and toggle the locking pawl. On a newer oven, the latch will be at the front, between the main top and the oven: you’d normally get to it by opening the oven door to unscrew the top off the oven. But since the door is locked, that won’t happen. Instead, unplug the oven and make a hook out of a wire coat hanger. Slide it between the oven door and the latch, being careful not to scratch up your range, and pull the latch open.
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