At a glance
Symptoms
- • Broil element remains completely cold when turned on.
- • Broil element heats intermittently or shuts off too soon.
- • Visible blisters, cracks, or burnt spots on the top heating element.
- • Gas smell but no flame when broil is selected (gas ovens).
- • Oven bakes perfectly fine, but the broil setting fails entirely.
- • Oven takes an unusually long time to preheat (as the broiler often assists).
Common causes
- • Burnt out or physically damaged broil heating element (electric).
- • Weak or failed broil igniter that cannot open the gas valve (gas).
- • Faulty oven control board with a burnt-out broil relay.
- • Blown thermal fuse or high-limit thermostat, often triggered by self-cleaning.
- • Damaged wiring or burnt terminal connections at the element.
- • Defective selector switch on older, dial-operated ovens.
Safety First — Read Before You Start
- •Always disconnect power at the breaker before inspecting or testing internal oven components. 240V electric ovens carry a lethal amount of current.
- •For gas ovens, shut off the gas supply valve before accessing the burner area. Never attempt to modify gas valves or supply lines yourself.
- •Heating elements and igniters are extremely fragile. Handle replacements with care and avoid touching the glow bar of a gas igniter with bare hands, as skin oils can cause premature failure.
- •If you smell gas continuously, do not attempt repairs. Evacuate the area, call your local gas provider (like SoCalGas or PG&E), and contact a professional.
- •Never bypass a thermal fuse or high-limit switch. These are critical safety devices designed to prevent house fires.
Tools & supplies you'll need
- Digital Multimeter (for continuity and resistance testing)
- Screwdriver set (Phillips and flathead)
- 1/4-inch and 5/16-inch nut drivers
- Work gloves and safety glasses
- Flashlight or headlamp
- Needle-nose pliers
Step-by-step instructions
Perform a Visual Inspection of the Element or Burner
Before taking anything apart, grab a flashlight and closely examine the broil element at the top of the oven cavity. For electric ovens, look for obvious signs of catastrophic failure: blistering, bubbling, pitting, or an actual break in the metal coil. When an electric element burns out, it often arcs and leaves a visible white or charred spot. For gas ovens, look at the broil burner tube and the igniter attached to it. Check for heavy soot buildup or physical damage to the delicate igniter cage.
Tip: If you see a break or blister on an electric element, you don't even need a multimeter—it is definitively dead and must be replaced. Replacement elements typically cost between $25 and $80.
âš Warning: Do not touch the element to see if it is hot. Always hover your hand a few inches away to check for heat radiation.
Test the Electric Broil Element for Continuity
If the electric element looks visually intact but won't heat, you need to test it with a multimeter. Ensure the breaker is off. Remove the two 1/4-inch hex screws securing the element's mounting bracket to the back wall of the oven interior. Carefully pull the element forward just enough to expose the wire terminals. Disconnect the wires (use needle-nose pliers if they are stuck). Set your multimeter to the lowest Ohms setting (or continuity mode) and touch a probe to each terminal of the element. A healthy element should read between 15 and 40 ohms. If it reads infinite resistance (OL), the element has an internal break and must be replaced.
Tip: When pulling the element forward, clip a clothespin or binder clip to the wires before disconnecting them. This prevents the wires from slipping back through the holes into the rear insulation, which would force you to pull the entire oven out to retrieve them.
âš Warning: Ensure the power is absolutely off before touching the terminals. 240V can be deadly.
Observe and Test the Gas Igniter (Gas Ovens Only)
If you have a gas oven, the broiler relies on a glow-bar igniter. Turn the oven to Broil and watch the igniter at the top of the cavity. It should begin to glow brightly within 30 to 60 seconds. If it doesn't glow at all, it may be dead or receiving no power. If it glows a dull orange but the gas never ignites, the igniter has grown weak. Gas safety valves require a specific electrical current (usually 3.2 to 3.6 amps) to open. A weak igniter will get hot, but won't draw enough amps to signal the valve to release gas. You can confirm this by testing the igniter for continuity with a multimeter (unplug the oven first), though an amp-clamp test on the live circuit is the definitive diagnostic.
Tip: A glowing igniter that doesn't trigger a flame is the number one cause of gas oven failures. Replacing the igniter ($40-$90) almost always solves this.
âš Warning: Never try to manually light a modern gas oven broiler with a match or lighter. The safety valve prevents gas flow until the electrical conditions are met.
Inspect the Wiring and Terminals
If the element or igniter tests perfectly fine, the issue might be the connection. Examine the wire terminals that connect to the heating element. Over time, the intense heat of the oven can cause the spade connectors to oxidize, loosen, or melt. In coastal California areas like San Diego, Ventura, or coastal Orange County, ambient marine moisture can accelerate corrosion on older appliances, increasing electrical resistance until the wire literally burns off the terminal. If you find a burnt wire, you will need to cut it back to clean copper and crimp on a new high-temperature nickel-plated terminal.
Tip: Standard automotive wire terminals will melt in an oven. You must use high-temp, uninsulated nickel terminals and high-temp fiberglass wire if splicing is necessary.
Check the Thermal Fuse or High-Limit Switch
Many modern ovens have a thermal fuse or high-limit switch designed to cut power to the heating elements if the oven gets too hot. This frequently happens during a self-cleaning cycle or if the internal cooling fan fails. To locate the fuse, you usually need to pull the oven out and remove the rear sheet metal panel. The fuse is a small component (often white or ceramic) with two wires attached. Disconnect the wires and test across the terminals with a multimeter. It should have continuity (0 ohms). If it has no continuity, it has blown and must be replaced.
Tip: If the thermal fuse is blown, check your oven's cooling fan. A dead fan will cause a replacement fuse to blow immediately the next time you use the oven.
Evaluate the Main Control Board
If the broil element, wiring, and thermal fuses all test good, the problem likely lies in the main electronic control board (or the mechanical selector switch on older dial ovens). The control board uses small relays to send 240V power to the broil element. Over time, these relays can burn out. To inspect the board, unplug the oven, remove the upper back panel behind the console, and look at the circuit board. You might see a visible scorch mark or a melted solder joint on the back of the board near the broil relay. If the board is faulty, it will need to be replaced, which typically costs $150 to $400 depending on the model.
âš Warning: Diagnosing a control board failure definitively requires testing for live 240V voltage while the oven is plugged in. This is highly dangerous and should be left to a professional.
Brand-specific notes
Some brands have known design quirks worth knowing about before you start.
GE
Many GE and GE Profile ovens use hidden bake elements, meaning the broil element does double duty during the preheat phase to get the cavity up to temperature quickly. If your GE oven's broil element dies, you'll likely notice the oven takes an incredibly long time to preheat for baking.
Whirlpool
Whirlpool and KitchenAid ovens frequently utilize a specific thermal fuse mounted on the back panel that is highly sensitive to cooling fan failures or self-cleaning cycles. If both your broiler and bake elements die simultaneously after running a clean cycle, check the rear thermal fuse before assuming the board is bad.
Samsung
Samsung ranges are notorious for control board relay failures. If your Samsung broil element tests perfectly fine for continuity but never gets hot, the main PCB (Printed Circuit Board) has likely lost its broil relay. These boards can be pricey, often running $150-$300 for the part alone.
LG
LG gas ovens frequently suffer from weak broil igniters. The igniter might glow a bright orange, deceiving you into thinking it works, but if it doesn't draw the required 3.2 to 3.6 amps, the gas safety valve will stubbornly remain closed. Always suspect the igniter first on an LG gas range.
Sub-Zero/Wolf
High-end Wolf ranges often feature infrared gas broilers, which are incredibly delicate. The ceramic tiles that make up the infrared broiler can crack easily from moisture or aggressive cleaning. Never spray oven cleaner directly onto a Wolf infrared broiler, and be mindful of high humidity or steam from stovetop cooking degrading the tiles over time.
What our techs see most often
Here in LA, we see a massive spike in blown broil elements right around the holidays when everyone is rushing to finish roasting and baking. Often, a customer will run a high-heat self-cleaning cycle right before a party, which fries a weak element, blows a thermal fuse, or damages the control board—my advice is to skip the self-clean before major events and just use elbow grease if you have an older unit!
When to call a professional
- → You need to replace a gas safety valve or work directly with the gas supply lines.
- → You need to diagnose complex control board voltage issues while the unit is live with 240V power.
- → You have a heavy built-in wall oven that needs to be completely uninstalled and pulled from the cabinetry to access rear components.
- → You suspect a wiring short in the main harness, often indicated by the smell of burning plastic or frequent breaker trips.
- → The appliance is still under the manufacturer's warranty, as DIY repairs will likely void your coverage.
Oven Maintenance & Replacement Tasks
Step-by-step guides for individual maintenance jobs related to this appliance.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to replace an oven broil element?
If you do it yourself, standard electric broil elements cost between $25 and $80 depending on the brand. If you hire a professional appliance repair technician, expect the total cost (parts and labor) to range from $150 to $250.
Why does my gas broiler glow but not light?
This is almost always due to a weak igniter. The igniter must get hot enough to draw a specific amount of electrical current (usually around 3.2 to 3.6 amps) to signal the gas safety valve to open. As igniters age, their electrical resistance increases, so they glow but don't pull enough amps. A replacement igniter costs $40-$90.
Can I still bake if my broiler is broken?
Usually, yes. The bake element operates independently of the broil element. However, many modern ovens use the broil element to assist during the preheat phase, so your oven may take significantly longer to reach the target baking temperature.
Did using the self-cleaning feature break my broiler?
It is highly likely. The self-cleaning cycle pushes the oven to extreme temperatures (often over 900°F). This immense heat stresses older electrical components, frequently causing weak heating elements to finally snap or causing thermal fuses to blow as a safety precaution.
How do I know if the control board is the problem?
If you have tested the broil element and it has good continuity, the wiring is intact, and the thermal fuses are not blown, but the element still receives no voltage when set to broil, the control board's relay is likely burnt out. Replacement boards typically cost $150 to $400.
Related Repair Guides
Oven Not Heating: Diagnose and Fix Both Electric and Gas Models
An oven that lights up but never heats — or one that never even powers on the bake cycle — is the second most common cooking-appliance call we get. The diagnosis path is very different for gas versus electric, so this guide covers both. On electric ovens, a broken bake element or a drifted oven sensor accounts for roughly 70% of cases. On gas ovens, a weak igniter is the dominant failure. Most repairs are 1-2 hours and $30-180 in parts.
Oven Heats Unevenly: Why and How to Fix
Cookies darker on one side of the sheet, cakes that rise lopsided, casseroles bubbling on the back but pale at the front — uneven oven heating is one of the most frustrating issues to diagnose because the oven still "works." The cause is usually a convection fan, a drifted temperature sensor, a weak bake element, or simple operator factors like preheating habits and pan choice. Most fixes are under an hour and many cost nothing at all.
How to Calibrate Your Oven Thermostat
Stop burning your cookies or serving undercooked roasts. Calibrating your oven's thermostat is a simple, no-tools-required tweak that ensures the temperature on your display matches the actual heat inside.