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GE Stove Burner Won’t Work/Turn On/Off/Ignite

The General Electric company manufactures gas cookers and electric stoves for modern households. These stoves can have up to four burners designed to ignite on command.

When your GE stove burners don’t work correctly, contact a technician because a metal part must have failed. For gas cookers, the igniter is likely faulty, and replacing it will return the stove’s functionality. In the case of electric stoves, the switch has malfunctioned and needs maintenance.

Close up of gas stove burner

This article will discuss the most common reasons why your stove burners aren’t functioning correctly. We will also explain which problems you can solve at home and when to contact a professional GE technician.

GE Stove Won’t Work

Top view of electric induction stove

If your GE stove is having issues igniting, there is one common reason for this problem. For gas stoves, debris may be blocking the burners. You can clean your stove’s burners at home and get them working without the help of a professional.

The Stove’s Burners Are Clogged With Food and Cannot Form a Spark

Your GE stove’s burners can become blocked with food and other debris like grease. If there is a heavy buildup of dirt surrounding your burners, this is likely the reason why the stove is not igniting.

Before cleaning your burners, have these tools on hand:

  • A stiff brush with polypropylene fibers
  • Dish soap
  • Degreaser
  • White vinegar
  • A toothpick
  • Compressed Air (Optional)

It’s crucial to pick a brush with stove-safe bristles to avoid scraping and scratching your stove. We recommend the Quickie Stovetop Brush, which guarantees not to scuff your kitchen stove.

Once you’ve obtained all of your tools, these are the steps to clean your gas stovetop properly:

Step 1: Remove the grates covering the burners. You may want to clean these as well by soaking them with a degreaser for 30 minutes.

Step 2: Take off the burner’s lid.

Step 3: Clean the area surrounding the burner. Use mild dish soap and warm water.

Step 4: Pour vinegar on the base of your burner. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes.

Step 5: Use a scratch-free brush to remove any muck.

Step 6: Clean the remaining debris with a toothpick. If you have compressed air, spray the leftover grime away.

Step 7: Allow the cooktop to air-dry thoroughly. Also, let the grate and lid dry if you scrubbed these too.

Step 8: Reposition the burner’s lid and the grates.

Step 9: Light the stove. It can take 10-12 clicks before your burner lights after cleaning.

Afterward, the stove should ignite. If not, then there is a problem with the gas line. You should contact a GE service center and ask them to take a look at your cooker.

GE Stove Burner Won’t Turn On/Ignite

A repairman fixing a stovetop

Electric stoves and gas stoves have different reasons for why they won’t ignite.

Why Your Electric GE Stove Burners Won’t Turn On/Ignite

In most cases, when an electric stove top does not light, it is having issues with its wires. A stove that is improperly wired cannot receive the control board’s message for an ignition to occur.

To test if the wires are having issues, you can perform the following experiments:

Check the Stove’s Clock for Functionality

If your electric stove’s burners are not turning on, examine if the clock is still working. If the stove’s clock is accurate and functional, your wires are not connected right.

Get in touch with the mechanic who installed your stove to see what’s going on. But for the best advice, directly reach out to the GE appliance store.

Confirm That the Power Cord Is Secure

Firstly, check your home’s circuit breaker to ensure that a switch is not in the off position without your knowledge. After confirming that the circuit breaker has no issues, examine the stove’s power cord.

If you have easy access to the cord, adjust it so that it’s connected firmly. For free-standing and slide-in ranges, you must pull out the lower drawer to view the plug and verify that it’s connected.

If the power cord is secure but the burners aren’t working, that’s a definite sign of bad wiring.

With improper wiring, you will have to contact a handyman. This problem is not something you can solve at home unless you have electrical experience.

Why Your GE Gas Stove Burners Won’t Turn On/Ignite

Many factors could affect your gas stove’s performance, and in most cases, you can solve these at home.

The Electrodes on the Stove Are Not Properly Seated

When the electrodes move out of place, you have to remove your stovetop to adjust their placement.

To modify the placement of the electrodes in your GE gas stove:

Step 1: Turn off all the burners. Allow the stove to cool for at least an hour.

Step 2: Separate the grate from the cooktop.

Step 3: Remove the burner caps and burner heads. You will see a white ceramic component. This piece is the electrode.

Step 4: Examine the electrode. Check if the metal part is sitting flush with the stove.

Step 5: Adjust the electrode. Use your thumb and index finger to twist clockwise until the electrode is inline with the cooktop.

The Burner Cap Is in the Wrong Position

GE stoves require the burner heads to be correctly seated to turn on. Confirm that the burner heads lay flat and are secure. Performing this simple step will cause your stove to turn on.

The Gas Stove Has a Faulty Igniter

If the gas stove’s igniter has malfunctioned, it will not turn on. A faulty igniter can be verified by a yellow or orange spark whenever you attempt to start the burners. It’s a good idea to test for this with the lights off so you can notice it.

After your suspicions are confirmed, we suggest calling a specialist to solve this. But there are steps you can take to replace an igniter that has malfunctioned:

Step 1: Find the correct replacement part. Search a parts store for the igniter that matches the make and model of your stove.

Step 2: Power down the stove by unplugging it.

Step 3: Turn off the gas.

Step 4: Use a screwdriver to disconnect the burner’s base. In some cases, you must altogether remove the stovetop to access the ignition switch.

Step 5: Locate the igniter. The user manual will help you identify this piece.

Step 6: Disconnect the wires surrounding the igniter. Sometimes this won’t require any cables to be cut.

Step 7: Install the new part. Replace the stovetop, burner base, and all other features that you removed.

Step 8: Restore the gas connection to the stove.

GE Stove Burner Won’t Turn Off

Electric stovetop that is red and hot

A burner that won’t turn off will usually occur on an electric GE stove. The most common reason for this is that the surface element switch has failed.

The surface element switch controls the heat passing through your burner. When it malfunctions, a continuous string of electricity is sent to the heating coils.

Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on March 5, 2021.

In this case, you must replace the element switch. First, you’ll want to confirm the stove’s model number so you can purchase the right replacement. Afterward, follow these instructions to replace the switch:

Step 1: Turn off the electricity to the stove. Allow it to cool fully.

Step 2: Use a screwdriver to remove the top panel.

Step 3: Identify which wires are associated with which burner. Only tamper with the cables connected to the broken burner.

Step 4: Find the broken switch assembly. These are usually located at the front of the stove’s inner portion and behind the knobs, if any.

Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on March 5, 2021.

Step 5: Detach the bolts holding the surface element switch in place. Remove the assembly of any knobs or handles that may be blocking the control.

Step 6: Switch the wires from the old surface element control to the new one. Do these one at a time so you can match the cables to their correct sockets.

Step 7: Install the new switch. Attach other pieces to their rightful position.

Step 8: Replace the cooktop.

Final Thoughts

If the advice in this article does not apply to you, your best bet is to call a technician and have your GE stove serviced.

ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on March 5, 2021.

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