Direct answer: A KitchenAid oven broiler that does not work is usually caused by the wrong mode or door position, a failed oven heating element in electric models, or an oven igniter problem in gas models. Start by confirming the broil setting and watching what the oven actually does in the first minute.
Most likely: The most common real failures are a broil element that stays dark and cold on an electric oven, or a gas oven igniter that glows weakly or never lights the broil burner.
Separate the lookalikes early: electric broilers should heat from the top element, while gas broilers should show ignition activity at the top burner. Reality check: many broilers take a short delay before obvious heat shows up. Common wrong move: testing broil with the door fully shut or in the wrong cooking mode, then assuming a major part is bad.
Don’t start with: Do not start by ordering an oven control board. Controls do fail, but they are not the first bet when the broiler alone quit.
The broil cycle starts on the display, but the upper oven heating element never glows and food does not brown.
Start here: Check settings and door position first, then inspect the oven broil element for visible damage.
You select broil, but there is no flame at the top burner, or you smell a little gas and then nothing happens.
Start here: Stop if gas odor is strong, then watch for igniter glow or ignition sounds through the broil opening.
The broiler comes on, but it barely browns food or only heats unevenly across the pan.
Start here: Confirm you are using the actual broil mode and the rack is in the right position, then check for a weak electric element or weak gas igniter.
The oven still bakes normally, but the top heat never comes on in broil.
Start here: That usually points to the broil-side heating part or ignition part, not the whole oven losing power.
Broil can be canceled by a timer setting, a control lock, or a door position the oven does not like. Some models also delay visible heat for a short time.
Quick check: Cancel the cycle, clear any timer, select Broil again, and watch the oven for a full minute with the rack pulled out enough to see safely.
A bad upper element often shows a split, blister, or burned-through spot and stays dark while the rest of the oven still works.
Quick check: With power off and the oven cool, inspect the full length of the upper oven broil element for damage or a loose mounting connection.
Gas broilers often fail because the igniter glows too weakly to open the gas valve, or it never glows at all.
Quick check: Start broil and look for a steady bright igniter glow near the top burner. No glow or a dim lazy glow points there fast.
This is less common, but possible when the broiler cycles oddly, overheats, or neither the element nor igniter gets proper command even after basic checks.
Quick check: If the broil element or igniter looks normal and the oven still will not drive broil, move to sensor checks and then pro-level electrical diagnosis.
A surprising number of broiler complaints come down to the oven not being in a true broil cycle, a delayed start setting, or a door position issue.
Next move: If the broiler starts heating normally now, the problem was likely a setting issue or an interrupted cycle. If the display accepts Broil but the oven still shows no real top heat, move on to identifying whether you have an electric element problem or a gas ignition problem.
What to conclude: When the control responds but the broiler does not heat, the failure is usually in the broil heating path rather than house power alone.
You do not want to chase the wrong part family. Electric and gas broilers fail in different ways and leave different clues.
Next move: If you clearly identify the broiler type and what it is failing to do, the next check gets much more direct. If you still cannot tell what style you have or cannot safely observe the broil area, stop and use a service tech.
What to conclude: A dark electric element usually points to the oven broil element or its connection. A gas broiler with no flame usually points to the oven igniter first.
Visible damage is one of the best homeowner clues. It lets you avoid guessing and keeps you from ordering the wrong part.
Next move: If you find a damaged electric broil element or a weak non-lighting gas igniter, you have a solid repair direction. If the heating parts look normal and behavior is still dead or erratic, keep going to the sensor and wiring checks.
If the main heating part is not obviously bad, the next most useful checks are the ones that can block normal broil operation without pointing straight to a control board.
Next move: If you find a loose connection or obvious sensor damage, repair or replace that confirmed fault before going further. If wiring and sensor clues are not obvious, the remaining possibilities are a hidden wiring failure, a sensor reading problem, or a control issue that needs meter-based diagnosis.
By this point, you should have enough evidence to act without guess-buying. The right next move depends on what you actually saw.
A good result: If the broiler now heats from the top and browns food normally, run one more short broil test and recheck for even operation.
If not: If the new confirmed part did not restore broil, the problem is likely in wiring, relay output, or control logic and needs deeper testing.
What to conclude: The cleanest homeowner fixes here are the oven broil element, oven igniter, or sometimes the oven temperature sensor. Control diagnosis comes after those are ruled out, not before.
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That usually means the oven still has general power, but the broil-side part has failed. On electric models, the usual suspect is the oven broil element. On gas models, it is often the oven igniter for the broiler burner.
A bad oven broil element often has a visible split, blister, or burned spot. It may stay completely dark in broil mode, or only one section may heat. With power safely off, a continuity test can confirm an open element.
Yes. Many gas ovens use separate ignition paths for bake and broil. That means bake can still work while the broiler igniter or broil burner ignition circuit fails.
Not first. A control problem is possible, but it is not the most common cause when only broil quits. Rule out the oven broil element, oven igniter, visible wiring damage, and sensor issues before spending money on a control diagnosis.
Some ovens want the door fully closed, while others allow a slightly open broil position. If the broiler seems dead, check how your oven behaves during the first minute and follow the control prompts or normal operating pattern for your model.
Weak broiling usually points to the wrong mode, the rack being too low, a weak electric broil element, or a gas igniter that glows but is too weak to drive a strong normal burner light-off. It can also happen if the door is not sealing well.