No power at all
The display is blank, oven light may be off, and nothing responds.
Start here: Start with the house breaker, outlet power, plug connection, and control lock or timer settings.
Appliance Troubleshooting
Range / Stove Not Working
Direct answer: If a range or stove is not working, first identify whether the whole appliance is dead, only the cooktop fails, only the oven fails, or only one burner will not heat or ignite. The most common homeowner checks are power, gas supply, control lock or timer settings, and a failed burner-specific part.
Most likely: A tripped breaker, unplugged cord, shut gas supply, control setting issue, or one failed burner component such as a range surface element, range burner switch, or range igniter.
A range can fail in a few very different ways that look similar at first. Separate the problem early: no lights and no response points to power, gas burners that click but do not light point to ignition or gas flow, one electric burner not heating points to that burner circuit, and an oven-only failure points to the oven side rather than the whole range.
Don’t start with: Do not start by ordering a control board or taking apart gas components. Those are less certain and carry more risk.
Whole range dead?Check the breaker, outlet, plug, and any control lock or delayed-start setting before assuming a part failed.
Only one burner or the oven fails?That usually points to a local component, not the entire range, so diagnose that branch before buying anything.
Last reviewed: 2026-03-17
What kind of range failure are you seeing?
Gas burners click but do not light
You hear clicking or smell a little gas briefly, but the burner does not ignite.
Start here: Check that the gas supply valve is on, the burner cap is seated correctly, and the igniter area is clean and dry.
One electric burner does not heat
Other burners work, but one surface element stays cold or heats inconsistently.
Start here: Swap in a known-good compatible range surface element if your style allows, or focus on that burner switch and receptacle branch.
Cooktop and oven fail differently
The oven may work while surface burners do not, or the cooktop works while the oven does not heat.
Start here: Treat the cooktop and oven as separate branches after confirming the range has power or gas supply.
Most likely causes
1. Power supply problem to the range
A blank display, dead oven, and dead cooktop together often mean a tripped breaker, loose plug, or dead outlet rather than multiple parts failing at once.
Quick check: Reset a tripped breaker once, make sure the cord is fully seated, and confirm the outlet has power if you can do so safely.
2. Gas supply off or burner parts misaligned
Gas burners that click but do not light often have a supply issue, a wet or dirty igniter area, or a burner cap and head that are not seated correctly.
Quick check: Verify other gas appliances are behaving normally, confirm the range gas shutoff is on, and reseat the burner cap after the area is cool and dry.
3. Single burner component failure
If only one surface burner fails, the most likely problem is that burner's range surface element, range burner switch, or ignition component rather than the whole appliance.
Quick check: Compare that burner to a working one. On plug-in electric coil styles, a known-good element swap is a strong quick test.
4. Control setting or oven-side failure
A control lock, delayed bake setting, or oven-specific ignition or heating failure can make the range seem partly dead even when the cooktop still works.
Quick check: Clear control lock, cancel any timed cycle, and test whether the oven and cooktop fail in the same way or differently.
Step-by-step fix
Step 1: Identify whether the whole range is dead or only one section is failing
This prevents chasing the wrong branch. A full no-power problem is very different from one bad burner or an oven-only issue.
- Check whether the display, clock, oven light, and any surface burners respond at all.
- Test more than one burner and, if safe, compare cooktop behavior to oven behavior.
- Note whether the problem affects all functions, only the cooktop, only the oven, or only one burner.
- If the controls show a lock icon or unusual timer setting, cancel the cycle and unlock the controls according to the panel labels.
Next move: If the range starts working after clearing a lock or timer setting, the issue was control-related rather than a failed part. If the appliance is still fully dead or only one section fails, move to the matching branch in the next steps.
What to conclude: A whole-range failure usually points to supply or main control issues. A single-section failure usually points to a local burner or oven component.
Stop if:
- You smell strong gas continuously.
- You see sparking, smoke, or signs of overheating.
- The controls behave erratically after a power event or show damage.
Step 2: Check the simplest supply issues first
Power and gas supply problems are common, safe to verify from the outside, and often mistaken for part failure.
- For an electric range, check the breaker panel for a tripped range breaker. Reset it once fully off, then back on.
- Make sure the range plug is fully inserted and not loose if the cord is accessible.
- For a gas range, confirm the gas shutoff valve serving the range is in the on position.
- If your gas range uses electric ignition, remember it still needs electrical power for the igniters and controls.
- If one side of a double breaker trips again immediately, stop and do not keep resetting it.
Next move: If power or gas restoration brings the range back, monitor it during the next few uses. If supply looks normal but the problem remains, continue to the burner-specific or oven-specific checks.
What to conclude: A restored supply confirms the appliance itself may be fine. A normal supply with continued failure points back to a range component or control issue.
Step 3: If gas burners click but do not light, inspect the burner tops
Misaligned caps, food debris, and moisture are common causes of ignition trouble and are safer to address than internal gas parts.
- Make sure all burner knobs are off and the cooktop is cool.
- Lift off the burner cap and, if removable, the burner head. Reinstall them so they sit flat and centered.
- Clean loose debris from the burner ports and igniter area with a dry cloth or soft brush. If greasy residue is present, use a small amount of warm water and mild soap on removable parts only, then dry them completely before reinstalling.
- Do not flood the igniter area or use harsh cleaners.
- Try lighting the burner again and compare the spark and flame behavior to a working burner.
Repair guide: How to Replace a Range Igniter
Step 4: If one electric burner does not heat, compare that burner to a working one
A single dead electric burner is often isolated to the range surface element or its switch circuit, and comparison testing narrows it down without guessing.
- Turn power off at the breaker before handling a removable electric coil element.
- If your range uses plug-in coil elements, swap the suspected range surface element with a same-size working one from another position.
- Restore power and test carefully.
- If the problem follows the element, the range surface element is bad.
- If the same burner position still does not heat with a known-good element, the issue is more likely the range burner switch or the burner receptacle connection on that position.
- For smooth-top electric ranges, do not disassemble the cooktop unless you are comfortable working with appliance wiring and have disconnected power first.
Repair guide: How to Replace a Range Surface Element
Related repair guide: How to Replace a Range Burner Switch
Step 5: If the cooktop works but the oven does not, or the oven works but the cooktop does not, treat them as separate systems
Many ranges share a cabinet but use different components for surface burners and oven heating, so one side can fail while the other still works.
- If the cooktop works but a gas oven does not heat, listen for ignition attempts and note whether the oven glows, clicks, or stays silent.
- If the cooktop works but an electric oven does not heat, confirm bake or broil was actually selected and the controls accepted the command.
- If the oven works but one or more surface burners do not, stay on the burner-specific branch rather than assuming a main control failure.
- If both oven and cooktop act strangely after a power outage, unplug or disconnect power for a short reset if safe and accessible, then restore power and retest.
- If symptoms remain mixed or inconsistent, document exactly which functions fail before calling for service.
A good result: If a reset or corrected setting restores operation, the issue was likely a control state problem rather than a failed replacement part.
If not: If the oven-only or cooktop-only failure remains, the next repair depends on that specific subsystem and may require model-specific diagnosis.
What to conclude: A split failure pattern usually means the whole range is not dead. It points to an oven ignition or heating issue, or to a burner-side component on the cooktop.
Replacement Parts
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FAQ
Why is my range completely dead?
If the whole range is dead, start with the breaker, outlet, plug, and any control lock or timer setting. A full no-response problem is more often a supply issue than several parts failing at once.
Why do my gas burners click but not light?
The most common causes are a burner cap that is out of place, debris around the burner ports, moisture near the igniter, or a burner-specific ignition problem. Check the simple burner-top issues first before suspecting internal gas parts.
If only one electric burner is not working, what is most likely bad?
On many electric ranges, one dead burner is often a failed range surface element or that burner's switch circuit. If your range has removable coil elements, swapping with a known-good same-size element is a useful first test.
Can the oven fail while the cooktop still works?
Yes. The oven and cooktop often use different heating or ignition components, so one side can fail while the other still works. That is why it helps to separate oven-only problems from surface-burner problems early.
Should I replace the range control board if the stove is not working?
Usually no, not as a first move. Main controls are less certain than supply issues, burner-specific parts, or simple setting problems. Confirm the exact failure pattern first, and stop if diagnosis would require live electrical testing or gas disassembly.