Symptoms
- Oven interior stays cold or barely warm
- You may hear gas hiss briefly then stop
- Igniter glows but no flame follows
- Stovetop burners still work fine
Likely causes
- CommonWeak or failing oven igniterThe igniter must draw enough current to glow hot and open the safety valve; a weak one glows but never gets hot enough.
- PossibleGas safety valve not openingThe valve stays shut if it doesn't sense enough igniter current.
- PossibleFaulty oven control board or thermostatElectronic controls can misread temperature or fail to signal ignition.
- Less commonGas supply issueA closed valve or supply problem would also affect burners, so check those first.
What to do
- Confirm the stovetop burners work; if they do, gas supply to the house is fine and the issue is isolated to the oven.
- Set the oven to bake and open the door briefly to watch the igniter: it should glow bright orange steadily for about 30–90 seconds before you hear a whoosh of ignition.
- If the igniter glows but no flame follows within about 90 seconds, the igniter is too weak to open the gas valve and needs replacement.
- If the igniter doesn't glow at all, check that the oven is plugged in (most gas ovens need electricity) and the breaker hasn't tripped.
- Turn the oven off and let it fully cool if you smell gas without ignition, and do not keep retrying repeatedly.
- If you're comfortable with basic appliance repair, the igniter is a common DIY replacement part; otherwise call a technician.
Tools and parts
- Flashlight
Oven igniterSearch: “gas oven igniter replacement”
When to call a pro
If the igniter looks weak or the oven never ignites, an appliance technician can test and replace the igniter or gas valve safely.
Safety
Use caution
If you smell gas without the oven igniting, turn it off, let it clear, and avoid repeated attempts; call a technician if the smell persists.