Oven Not Heating up but Broiler Works: Common Causes and What to Check First
If your oven not heating but broiler works has you puzzled before dinner, here is the reassuring part: the fault is almost always on the bake side, not the whole appliance. Because the broiler still heats, your oven has power and the controls respond, so the usual culprit is a burned out bake element or, on a gas range, a weak igniter. Our Montreal oven repair team sees this exact pattern most weeks, and a lot of it comes down to one affordable part.
Bottom line up front: check the bake element or igniter first, rule out the temperature sensor next, and only then suspect the control board. Below we walk through why the broiler keeps working, the common causes in order of likelihood, and a safe step by step you can run in a few minutes before you call anyone.
Why the broiler works when the oven will not heat
An oven is really two heat sources sharing one cavity. The broiler sits at the top and blasts intense heat downward for browning, while baking relies on a separate element or burner lower down that holds a steady temperature. On an electric oven those are two physically different metal elements. On a gas oven they are two different igniter and burner assemblies. They are wired and controlled independently, which is exactly why one can fail while the other carries on as normal.
So when the broiler roars to life but a bake cycle stays stone cold, the appliance is telling you something useful. Power is reaching the oven, the door switch is fine, and the control panel is sending signals. The break in the chain is on the bake circuit alone. That single clue rules out a long list of whole appliance problems and lets you focus on two or three likely parts.
Did you know?
A bake element usually fails silently. There is rarely a bang or a smell, the oven just stops reaching temperature while the top broiler keeps working. That is why so many Montreal homeowners assume the whole oven died when in fact one twenty dollar coil gave out. The broiler still working is your best early clue.
Common causes when the oven will not heat but the broiler works
Here are the usual suspects, roughly in the order a technician would check them. Most jobs end at the first or second item on this list.
A burned out bake element (electric ovens)
This is the number one cause by a wide margin. Over years of heating and cooling, the lower bake element eventually cracks or burns through at one spot. Sometimes you can see a blister, a break, or a bright scorch mark on the coil. Once it breaks the circuit, the oven cannot bake, yet the untouched broiler element up top still works fine.
A weak or dead bake igniter (gas ovens)
On a gas oven the bake igniter has two jobs: it glows hot to light the burner and it draws enough current to open the gas valve. As igniters age they weaken, glowing dimly without pulling enough current to release the gas, so the burner never lights. The broiler igniter is a separate part, which is why broiling still works while baking fails.
A failed oven temperature sensor
The sensor tells the control board how hot the cavity is. If it fails in a way that reads a false high temperature, the board may cut the bake element to protect the oven while still allowing a manual broil. This one is less common than a dead element but worth checking before you blame the board.
The control board or bake relay
Each heating function is switched by a relay on the control board. If the specific relay that powers the bake element fails, the broiler relay can still work normally. Board faults are the least common cause on this list, so save them for last after the element and sensor check out.
People often ask: could it be the thermal fuse?
On some models a thermal fuse or thermostat can cut heat if the oven overheated, and a self clean cycle is a frequent trigger. If your oven quit right after a self clean, mention that to your technician. It is a quick thing to test and can save you from replacing parts that were never the problem in the first place.
What to check first, in order
You can safely run through the following steps yourself in a few minutes. Do not open up wiring, a gas line, or the control board. If a step points there, that is your cue to call a technician.
Step 1: Cut the power at the breaker
Before you touch anything inside the oven, switch off its circuit at your electrical panel and confirm the oven is dead. This one habit prevents the vast majority of appliance injuries and is non negotiable for any check you do.
Step 2: Confirm the exact pattern
Set the oven to bake at a normal temperature and give it several minutes with the power restored. Then try the broiler. If the broiler heats and the bake element stays cold, you have confirmed a bake side fault and can stop guessing.
Step 3: Inspect the bake element or igniter
With the power off again, look at the lower bake element on an electric oven for any break, blister, or dark burn spot. On a gas oven, restore power and watch the bake igniter: it should glow bright orange and light the burner within about a minute. A dim or no glow igniter is your answer.
Step 4: Note the age and the self clean history
Write down how old the oven is and whether the fault appeared right after a self clean cycle. Both facts help a technician zero in fast, and they feed straight into the repair or replace decision further down this page.
Step 5: Decide who finishes the job
A visible element break on an electric oven can be a do it yourself swap if you are handy. Anything involving a meter, the control board, wiring, or a gas oven should go to a professional. In Quebec, gas appliance work legally requires a licensed technician.
Electric versus gas: where the fault usually hides
The symptom looks the same on both oven types, but the part behind it differs. This quick comparison shows what to suspect and what is safe to check yourself on each.
| Likely cause | Electric oven | Gas oven |
|---|---|---|
| Heating part that failed | Bake element burned out | Weak or dead bake igniter |
| Why the broiler still works | Separate top element is fine | Broil igniter is a different part |
| Other suspects | Temp sensor, control board, bake relay | Temp sensor, control board, gas valve |
| Safe to check yourself | Visual element check with power off | Watch the igniter glow only, no gas work |
| When to call a pro | Testing with a meter, board or wiring | Anything past the igniter, always for gas |
Safety first: An oven runs on high voltage electricity, and a gas oven adds fuel to the mix. Always switch off the breaker before you look inside, and never poke at wiring, a gas line, or a control board unless you are trained. In Quebec, gas appliance work must be done by a technician who holds the proper Regie du batiment du Quebec licence. This article is general guidance only and Capital Appliance Repair is not liable for outcomes from work you attempt yourself.
Save your money
Do not buy a control board on a hunch. It is the most expensive common part and the least likely cause of this exact symptom. Confirm the bake element and the temperature sensor first. Many Montreal homeowners spend a small fortune on the wrong part simply because the fix felt mysterious, when a cheap element was the real answer.
Is it worth repairing?
Most bake element and igniter repairs are well worth doing, since the part is inexpensive and the oven is otherwise sound. The math changes when the oven is old and the quote creeps toward the price of a new one. Run your numbers through the quick check below.
Repair or replace: a quick oven check
Rough guide only. A new mid range oven in Montreal often runs about 1200 dollars installed. Ask for a firm quote first.
Pro tip
Match the replacement part to your oven model number, not just the brand. The model plate is usually on the door frame or the drawer below. A part that looks identical but has slightly different terminals or wattage can trip a breaker or fail early, so the model number is the detail that saves a second service call.
Download the free diagnostic checklist
Print the seven step checklist and work through it the next time the oven will not heat but the broiler works.
Oven Not Heating – Free PDF ChecklistCapital Appliance Repair fixes ovens and stoves across Montreal, from the Plateau and NDG to Verdun, Rosemont, Laval, and the West Island. If the bake element is dead, the igniter is weak, or the diagnosis has you stumped, book a visit and we will sort it in one trip. Start with our oven repair service or stove repair in Montreal, and see our full Montreal service area.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my broiler work but the oven will not bake?
In most ovens the broiler and the bake function use two separate heating parts. On an electric oven the broiler is a top element and baking uses a lower bake element, so a burned out bake element leaves the broiler working perfectly. On a gas oven the broil and bake igniters are different components too. Because the broiler still heats, you know the oven has power and the controls respond, which points the problem at the bake side specifically. That is good news, since a bake element or igniter is a common and fairly affordable fix.
Can I replace an oven bake element myself?
On many electric ovens a bake element is one of the more approachable parts, held by two screws with two wires behind the rear wall. If you are comfortable, switch the oven off at the breaker first, confirm there is no power, and match the exact replacement part to your model. That said, if the element looks fine and the oven still will not bake, the fault is likely a sensor, relay, or control board, and those need a meter and some know how. A gas oven is different again and any work beyond watching the igniter should go to a licensed technician.
Is it safe to keep using the broiler while the oven will not bake?
Using the broiler for a meal or two is usually fine since that part is working normally, but treat it as a short term workaround rather than a fix. The underlying fault, often a failed bake element or igniter, will not repair itself, and a dead element can sometimes trip a breaker or leave scorch marks. If you ever smell gas, see sparks, or notice a burning smell, stop using the oven at once and book a repair. For anything gas related in Quebec, a licensed technician is required by law.
How much does it cost to fix an oven that will not heat in Montreal?
A straightforward bake element or gas igniter replacement is one of the more budget friendly oven repairs, usually the service call plus a modest part. A control board, temperature sensor, or gas valve costs more because the parts are pricier and the diagnosis takes longer. As a rule of thumb, if the repair climbs past roughly half the price of a comparable new oven and the unit is already well used, replacement starts to make sense. A technician can give you a firm quote before you commit so there are no surprises.
