An oven light that stays on usually has a door switch that's sticking, or a door that isn't closing far enough to press it. On ovens with electronic controls, a stuck relay on the control board can keep the light on too.
In this post:
- •The light button or switch is stuck
- •The door switch is sticking
- •The door isn't closing all the way
- •A setting is holding the light on
- •A relay on the control board is stuck
1. The light button or switch is stuck
Most ovens have a light button or rocker on the control panel as well as the automatic door switch.
How to tell: Pressing the light button changes nothing, or a rocker switch feels loose or gritty.
What to do: Press it firmly a few times. A mechanical switch that won't click off needs replacing; on a touch panel, see the relay item below.
2. The door switch is sticking
A small plunger in the door frame turns the light off when the closed door pushes it in. Grease and baked-on spatter can stop it moving freely.
How to tell: With the door open, press the plunger in by hand. If the light goes off, the switch works and the door isn't reaching it. If the plunger feels gummy or slow to spring back, it's sticking.
What to do: With the oven off and cool, wipe around the plunger with a damp cloth and a little dish soap. Don't spray cleaner into the opening. A switch that stays stuck after cleaning needs replacing.
3. The door isn't closing all the way
A door that sits slightly open never presses the switch, and it lets heat escape every time you bake.
How to tell: Light shows around the door edge, the door doesn't pull itself shut, or a rack hits the inner glass.
What to do: Make sure the racks are fully seated and nothing is caught in the gasket. Worn hinges or a torn gasket are technician repairs.
4. A setting is holding the light on
Some ovens let you set the light to stay on while cooking, and on some models Sabbath mode locks the light in whatever state it was in.
How to tell: The light stays on only after certain modes, or a Sabbath icon shows on the display.
What to do: Check the settings menu, and exit Sabbath mode the way your manual describes.
5. A relay on the control board is stuck
Electronic ovens switch the light through a relay on the control board. If its contacts stick, the light stays on whatever the button or door does.
How to tell: The door switch and light button both seem fine, but the light stays on. Sometimes it started after a power surge.
What to do: Switch the oven off at its breaker if you need the light off, and book a technician to test the board.
When a technician is the better call
If the door switch checks out and the light still won't go off, our oven repair technicians can test the switch circuit and control board. Don't put off a door that won't close, either. Besides losing heat, it can confuse other features that rely on the door switch; see why a convection fan stops working.
Marco's advice: A light left on for days adds heat to the oven and burns through bulbs. Until it's fixed, switch the oven off at its breaker overnight and reset the clock in the morning.
Oven light still glowing? Call ProFix LA at (818) 334-4526.