Whirlpool is a global brand that designs and makes a wide variety of appliances for the home. They are a trusted brand known for their reliability and this has made them a popular choice among consumers.
But even the best brands and products sometimes run into issues. In this article, we focus on issues with the Whirlpool Super Capacity 465 oven. What can you do when it stops working? Do you need to call someone to check and repair it or are there things you can try yourself first?
Read on to find out what to do when your Whirlpool Super Capacity 465 oven stops working.
Why is Your Whirpool Oven Not Working?
There can be a variety of reasons why your oven stops working, ranging from electrical supply issues to faulty components or the control lock having been turned off. If you would like to try to solve the problem yourself before calling in a technician, below you will find issues that are common with the Super Capacity 465.
1. Problems With The Electrical Supply
Quite often, issues with appliances such as the 465 ovens from Whirlpool are caused by problems with the electrical supply. There could be a damaged component, insufficient voltage, or even a problem with a low current flow in the electrical system in your home.
The first thing to do is to check the clock on your oven. If it is not displayed, it is safe to conclude there is no power to your oven. Next, check the circuit breaker connected to the oven. Sometimes circuit breakers can flip and fixing it should solve the problem. However, if the circuit breaker is fine, move to the next troubleshooting step.
2. An Issue With The Control Lock
As a safety feature, your Super Capacity 465 oven has a control lock installed. The lock prevents anyone from opening the oven door by accident. When the lock is on, which it should be whenever you use your oven, the locked door cannot be opened without disengaging the lock.
Check that the lock is in the “off” setting. If it is not, you may need to reset the control console for your oven. You can do this, by pressing and holding the button down for three seconds. If you are not sure where the control lock for your oven is, check the owner’s manual for details.
3. Igniter Issues
If the oven has not started working after checking the power and the control lock, you next need to check the igniter. Out of all the components in your oven, the ignitor is the most likely to be faulty.
The igniter draws electrical currents through a safety valve and when hot, it will glow and ignite the gas in the oven’s burner. Sometimes the igniter can weaken and will not be able to open the valve and therefore the oven will not heat.
To check the igniter, turn your Whirlpool oven on and keep watching the igniter. After ninety seconds or thereabouts, it should already be hot enough to glow. If it isn’t, the igniter is faulty and will need replacing.
4. A Problem With The Bake Element
If your igniter is working properly, you should next check the bake element of your oven. When the element gets hot, it will glow, just like the igniter. If there is no glow from the element, it is clear that it is not heating properly. It is not uncommon for baking elements to get damaged or burn out completely.
Ensure your oven is turned off before inspecting the heating element. Check for holes and blisters. If you cannot see any damage, you can test the element using a multimeter.
Make sure it is set to Ohms and you connect the terminals to the right slots. The multimeter will show if there is a continuity of volts. If there is not, you will need to replace the element.
5. Problems With The Spark Electrode
Next, you can inspect a component called the broiler. The custom broil ignition uses spark electrodes to ignite the gas. The electrode is similar to a spark plug and you will find it near the burner. When the power to your oven clicks on, a spark will jump from the electrode and ignite the flame.
Sometimes, the electrode can break or wear out and you will get no spark when you turn the oven on. Ensuring your oven is turned off, check the electrode and its housing for damage. Because the housing is porcelain, there may be cracks on it. If either component is damaged, it will need replacing.
6. Thermal Fuse Problems
Next on the troubleshooting list is the thermal fuse. In the unlikely event of your oven overheating, the thermal fuse will shut off the power to the oven. This problem is more likely to occur while your food cooks rather than before you start cooking.
If the thermal fuse of your oven is blown, the oven will not heat up. Check for visual damage on the fuse and use the multimeter. Since fuses cannot be reset, you will have to replace a blown fuse.
7. Issues With The Control Board
The control board relays the required voltage to the components in the oven. Although the control board rarely stops working, it is not unheard of. Before you replace the control board, ensure you have worked through the list and checked all the heating components first.
8. Problems With The Oven Thermostat
Sometimes the oven can stop working if there is a problem with the temp control thermostat. All modern ovens and stoves have safety features built-in which stop them from overheating. The oven temperature sensor controls the broiler’s temperature so if the broiler is not getting hot, check the thermostat.
The thermostat is a thin tube made of copper. It attaches to another, thicker tube that contains hydraulic fluid. As the temperature of the broiler rises, the fluid will expand and apply pressure on the thermostat’s activator and turn the oven off if it gets too hot.
If the temperature control thermostat is malfunctioning or has become damaged, your oven’s broiler is not activated. Because it is difficult to test the thermostat, you may need to get a professional to check it for you.
When to Call a Professional
While it is possible to identify the cause of the problem yourself and you can even fit some of the replacement components yourself, you should contact a professional if you feel at all out of your depth. Malfunctioning ovens can be a safety hazard and by attempting to fix the problem yourself, you could make it worse.
A professional repair person can identify or confirm the issue quickly and ensure the problem is fixed safely. If your oven is still under warranty, you may get the problems fixed for free depending on the cause. If you contact customer service regarding your appliance’s warranty or issues, they may ask you for a serial number.
A Note on Using The Self-Cleaning Feature
Having a self-cleaning feature in your oven can help reduce the use of products and elbow grease. During the self-cleaning cycle, the oven heats up to a very high temperature. It is recommended that you don’t use this feature more than once a year and only when your oven is very soiled as misuse can lead to problems with your oven.
Common Error Codes For Whirlpool Ovens
Modern ovens will often display an error code when there is an issue. The error code can help you identify the fault. Below, you will find some common error codes and you can always check your instruction manual for more information.
LOC: This code means the child lock is activated. Pressing and holding the cancel or start button for ten seconds should clear the code.
PSH: this code will appear if the start button is not pressed within one minute of pressing the keypad. Turn the power to your oven off for one minute. When you turn it back on, the message should have cleared.
F1: this means your electronic oven control may be defective. Try unplugging the oven first or turning the power off from the circuit breaker. If the code is still displayed, you may need to replace the electronic oven control.
F2: when your oven displays the error code F2, it means the temperature is too high. As ovens should not overheat, the issue could be with the thermostat or one of the heating elements.
F7 or F8: Both of these codes refer to issues with the control board and you may need to replace it.
You can watch this video for more information on oven error codes.
Conclusion
Now that you know what to check on your Whirlpool Super Capacity 465 oven, we hope you can identify the issues and get your oven working again properly and safely. We recommend you work through the troubleshooting list to eliminate each cause at a time.
If you are not able to pinpoint the issue or it is too difficult to fix yourself, contact a qualified technician. You should never attempt to repair electrical appliances such as the Whirlpool ranges yourself if you do not feel confident.
If you have any questions about the Whirlpool ovens, you can write them in the comments section.