Replace the oven temperature sensor (RTD probe)

The oven sensor is a thin probe at the top rear of the oven cavity, held by two screws, with a plug just behind the wall. Test it first, then pull it forward, unplug it without losing the connector into the wall, and plug in the new one. Electric and gas ovens use the same approach for the sensor; no gas parts are touched.

Cross-checked ~20 min easyBrands: All

Before you start

Turn off the range breaker(s) or unplug the range and let the oven cool.
Gas ranges: turn off and unplug only; do not disconnect or adjust the gas supply or valve (gas work is blocked: refer to a licensed gas technician).
Do not let the connector slip back through the wall.

Diagnostic steps

Unlock all 8 steps with expected values

Full library + AI assistant + the OnCall Tech app for iPhone & Android. $34.90, one time.

Get lifetime access

OnCall Tech is a reference tool for trained technicians and can make mistakes. Always disconnect power and confirm with the manufacturer's documentation before you work.

More ranges & ovens guides

Guide · Range / Oven

Electric range trips the breaker or blows a fuse

Use the timing of the trip to split the problem. A trip at power-up, with every control off, points to the supply cord, terminal block, internal wiring or the breaker itself. A trip only when one element or mode is turned on points to that element (usually shorted to its sheath) or its switch and wiring. Rule out a weak or undersized breaker last, after the range itself tests clean.

8 steps ~60 minmoderate

Guide · Range / Oven

Electric range partly works: display on, oven or big elements won't heat

An electric range runs its electronics and lights on 120 V (one hot leg to neutral) but heats with 240 V across both legs. If one leg is lost, the range looks alive but cannot heat properly. Typical causes are half of the double-pole breaker tripped or failed, a burned terminal block or cord connection, or a damaged receptacle. A building on 208 V will heat, just more slowly.

7 steps ~45 minmoderate

Guide · Range / Oven

Oven keeps heating when turned off or overheats past setpoint

This is a fire hazard: turn the breaker off first, then diagnose. On electronic controls the usual cause is a relay on the control board whose contacts have welded closed. On dial ovens it is a stuck thermostat or selector contact. Less often a shorted sensor or harness is to blame. On gas ovens, a burner that won't shut off is a gas-valve problem and goes to a licensed gas technician.

7 steps ~60 minadvanced