Hi, I have a GE/Hotpoint Electric oven that has worked great for about 15 years or more. A burner started sparking and so I replaced all the burner plugs, but didn't do the switches. One switch must be bad because the burner light is on all the time even though the burner is switched off. We disconnected the wires to that burner and capped them.

Then, one of my boys used the oven and promptly informed me that I should throw my stove away because the oven wasnt getting hot enough. Iopened the door and a three inch segment of the bake element had broken off and there was white powder on the door and floor of the oven.

I'm not worried about putting in a new bake element (this is a self cleaning oven and is old). Working on this stove has not been hard so far and it still looks new.

What do I need to worry about replacing, just the element or is it a sign of a bigger problem? Should I replace the burner element on the effected burner when I replace the switch? Most of the plug-ins were very loose or cracked beforeI replaced them.

Thanks for any help you can give. I'm really poor and I can't afford a new stove. I've had this one since new.

Thanks, Gene. I hope I don't need all that. Hopefully its just the element. Thanks on the switch info. Once the chaos stops, I want
to get all new burner elements. I just can't afford them right now. But after what happened to my bake element, its definitely moved up on the list.

Thanks on the burner, its the 8". I imagine with it being selfcleaning, the bake elements do go bad with that high heat.

After all this (I replaced the sealon the oven door too) my stove will be brand new!