I have an 8 month old GE electric range – model number JBP35DMBB. The baking oven in this unit has not worked properly since it was purchased. The broiler and the surface burners work fine.

Here are the symptoms:

Using recipes that work perfectly when baked in another electric oven of a friend (as well as perfectly in my old electric oven), baked items get burned on the bottom, and the tops never get done. This is with shelf in the middle position of the oven. Adjusting the shelf lower makes the bottom burn faster, adjusting the shelf higher makes the process take longer, but the bottom still burns before the rest of the cake or bread is cooked. Baked items are never cooked evenly from top to bottom.

I have also noticed that the time to “preheat” the oven varies from day to day – even with a constant ambient temperature. I have timed how long it takes to preheat to 400F, sometimes it takes 10 minutes, other times it takes up to 30 minutes. This is with a constant ambient temp of 68F. In both of these situations I can hear the relay switching on and off several times during the heating. I can also see the bake element going on and off.

The oven has a “user-adjustable” thermostat with a range of plus or minus 35 degrees. I've tried adjusting it in both directions to see if that would help – the baking results don't change. It is disappointing to know that GE manufactures an electric oven with a such a large margin of temperature error.

The store where I purchased the unit has sent a service tech to my house 4 times, each time they tell me the unit is “in spec”. I've baked using electric ovens for over 30 years, I have never had these problems.

In summary – the problem is baking – items do not cook evenly, and the oven heating & temperature regulation seems to be inconsistent.

Are these problems common to GE electric ranges ?

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.