Originally Posted by: mayflower 
I have the same problem, except that the wire is for the bake element in the lower oven. Is there a way to find it? The opening for the wire is only about 1" in diameter and the wire cannot be reached by a finger.
Mayflower,
Here's an update and I do have your answer.
To access the lost wire for your lower oven bake element,
you can try taking a piece of stiff wire and bending back an end, like a hook and you may be able to grab it,
If not, here's what I'm doing.
I was able to grab onto my lost lower oven broil element wire by removing a small round piece (called a catylizer I believe) right next to the lost wire opening.
I then took a piece of flexible wire and fished it through the hole where my wire should be and bent it through the catalyzer opening and attatched it to the lost terminal wire, then pulled on my flexible wire to retrieve my lost wire.
I then had another problem, the "lost wire" was so short there was no way I could get it out of the opening. That's why I was not able to get it out in the first place.
So.....
I built a small platform 12 1/2 inches tall (total height) on top of a small 4 wheeled dolly I bought at Harbor Freight for about $15.00
I then removed the 4 sheet metal screws that held the oven into the kitchen cabinet. I then pulled the oven out of the cabinet onto my dolly/platform.
I removed probably 14 - 16 sheet metal screws and removed the two large sheet metal covers on the back of the oven. Note: Most of the screws were phillips head but all the screws on one side were torx ???
I haven't a clue why.
Once the back panels are off you will be able to easily access you lost wire.
I am not quite so lucky,
Upon review of my "lost wire" I was able to observe that Thermador made the wire way too short. Only able to install from factory. So short that where the wire passes through the sheet metal into the oven that the wire was rubbed halfway through it's insulation.Have to replace it.
THANK YOU THERMADOR:mad: for not even installing a plastic bushing into the sharp edged sheet metal.
I just returned from town where I had a terrible time finding another piece of #16 awg stranded aluminum wire. I needed to replace the worn wire and add 2-3 inches so as to be able to service the broil element in the future.
I also installed a plastic bushing into the sharp opening to protect my wire. The bushing was probably a 1" 0R 1/14" Bushing I would use on a metal electrical box.
If you do take it this far, I would strongly suggest you inspect your wires as Thermador did not put any bushings on the metal punchouts.
$3500.00 oven COME ON THERMADOR:mad: , Maybe this should be a recall item???
Hope this helps,
I need to go put my oven back together.
I'm also going to take digital photos of the back while I have the sheet metal panels off.
