Last night set oven to preheat to 425. When temp indicator light was out, opened door and noticed not so hot (but was pretty warm) and oven light (inside of oven) was dim. Rotated temp knob up and heard thermostat click, but temp indicator light would not illuminate. Tried range top and it would just get warm, not hot. Rotated Oven switch to broil and the indicator light came on and broiler element got red.

After playing around with it, the indicator lights started working, the oven interior light was not dim, the oven heated, and the range worked. Thought maybe the oven switch was not set in detent or something the first time. However, after a short while, the same symptoms came back. Later it worked again!

The bottom element was resting on the floor of the oven, so I rotated the little legs and fixed that. The element was changed a year ago, otherwise has always worked fine.

Is it an oven switch ($$$) or something else please?

Thanks,

Bill

Now that the element is off the oven floor does it work OK (both the oven and the stove top)?

Since it affected both the oven and the stove top it is probably a power problem. Could be a bad connection in the wall receptacle or at the connection block in the unit or a wire in the unit.

Make sure you disconnect power before investigating any of these.
240 volts is very dangerous.

From your description my gut is saying that the oven element is shorting to the units frame. The question is: how to check it, if it is still doing it with the element properly up on it's feet. You need something that does not conduct electricity but can withstand the heat that you can slip under the feet to check if this is where it is shorting.

If this is the problem replace the element ASAP.

OK, after all this time, the problem is back, same as in the original post. The element is off the floor (and has been kept that way). I guess it is the switch??? What else can I try please?

thanks,

Bill

One last thing. The wife pulled the oven out to clean the cabinet sides yesterday and we slid it back in. I don't think it worked after that. :o

Must be a loose connection where the pigtail is put on with nuts (I hope). Since the unit is so old, it has had a lot of time to loosen up. The fact that I was having a problem before, and probably pulled it out and slid it back in and it worked also points to loose connection.

I will check when I get home. I will throw circuit breaker, unplug from outlet and check the pigtail connections.

Glad you found it.

If you ever have to pull the unit apart again it would be a good idea to clean the wires with extra fine emery cloth, they are probably pitted/corroded from being loose.