Broiler Not Working — Causes & Parts

Broiler Not Working

A broiler that will not heat is diagnosed the same way as a bake element failure, but the part in question is the broil element mounted near the top of the oven cavity (on electric and dual-fuel ranges) or a dedicated broil igniter on some gas ranges. Because the broil circuit is used far less often than bake, a failure here can go unnoticed for a while -- many people only discover it when they specifically switch to broil.

Confirm the oven is actually set to broil (not bake or convection) and that the broiler pan is correctly seated before assuming a part has failed; an incorrectly stacked broiler pan and insert can block airflow and make heating look uneven even when every part is working.

Confirm you are actually testing the broil circuit and not bake: select broil specifically, leave the door cracked if your range's manual calls for it, and watch the top element directly rather than relying on the display. If the bake element heats normally in a separate test but the broil element stays cold under broil mode, the fault is isolated to the broil circuit specifically, not the oven's heating system as a whole.

Safety first: ranges and ovens combine electricity, gas, and extreme heat.

  • Shut off power at the breaker before removing any panel, testing a switch, or touching internal wiring -- don't rely on the range's own power or oven control being off.
  • On a GAS range, shut off the gas supply at the shutoff valve before working near the burners, igniter, or gas valve. Never test an igniter, spark electrode, or gas valve with gas flowing to the appliance.
  • If you smell gas at any point, leave immediately and call your gas utility from outside the house -- do not flip switches, light anything, or try to troubleshoot the smell yourself.
  • The oven cavity, bake and broil elements, and stovetop burners stay dangerously hot long after use -- let the range cool completely before opening it up or reaching inside.
  • Gas line connections and gas valve work require a licensed technician. Do not attempt to disconnect, repair, or replace a gas line or gas valve yourself.

Most Likely Causes

Work through these from most to least common -- most range and oven repairs turn out to be one of the first two or three parts on this list, not the last.

  1. Broil element burned out (electric/dual-fuel) — a visible blister, split, or burn-through point on the upper heating element, the same failure pattern as a bake element. Part type: Frigidaire Range Broil Element (316203301) or Frigidaire Range Broil Element (316203200).
  2. Broil igniter not lighting (gas) — on gas ranges with a separate broil burner, the igniter never glows when broil is selected, or the control board never sends the broil-ignition signal at all -- treat this the same way you would a bake igniter failure and never test it with gas flowing.
  3. Selector switch or control board not routing power to broil — the bake circuit works fine but broil does nothing, pointing at the switch or board rather than the element itself. Part type: Oven Switch (316021500); check Terminal Block (5303935061) connections too.
  4. Broiler pan or insert seated incorrectly — not a failed part -- a broiler pan sitting backwards or an insert left out can produce uneven or apparently absent heat. Confirm placement against Broiler Insert (3413F01619) and Broiler Pan (3401F02019) before replacing anything.
  5. Safety thermostat tripped — cuts power to the whole heating circuit as a protective measure. Part type: Range Safety Thermostat (3196548).

How to Confirm Before You Buy a Part

Before ordering any replacement part, take a minute to confirm the fit -- it is the difference between a repair that works the first time and a part that does not match.

  1. Find the model/serial plate. On most ranges it is behind the storage drawer or kick panel at the bottom front, inside the oven door frame, or on the back panel of the unit. See how to find your model number for exact locations by appliance type.
  2. Read the full model number exactly as printed, including letters and dashes -- manufacturers often reuse near-identical model numbers across different production runs that take different parts.
  3. Verify the part fits that exact model using the model and part lookup tool before ordering, rather than assuming a part fits because it looks the same as the one you are replacing.

The full model number matters more than the brand and body style alone: one range body design is often sold under many model numbers over several years, with the exact igniter, element, switch, or control board changing partway through that run. Two ranges that look identical side by side can still take different parts if their model numbers differ, even by a single trailing letter or digit.

When to Call a Licensed Technician

Most of the parts above are within reach of a confident DIY repair using basic hand tools and a multimeter. Two situations are the exception. First, anything that requires opening a sealed gas valve, running a new gas line, or repairing a suspected gas leak is technician-only work -- these repairs need pressure testing and code-compliant fittings that are not a basic-tool job, and a mistake here is a safety hazard, not just a wasted part. Second, if you have already replaced the most likely part from the list above and the symptom persists, or a fault code keeps returning after a full power reset, a licensed technician with brand-specific diagnostic tools can usually isolate the remaining possibilities faster than continuing to swap parts by trial and error.

Check Your Exact Model

Part numbers above cover common range and oven platforms, but the only way to be certain a part fits your range is to look it up by model number with the model and part lookup tool. A few real range models with parts already indexed:

Related Symptoms

If this is not quite the problem you are seeing, check the related range and oven guides below, or browse the full list of 87 repair symptoms.

Symptom
Bake Element Not Heating
Oven Not Heating
Temperature Not Accurate
Control Board Failure

Still not sure? Use the model and part lookup tool to search by your exact range model number.

Related searches this guide answers: “broiler not heating”, “broil element not working”, “top oven element not working”.