How To Replace An Oven’s Shutdown Thermal Fuse (With Video!)

Is your oven failing to heat up just when you need it most? A simple yet crucial component, the thermal fuse, might be the culprit behind your malfunctioning appliance. Before rushing to buy a new oven, check out our step-by-step video guide below to learn how to replace the thermal fuse yourself with just a screwdriver and a bit of time.

Need a replacement oven thermal fuse? Search below using your specific oven model number to identify the exact part needed:

An oven that won’t heat up is a pretty big problem, but the source of the issue could actually be very small. When your oven shuts off mid-roast, or won’t turn on again after a self-cleaning session, there’s a pretty good chance that the thermal fuse has tripped. This little safety feature keeps the rest of your oven from melting or malfunctioning due to excessively high temperatures, and stops it from running once it’s been blown. Before you start shopping for a new oven, give fixing it yourself a try. The thermal fuse is a vitally important part of your appliance, but it’s also a surprisingly easy component to replace. With the right replacement part, a screwdriver and a few minutes, you’ll have your oven working again, and we’ll walk you through it!

Keep reading to learn how to replace your oven’s thermal fuse, and don’t forget to check out our video guide for a detailed look at each step.

What Is A Thermal Fuse?

A thermal fuse, also called a thermal cutoff, is a small safety feature found on many appliances that protects the appliance and its components from heat damage. On ovens, this part is usually found behind an access panel on the rear of the appliance. If the heating element inside your oven exceeds a certain temperature, the fuse will trip, and the oven will shut off. In some cases, the door will lock, as well. On most ovens, once the thermal fuse has tripped, it will need to be replaced before you can use your oven again. This part is made to break! In some newer models, though, the system can be reset with a hard reboot of the appliance. You can consult your appliance manual to see what sort of thermal safety feature is in place on your oven. However, we recommend that you not use your oven again until you’ve verified that all parts are in working order – thermal fuses blow for a reason.

How To Tell If A Thermal Fuse Is Bad

Thermal fuses will break when the oven temperature exceeds the fuse’s temperature limit. While it’s possible that a thermal fuse could be damaged on its own, while moving the appliance or when running your oven’s self-cleaning feature for example, it’s more likely that a broken thermal fuse is a symptom of another problem in your oven. That said, how do you know if your oven’s thermal fuse is blown? If your oven shuts off abruptly while it is in use and will not turn on again later, especially if the door locks up, there’s a good chance the thermal fuse has been tripped. If you have a multimeter or ohmmeter, you can test the thermal fuse to be sure. Just make sure to shut off power to the appliance for safety before you test anything.

How to test a thermal fuse

Unless things got really hot in your oven or it stays at room temperature, the thermal fuse likely won’t show any visible signs of damage. Here’s how you can test a it to see if it’s been tripped:

1. Disconnect your oven from power, either at the wall outlet or circuit breaker.
2. Remove the rear access panel on your oven. The thermal fuse will be attached to the back panel behind that. It is a small plastic piece with two wires connected to it via terminals.
3. Carefully disconnect the two wires. They shouldn’t be too hard to remove.
4. Time to test the continuity of your thermal switch. Get a digital multimeter and set it to Rx1 resistance.
5. Touch the ends of the multimeter to both sides of the thermal fuse. If a “0” is displayed, the thermal fuse is functional. If not, it is broken, and will need to be replaced.

Remember to check the rest of your oven

As we said before, a damaged thermal fuse is often a symptom of other problems in your appliance. If your oven’s thermal fuse is broken, you should check out other components, as well. If you don’t find the source of your problem now, you’ll likely be replacing another thermal fuse in the near future. A broken thermostat or heating element could have blown fuses, so start your search there. Even if your appliance’s thermal fuse was damaged while using your oven’s self cleaning cycle, there’s a good chance other parts, like the door switch, were damaged as well.

Finding The Right Replacement Part

For a safety feature like your oven’s thermal fuse, it’s vital that you get a genuine OEM replacement part number. Finding a compatible component is as simple as searching your oven’s model number online. You can get the model number from the manual or, failing that, from a label somewhere on the appliance.

If you’re looking for your oven’s model number, check these locations:

• Open the oven door and check around the frame.
• Open the broiler or range drawer and check along the sides or on the inside of the door, itself.
• Lift the cooktop and check beneath that.
• Check the exterior of the stove, it could be on the sides or back, behind the main control panel.

Once you’ve got the appliance’s model number, type it in below to search AppliancePartsPros.com and find the exact oven replacement parts you need. You’ll be able to buy a genuine OEM replacement part and have it shipped to you in just a few days! Our product listings also feature manufacturer diagrams and FAQs and tips from do-it-yourselfers just like you.

How To Replace Your Oven’s Thermal Fuse

We completed this quick and easy repair on a Whirlpool electric oven. Replacing the thermal fuse on other electric ovens will be a similar process. So long as you have an electric oven, you should be able to use this guide to walk you through replacing its thermal fuse, even if it isn’t a Whirlpool! Once you have your replacement thermal fuse, the only tool you’ll need to complete this job is a Phillips screwdriver or drill. Got it? Let’s get started!

To replace your oven’s thermal fuse, you will need access to the rear of the stove. Be careful when pulling your appliance away from the wall, and don’t hesitate to get assistance if you need it! Luckily, that’s probably the hardest part of the job.

1. Start by disconnecting your range from its power source. Either unplug it from the wall or turn off its circuit breaker. Never complete maintenance or repairs on an appliance that is still receiving power!
2. Remove the stove’s back access panel. It’s held in place with a number of screws. Once those are removed, you should be able to lift the panel up and away.
3. Disconnect the wires attached to the old thermal fuse and then remove the mounting screw holding it in place.
4. Mount the new thermal fuse to the oven cabinet. Make sure you are aligning the pin on the thermal fuse into the proper slot before reinstalling the mounting screw.
5. Reconnect the thermal fuse wires. It doesn’t matter which terminal each wire goes on.
6. Reinstall the back panel. Slot the bottom and top tabs back into place before reinstalling each of the mounting screws.

Wrapping Up

Once the access panel is back on and you’ve pushed your range back into place, the only thing left to do is plug it back in and test everything out. If it turns on and heats up – and doesn’t heat up too much – you’re all set. Congratulations on successfully performing appliance repair on your oven!

If you need any replacement parts for your appliances, you can enter your model number at AppliancePartsPros.com to locate and order them quickly. Most orders arrive in just two business days, and we have tons of great information in our repair help section and YouTube videos to help you troubleshoot.

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