Stove burner not working: what it usually is on coil, glass, gas and induction

Coil-top electric stove

• The coil itself. Burns out or breaks at the terminals. Swap it with a working coil from another position to confirm.
• The receptacle. The socket the coil plugs into, which burns and loses contact over years. If a known-good coil does not heat in that position, this is likely.
• The infinite switch. The control behind the knob. If the burner is either fully on or fully off with nothing in between, or dead with a good coil and socket, the switch has failed. Same-visit repair.

Glass or ceramic cooktop

Under the glass, each burner is a separate radiant element with its own switch, so one dead zone means one part, not the cooktop.

• Radiant element. Failed, and replaced from underneath without touching the glass.
• Infinite switch or control board. If the element tests fine.
• Limiter. A safety on each element that shuts it off if the glass gets too hot. When it fails, the element cycles off early or never comes on.

A cracked glass top is the one fault where the cost approaches replacement on an older range; we say so on the diagnostic.

Gas burner

• Igniter. Clicks weakly or not at all. Dry it, seat the burner cap straight, and if it still fails, replace it.
• Spark module. Powers all the igniters; when it fails, several burners stop sparking or click constantly.
• Clogged burner head or ports. Boil-overs block the ports so the burner lights unevenly or not at all. A cleaning fixes it.
• Gas valve. The knob turns but no gas flows. A licensed technician handles it.

A burner that clicks without lighting can let gas accumulate. Turn it off and call.

Induction cooktop

• Induction coil. Each zone has its own coil under the glass.
• Power board. Drives one or more zones; when it fails, those zones die together.
• Cookware. If a zone works with one pot and not another, the pot is not magnetic enough. Test with a fridge magnet on the base.
• Error codes. Usually mean no pan detected, overheating, or a board fault. We quote induction boards before ordering because they are the expensive part.

What to do in the next hour

1. On a coil stove, swap the dead coil with a working one.
2. On a gas stove, dry the igniter and reseat the burner cap.
3. On induction, test the pan with a magnet.
4. If a gas burner clicks without lighting, turn it off and call.

What it costs

Pricing depends on the appliance, the brand, the fault and the part, so we do not publish a price list. Tell us what it is doing and we will tell you what to expect before anyone comes out. Call or email for a quote.

Where we work

We serve Richmond Hill, Markham, Aurora, Newmarket, Stouffville and Thornhill, and North York and King City. Call or email for the earliest available appointment. Related: oven not heating and oven and stove repair across York Region.

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