Cooktops FAQ | Appliance Showroom

Cooktops - Troubleshooting/FAQ

What can cause my surface burner(s) not to ignite?

Is the burner wet from cleaning?

Allow the burner to completely dry. You might want to speed up the drying process by blowing cool air on the area using a hair blow dryer.
If burner ports are clogged, refer to your Use and Care Guide for sealed surface burners cleaning recommendations.

Are the burner ports clogged?

If burner ports are clogged, refer to your Use and Care Guide for sealed surface burners cleaning recommendations.

Do all burners fail to light?

Check to see if the cooktop is connected to the gas supply and the gas shutoff is turned on.
If you are not connected to gas, have a qualified gas technician connect the appliance to gas.
If you are connected to gas and have verified gas is available at the appliance, contact our service department for assistance.

Do you hear a sparking sound?

If there are sparking sounds, the igniter may not be sparking to the burner cap.
Turn off the appliance and check to make sure the caps are set on the correct burner base properly.
Do not switch the caps from one burner to another as they may not spark properly. Each burner has its own individual cap.

What is recommended for cleaning and caring for my ceramic cooktop?

To avoid damaging the cooktop, follow these instructions to preserve the uniquely elegant look of your ceramic surface unit:

Do not store jars or cans above the cooktop.
Dropping a heavy or hard object onto the cooktop could crack the cooktop. Use special care with heavy skillets.
Do not leave a hot lid on the cooktop. As the cooktop cools, air can become trapped between the lid and the cooktop, and the ceramic glass could break when the lid is removed.
For foods containing sugar in any form, clean all spills and soils as soon as possible. Allow the cooktop to cool slightly and then, while wearing oven mitts, remove the spills while the surface is still warm. If sugary spills are allowed to cool, they can adhere to the cooktop and can cause pitting and permanent marks.
Do not slide cookware or bakeware across the cooktop. Aluminum or copper bottoms and rough finishes on cookware or bakeware could leave scratches or marks on the cooktop.
Do not cook popcorn in prepackaged aluminum containers on the cooktop. They could leave aluminum marks that cannot be completely removed.
Do not allow objects that could melt, such as plastic or aluminum foil, to touch any part of the cooktop surface.
Do not use the cooktop as a cutting board.
Use cookware about the same size as the surface cooking area. Cookware should not extend more than 1/2" (1.3 cm) outside the area.

Are there any tips for using cookware on my cooktop?

IMPORTANT: Do not leave empty cookware on a hot surface cooking area, element or surface burner. Ideal cookware should have a flat bottom, straight sides, a well-fitting lid, and the material should be of medium-to-heavy thickness.

Cookware material is a factor in how quickly and evenly heat is transferred, which affects cooking results. A nonstick finish has the same characteristics as its base material. For example, aluminum cookware with a nonstick finish will take on the properties of aluminum.

Use the following information as a guide for cookware material:

Aluminum
Heats quickly and evenly.
Suitable for all types of cooking.
Medium or heavy thickness is best for most cooking tasks.
Cast iron
Heats slowly and evenly.
Good for browning and frying.
Maintains heat for slow cooking.
Ceramic
Follow manufacturer's instructions.
Heats slowly, but unevenly.
Ideal results on low to medium heat settings.
Copper
Heats very quickly and evenly.
Earthenware
Follow manufacturer's instructions.
Use on low heat settings.
Porcelain enamel-on-steel or cast iron
See stainless steel or cast iron.
Stainless steel
Heats quickly, but unevenly.
A core or base of aluminum or copper on stainless steel provides even heating.

My gas cooktop burners are clicking. Is that normal?

If the burner igniters are clicking in the "off" position, make sure the knob is turned completely to the "off" position and the knob has popped back out.
It is normal to hear multiple burners click when only one ignites.
Moisture after cleaning can also cause the igniters to click intermittently. Let the unit dry for a few hours.
If clicking noises persists, contact our service department for assistance or to make an appointment.

Why is my electric cooktop not working?

Are the controls set correctly?

Push in knob before turning to a setting.

For coil element models, is the element inserted properly?

Turn off the unit and fully reinsert the element into the receptacle.

For electronic touch pad models, have you accidentally set the control lock?

Press down and hold the control lock button for 5 seconds to unlock the control lock. The light next to the lock should turn off. If it still appears to be locked, turn off the power to the cooktop for a minute, and then turn power back on to reset the controls.

Why does the cooktop indicator light stay on?

Are all the cooktop indicator lights on after power was turned on to the cooktop?

It is normal for an electronic tap touch-controlled glass cooktop to have its hot indicator lights come on when power is turned on from the breaker.
This ensures the cooktop has properly cooled before turning off the hot warning lights. Indicator lights will remain on up to 30 to 40 minutes.

Is the cooktop "on" light on?

Push in and turn a knob to a setting.
The cooktop "on" indicator light is located on the right side of the control panel. The light will glow when any surface control knob is turned on.
The indicator light will go off when all control knobs have been turned off, even when one or more surface cooking areas are still hot.

Is the Hot Surface light on?

This light, located above the knob, is a Hot Surface light. It will illuminate when the burner surface heats up. It will stay illuminated until the surface burner cools down.
This light could stay on for up to two hours after the burner has been turned off, depending on how long it takes to cool down.

Why is the food on my cooktop burner not simmering or boiling?

Are the control knobs set correctly?

The surface cooking area locator shows which element is turned on. Use the temperature setting guide in the Use & Care guide when setting heat levels.

Are you using the correct size burner for cookware?

Use the small burners for simmering and cooking small quantities of food requiring smaller cookware.
Use the large burners for boiling, deep fat frying and cooking large quantities of food requiring larger cookware.

Are you using proper cookware?

See tips on proper cookware to use on your cooktop.
For best results your cookware should be perfectly flat on the bottom.
Using a pan too large or too small for a cooking area can impact cooking performance.
As a rule, your cookware should not overlap the heat zone by more than one inch on each side.
Choose the heat zone closest to the pan size.

Do you have your control knob set on the highest temperature?