How to Unlock Self-Cleaning Oven Door

Having a self-cleaning oven allows you to save plenty of time. However, different issues may happen, so you should know how grapple with them. If you cannot open the door of your oven after a self-cleaning cycle, there are few things you can do yourself to fix this problem.

Required Tools

  • screwdriver;
  • VOM;
  • wire;
  • cleaning cloth.
screwdriver and multi-meter

Oven Temperature Sensor

There are several possible reasons why the door will not open, and one of them is an issue with the appliance’s temperature sensor. In this case, you should see a fault code on the electronic control panel.
If you think that something is wrong with the sensor, unplug the oven for several minutes and then connect it again.

If after you reset the appliance, the door will not open, check this part manually. You can do this by unplugging the appliance and removing the back panel. Find the wire harness connector of the sensor (see the manual) and unplug it.

Temperature Control Thermostat

Door Lock Switch

There are three door lock mechanisms that come with the following:

  • a solenoid system;
  • a motorized design;
  • a heat-sensitive locking control.

If your oven is controlled by a solenoid system, you should check the locking lever, which should be in the proper position to keep the door locked. Usually, you can hear a buzzing noise when locking/unlocking the door with the locking handle.

If you have the door with a motorized design, there will be no locking/unlocking handle. In this case, the motor will lock the door automatically when it is in a self-clean cycle.

The lock mechanism using a heat-sensitive locking control comes with a coiled spring, which will lock the door when it heats up.

You will need to try and fix this problem, depending on the type of locking system used in your machine. Read the manual of the manufacturer to find out which type of lock system is used in your over.

doorlock switch

Motor Assembly

Another problem that you may encounter may be due to a faulty assembly of the door lock and motor. Reset your oven by unplugging it and connecting again. If this does not help, you will need to try and open the oven’s door yourself.

Remember to unplug the oven first. You should be able to find the assembly by opening the appliance’s top. It may be challenging to do due to the locked door because you may find it difficult to reach the screws that secure the top. In this case, you can use a hook made from wire to reach the latch and pull it.

How to Unlock and Open the Oven Door

If resetting the oven or other methods described above do not help, then you should check some parts with a VOM:

You can test the temperature sensor in the following way:

  • Unplug the appliance;
  • Find the sensor using the manual;
  • Remove this part;
  • Use the VOM at the Rx1 setting;
  • Test the part for continuity.

The reading depends on the model you have, so refer to the manual. If the reading is incorrect, replace the sensor.

Test the door lock switch using your VOM:

  • Unplug the appliance;
  • Find the switch using the manual;
  • Remove it;
  • Set the VOM to Rx1;
  • Check the part for continuity.

Replace the door lock switch if the reading does not show zero or close to zero.

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