Viking Range Oven Won't Ignite
On many Viking gas ranges the oven lights with a glow igniter, a small bar that heats up until the gas valve opens. When the oven won't light, that igniter is usually where the trouble is. If your Viking is dual fuel, the oven is electric and has no igniter, and a cold oven there is an element, relay, or power problem.
What it usually is
Most common first.
- Weak igniter
It glows orange but doesn't draw enough current to open the gas valve, so no flame appears or it lights only after a long wait. It gets worse gradually.
- Igniter not glowing at all
A burned-out igniter, a broken wire, or a thermostat or selector switch that isn't sending power to it.
- No power to the range
A gas oven still needs electricity to light. A tripped breaker or a loose plug behind the range stops everything.
- Gas supply off
If the shutoff behind the range or at the meter was closed for other work, neither the oven nor the cooktop will light.
- Gas safety valve
Uncommon. We test the igniter circuit first, because a weak igniter looks just like a bad valve from the outside.
What you can safely check yourself
- If you smell gas, turn the oven off, air out the kitchen, and don't keep trying. If the smell stays, leave the house and call your gas company from outside.
- Check the breaker for the range.
- Light a cooktop burner. If the top burners work, gas is reaching the range.
- Set the oven to bake and watch through the door window for about a minute. A glow with no flame and no glow at all are two different faults, and telling us which one you see saves time.
- On models with a clock or timer, make sure the oven isn't set to a timed or delayed mode.
Anything past this, like refrigerant, gas valves, wiring, or taking panels off, is a job for a technician.
When to call
- The igniter glows and the burner never lights.
- There's no glow at all.
- The oven takes much longer than it used to before it lights or comes up to temperature.
- The burner lights and then goes out.
- The broiler works and bake doesn't, or the other way around.
Common questions
Why does my Viking oven igniter glow but not light?
The gas valve opens only when the igniter pulls enough current. An aging igniter still glows but falls short, so the valve stays shut. We measure the current to confirm it before replacing the part.
Can I light a Viking oven with a match?
No. With a glow igniter, the gas valve won't open unless the igniter is working, so there's nothing to light, and reaching into the oven to try isn't safe.
Do you repair Viking ranges in Tampa Bay?
Yes. Artur Company, (727) 599-9631, repairs Viking gas and dual-fuel ranges around Oldsmar, Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Tampa. We're an independent service and aren't affiliated with Viking.
This is general guidance and models differ, so your owner's manual comes first. Artur Company is an independent appliance repair service and is not affiliated with, authorized by, or endorsed by Viking Range, LLC. Viking is a trademark of its respective owner and is used here only to describe the appliances we repair.
More on Viking repair
Need your Viking looked at?
Call to talk through what's going on, or book a visit online.