How Do I Know If My Bosch Oven Thermostat is Broken?

You Are Here:   Home > Automatic Appliance Parts Blog > How Do I Know If My Bosch Oven Thermostat is Broken?

*** Please be aware that Norridge is the only shipping facility. Inventory on-hand at all other branches is unavailable for immediate shipment. ***
 

Preparing food in your home kitchen takes money, time, and effort, and you want to be sure your appliances are performing at their best. According to Consumer Report’s 2022 Appliance Brand Reliability Rankings, Bosch appliances are in the top 10 brands for reliability. Still, from time to time, even they may need some attention. If you find your Bosch oven isn't giving you the delicious results you're accustomed to for your baked goods, the thermostat may not be working correctly. Read on for some signs and troubleshooting tips to help to determine if your thermostat is broken.

Narrow Down the Problem

You’ll need to answer some important questions before determining if an oven heating problem is because of a broken thermostat or something else. Go through the following troubleshooting steps to narrow it down:

• Is the oven not heating at all?
• Is there power to the oven? Check that the power cable isn’t loose from the wall outlet, and ensure it's plugged in tight. Go to your home's breaker box to verify that the circuit breaker has tripped. If so, reset and try to power the oven on again. If the breaker trips again immediately, there may be an underlying electrical problem, such as a damaged power cable or a short somewhere in the oven's electronic parts.
• Have you recently had a power outage? Is the clock flashing 00:00? Some Bosch ovens won't allow use until you reset the clock.
• Does gas power your oven? If so, can you see the igniter glowing and hear it activate the gas within 90 seconds of turning it on? If not, you may have a faulty igniter.
• Does electricity power your oven? Then it will have a heating element on the oven’s bottom. To test, do not touch it directly, but hold your hand at a safe distance and see if you can feel the heat rising. A damaged heating element can prevent the oven from heating or coming to a set temperature.

If your oven powers on properly and has no problem beginning to preheat as you'd expect, you can move on to the next troubleshooting steps.

Test Your Oven's Temperature With a Thermometer

The simplest and least expensive way to test your oven temperature yourself is with an oven thermometer. These are readily available at most home improvement or general merchandise stores. Small metal ones have numbers and a bright red dial. You can also spend a little more money and get a digital thermometer with a probe inside the oven and a magnetic display outside.

To use, hang the thermometer from a middle rack where it's visible through the oven window and set the oven temperature. When the oven indicates it's preheated, without opening the oven door, compare the temperature on the oven display to the oven thermometer. (Remember that opening the door can let out up to 50 degrees of heat and may not give you an accurate reading.) A digital thermometer offers a slight advantage since the numbers are easily read outside the oven.

If you find the oven is running consistently hotter or colder by 10 to 20 degrees, that may be close enough that you can adjust your recipes accordingly. Modern ovens cycle constantly, and their internal temperatures can vary during cooking. The thermometer will show you some normal oven functions, so you don't need to worry if you see fluctuation during cook time if your food results are as expected.

Perform an Oven Calibration

On some Bosch ovens, consumers can calibrate the oven's temperature. For this procedure, you'll need an accurate thermometer, tools like pliers or screwdrivers, and your owner's manual. The manual will tell you if it's possible for you to calibrate the temperature yourself or if you need a trained technician. Be careful, especially if your oven is still under warranty, since your attempts to fix it may void the warranty.

It's important to be focused and follow the manual directions carefully for oven calibration. If you have an oven with physical dials, calibration may involve removing the knobs and adjusting the posts to reset the zero location on the knob. If your oven controls are digital, the manual will list a procedure that typically involves following a series of menu prompts.

Calibration can be an effective tool for an oven that's off by up to 20 degrees. Any oven that's off 30 to 50 degrees may warrant a closer look at what's causing the problem. Your next step may be locating and testing the thermostat itself.

Test Thermostat With a Multimeter

A multimeter is a digital diagnostic tool that can measure the volts, current, and resistance of electrical circuits, components, and devices. They vary in price and are readily available at home improvement stores. The tool has a red and black probe with metal tips that you touch to an electrical component to learn if it's performing according to its specifications.

This troubleshooting technique isn't necessarily easy for a beginner. A homeowner with some electrical knowledge can locate the oven's thermostat on a schematic drawing. Installation or owner's manuals may provide this information. You may need to remove some panels or plates to expose the thermostat for testing. As with the calibration, be aware of your oven's warranty status and avoid doing anything that could void it. Once you determine the electrical reading on a thermostat that's functioning normally, the multimeter gives you a reading to compare.

From the simple to the more advanced, these troubleshooting techniques can help you determine whether your Bosch oven thermostat is broken. If you think it's time for replacement, don't despair. We stock quality original equipment manufacturer Bosch parts. You can search by part number or by model number. Our friendly customer service professionals are standing by to answer your questions from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Feel free to contact us, and we can help get you cooking again.