Cooker Thermostat Issues: Signs, Fixes, and When to Call a Pro

When your cooker thermostat, a device that controls the temperature inside your oven or hob by turning heat on and off. Also known as oven temperature sensor, it’s the quiet brain behind consistent baking and roasting. starts acting up, your meals turn out undercooked, burnt, or uneven—no matter what recipe you follow. It’s not always the heating element. More often, it’s the thermostat failing silently, sending wrong signals to your cooker’s power system. This isn’t a guess. A 2023 UK appliance survey found that 37% of oven repair calls were traced back to faulty thermostats, not broken elements or blown fuses.

Think of the cooker thermostat, a device that controls the temperature inside your oven or hob by turning heat on and off. Also known as oven temperature sensor, it’s the quiet brain behind consistent baking and roasting. like a car’s speedometer. If it reads 180°C but the oven is actually at 220°C, you’re cooking at the wrong temperature. Common signs include food taking way longer to cook, the oven light staying on constantly, or the oven overheating until it shuts off. You might even smell burning plastic—that’s the thermostat’s internal wiring overheating. These aren’t just annoyances. A broken thermostat can cause energy waste, fire risk, or even damage other parts like the control board. The oven heating element, the metal coil that generates heat inside the oven cavity. Also known as bake element, it’s the part most people assume is broken when the oven won’t heat. often gets blamed, but if the element glows red and the oven still doesn’t reach the right temp, the thermostat is likely the issue.

Before you call a technician, try a few simple checks. Does the oven beep or flash an error code? That’s a clue. Use an oven thermometer—place it inside, set the dial to 180°C, and wait 20 minutes. If the thermometer reads more than 15°C off, your thermostat is out of sync. You can also listen for clicks. A working thermostat makes a soft click when it turns the heat on or off. If it’s silent, the switch inside may be stuck. Replacing a thermostat isn’t hard for a DIYer with basic tools, but it requires disconnecting power and handling delicate wiring. If you’re unsure, don’t risk it. Gas or electric faults can lead to serious hazards.

What you’ll find below are real fixes from people who’ve been there. Some posts show you how to test a thermostat with a multimeter. Others break down the cost of replacement parts versus hiring a certified engineer. There are guides on why your cooker suddenly stopped working—and how often it’s the thermostat, not the timer or fuse. You’ll see comparisons between cheap generic parts and OEM replacements. And yes, there’s a post on what to do if your cooker works fine for a week, then fails again—because that’s a classic thermostat symptom.

Fixing a cooker thermostat isn’t about being a genius. It’s about knowing what to look for, when to pause, and when to call someone who’s done it a hundred times. The right fix saves you hundreds. The wrong one could cost you more than a new cooker. Let’s get you the facts you need—no fluff, no jargon, just what actually works.