How to Fix a Gas Burner That Won’t Light — Step-by-Step Instructions
Burners off and cold before cleaning. If you ever smell gas without a flame, stop, ventilate, and shut the range’s gas valve.
Tools
- Soft brush or old toothbrush
- Sewing needle or paperclip
- Towel
Parts
- None for the cleaning fix; spark electrode if cleaning fails
Step by step
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1 Strip and wash the burner
Remove the grate, burner cap, and burner head. Wash the cap and head in soapy water, scrubbing the flame ports.
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2 Clear each port
Push a needle or straightened paperclip through every clogged port — boil-over residue plugs them invisibly. Don’t use a toothpick; wood breaks off inside.
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3 Clean the igniter electrode
The little white ceramic post next to the burner: brush it clean and dry. Grease film on the electrode kills the spark.
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4 Dry and reassemble exactly
Everything bone-dry, then reseat the burner head and cap in their keyed positions — a crooked cap causes half-lit, yellow flames.
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5 Test
It should click and light within 2–4 seconds with an even blue ring. Clicking with no spark at only this burner = replace that electrode; no clicking anywhere = spark module.
A burner that lights but burns yellow after a thorough clean, or a dead spark module, deserves a pro — yellow flames can produce carbon monoxide and modules involve range disassembly. If you'd rather skip it entirely, find a oven & range repair pro near you →
Sources
Where the safety, regulatory and warranty claims on this page come from. Repair costs are our own figures based on Arizona market rates and OEM parts pricing.
- Carbon Monoxide Safety Guide U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Carbon monoxide risk from gas cooking and heating appliances.
Step-by-step instructions for your exact model
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