The Kitchenaid KODE500 Series of wall ovens are very nice and well built. They sport a glass user interface and a sharp appearance. The European convection feature (True Convection) has a third heating element sitting behind the fan mounted to the oven’s rear wall. It’s designed to blow heated air around the inside of the oven for a more even baking experience. Convection ovens regulate better because the heat is uniform compared to traditional ovens that have hotspots. Have you ever heard it said that cooks know their ovens? The uneven heat in conventional ovens takes all the credit for that saying!
As with any kitchen appliance, they will have their issues. Fortunately, not many that I’ve seen. Today’s article from the DIY Appliance Repair Series shows you typical error codes that come up with this model. But, as I said, these are well-built models and don’t fail often. But, they’re not perfect. Temperature errors and an occasional oven door latch error, and finally, a rare communication error might occur. Whenever you receive an over-temperature error code, you will need to check the related components, but keep in mind that the error code might be erroneous.
The code may have been generated by a faulty oven sensor and NOT a shorted relay that many people assume, so they end up replacing the control thinking a bake or broil relay failed, only to have the problem come back again. We can walk you through the procedure for troubleshooting these issues. Without proper guidance, we don’t recommend tackling this kind of job, especially by yourself.
F6E1 or F6E3 Error Code
These are oven over-temperature errors – Upper Oven and Lower Oven, respectively. If an oven temperature sensor fails, you will see this error. But, remember, it can throw you off. It’s best to check the resistance of the oven sensors. Look for a reading of around 1050 ohms for a good sensor. Check the bake and broil elements to ground. If you find one shorted to ground, the control is fine, and the over-temp alarm is justified. On the other hand, if the elements check good along with the oven sensor, suspect a bad appliance manager for the oven.
F5E1 or F5E4 Error Code
Sometimes, the latch that locks the oven door during a self-clean procedure will jam and won’t allow the oven door to open. The most common cause of either the upper E1 or lower E4 latch failures is their home position switches. The switches fail open and when the latch assembly cycles, it can’t find home position, and finally, the control times out and throws one of the error codes. These are tricky to work on unless you know how they work. Save yourself the grief and set up some time with Neli to help you through this.
F6E0, F6E6, or F6E9 Error Code
The above error codes relate to a loss of communication between the oven user interface and the appliance manager (F6E0). It’s not very common, but yes, it does happen. F6E6 is a loss of upper oven communication and F6E9 is a loss of lower oven communication. In my experience, I found that the error codes are spot on, nothing erroneous. Still, a communication error can get pricey. We can give you the details.
Oven Not Reaching Desired Temperature
I’ve talked about oven temps in this article. Sometimes the ovens in these models won’t reach their set temperatures. Here are a few do’s and don’ts that might help:
- Don’t use aluminum foil on the bottom of the oven cavity
- Don’t use foil on the oven racks (it prevents proper air circulation)
- Do place bakeware to maximize air circulation – See your Use and Care Guide
- Do check the oven temperature calibration for each oven – See your Use and Care Guide
If you still experience oven temperature regulation issues, please, reach out to us, and we can offer more solutions to help solve the problem. I hope you like what you read here today. All of us at Neli strive daily to meet our customers’ needs by providing helpful information when it’s needed.
If you have anything to add or have any suggestions to make Neli a better place for all of us, please let us know in the comment section below. We love to hear from you!
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Our Kitchenmaid Superba oven (about 17 years old) has started saying ‘close oven door’ in the middle of baking. Usually when the temp gets to about 400. the door is closed, the latch seems fine. It closes and locks for self cleaning. We live in rural northern CA. Do you think it’s time for a new oven? Sometimes it bakes just fine. Convection does not work if that error is lighting up. Any suggestions?
Hi Cynthia,
Hard to say for sure, but both of the door switches must be working or you will receive the error. One is home for the latch and the other is the door switch. Both have to agree or the error will appear. Hope this helps!