GE Gas Oven Not Heating? JGB660 Igniter Fix

If your GE gas oven is glowing but not lighting, or heating weak and uneven, the bake igniter is the first thing to check. On this JGB660 gas range the igniter had worn out. It still glowed, but it no longer drew enough current to open the gas safety valve, so the burner never lit. This walkthrough shows how to confirm the fault and replace the igniter safely, the same way a working technician would diagnose it in the field.

Common causes of a GE gas oven not heating

On a gas oven, a no heat or weak heat complaint most often traces to the bake igniter. The igniter has two jobs: it glows to ignite the gas, and it draws enough current to open the gas safety valve that lets gas flow. As it ages, it weakens. It can still glow while failing to pull enough current to open the valve, so the oven never lights. The same symptom can also come from a failed safety valve, a wiring fault, or a control problem, but a worn igniter is by far the most common.

How to confirm the igniter has worn out

The telltale sign is an igniter that glows but never lights the burner. A healthy igniter draws enough current to open the safety valve within a minute or so. A weak one glows a dull orange and the valve never opens, so no gas ignites. Watching the igniter glow while the burner stays cold is the field confirmation that the igniter has lost its pull and needs replacing.

How the replacement works

With power and gas off, the bottom oven panel comes out to expose the bake igniter near the burner. Disconnect the old igniter, handle the new one carefully since the element is fragile, and fit it in place. Reconnect the wiring, refit the oven panel, restore gas and power, and confirm the oven lights and heats to temperature. It is a repair most people can do with basic hand tools once the diagnosis is confirmed.

Tools and parts

You will need a nut driver or screwdriver to remove the oven panel and the correct replacement bake igniter for the JGB660. Handle the new igniter by its bracket, not the fragile glowing element, and always match the replacement part to your model number.

Safety first

Gas appliances carry both live voltage and a gas supply. Always disconnect power at the plug or breaker and shut off the gas before you service anything. If you smell gas or are not confident working around gas and electrical components, stop and have the repair done by a qualified technician.

Want to learn to diagnose repairs like this?

This is exactly the kind of diagnosis the Appliance Repair Academy teaches, a repeatable process for confirming the fault before replacing parts. Explore the Appliance Repair Academy program and download the Appliance Repair AI diagnostic app to carry diagnostic support onto real jobs.

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