Oven Control Board Repair: Signs, Costs, and When to Replace

When your oven won’t heat, displays error codes, or turns off randomly, the oven control board, the digital brain that manages temperature, timing, and power flow in modern electric ovens. Also known as clock control board or electronic control unit, it’s the component that takes your button presses and turns them into actual heat. This isn’t a simple fuse or thermostat—it’s a circuit board that coordinates everything from the bake element to the display screen. If it fails, your oven might seem broken even when all the parts are fine.

Many people assume a dead oven means it’s time for a new one. But often, it’s just the oven control board that’s gone bad. You might see flashing lights, unresponsive buttons, or the oven turning itself off mid-bake. These aren’t random glitches—they’re red flags pointing to the control board. In some cases, a power surge or moisture from cleaning can fry the board. Others wear out after 8–12 years of daily use. It’s not always expensive to fix, but it does require the right technician. A licensed appliance repair pro can test the board with a multimeter, check for burnt traces, and swap it out in under an hour. Most boards cost between $100 and $300, plus labor. Compare that to a new oven, which can run $800 or more.

Not every oven issue comes from the control board. Sometimes it’s a broken heating element, a faulty temperature sensor, or even a tripped breaker. That’s why diagnosing the problem matters. If your oven heats unevenly or takes forever to preheat, those are usually element or sensor issues. But if the display is glitchy, buttons don’t respond, or the oven won’t turn on at all—especially after a power flicker—then the oven control board is the prime suspect. You can’t fix it with a screwdriver or a YouTube video. It’s not user-serviceable. Trying to replace it yourself without the right tools and knowledge can make things worse—or worse, create a safety hazard.

What you’ll find below are real repair stories from people who faced the same problem. Some saved hundreds by fixing the board. Others learned the hard way that a 10-year-old oven isn’t worth the repair. We cover what brands are most prone to board failures, how to tell if your model’s board is still available, and when it’s smarter to walk away. You’ll also see cost breakdowns from actual service calls—not guesswork or inflated estimates. No fluff. Just what works, what doesn’t, and how to avoid being overcharged.