RV Oven Troubleshooting [16 Solutions]

RV oven troubleshooting can sound daunting, especially if you are going in blind without knowing what’s wrong.

There are lots of brands of RV ovens, the most common being Dometic, Suburban, Atwood, Flame King, and Coleman. The good news is that no matter what brand this RV oven troubleshooting guide will help you find and fix the problem.

Let’s get started and try to fix your RV oven, for you to get your dinner ready in time.

Problem: RV Oven Won’t Light

I know the frustration of pressing the pilot light button hearing the clicking and waiting and waiting and nothing happens. It always happens after you’ve spent a substantial amount of time making your dinner.

There are a few different solutions you can try to light up your RV oven again.

Solution 1: Hold The Igniter Down For Longer

Before you try anything else make sure that you are pressing the igniter button for long enough, hold it down for at least 20 seconds before you move on.

Don’t worry about putting too much propane into the oven, it needs this to ignite. You might find that you just weren’t giving it enough time.

Hold it down for longer if you have to manually light the pilot as well.

Solution 2: Clean The Pilot Assembly

If you’ve tried solution 1 and still are having no luck then it might be that the pilot assembly is dirty. To clean out the pilot assembly unscrew the nut, don’t lose the small piece that falls out when it comes off.

Use a cloth or a sponge to clean all the gunk out and make sure there is no debris in there. Screw the pilot assembly back together, make sure it is screwed on tight or the pilot flame will be all over the place. 

Try lighting the oven and see if that’s done the job.

Solution 3: Adjust The Pilot Flame Size

If the above didn’t work, try adjusting the pilot flame size. First, you need to find the pilot adjustment screw, this is a tiny screw either on the thermostat or on the pilot assembly.

Turn the screw counterclockwise to loosen it, this will let more propane flow to the pilot when you press the ignition switch.

Solution 4: Unkink the Supply Line

If none of the above solutions work try this one before you seek professional help. Sometimes the copper supply lines behind the oven can get bent when the oven is being installed.

If you think this may be the problem with your oven try pulling the oven out so you can access the supply lines. Straighten out any kinks if you find them and carefully put the oven back making sure that the lines don’t pinch up again.

If none of the above solutions make your RV oven light then it’s probably time to call a professional.

RV Oven Troubleshooting

Problem: No or Low Fuel Supply

If you think everything else is working but you can’t hear the gas going into your oven then the reason your RV oven doesn’t work could be because of the fuel supply.

If the oven doesn’t light when you turn it on you should be able to smell the propane gas flowing through, if you can’t smell the gas it could be a fuel supply problem.

If you think the problem is the fuel supply try the following solutions before calling a professional for help.

Solution 1: Check  Propane Valves are Open

It may sound obvious, but sometimes the obvious is overlooked. Make sure that the valves are all open that supply the propane to your oven.

Solution 2: Check Your Propane Tanks

Another obvious solution is that your propane tanks might be empty. The propane doesn’t just go to your oven, other appliances in your RV rely on that too.

Check that you have enough propane, at least a quarter of a tank, and top up your tanks if not.

Solution 3: Unkink the Supply Line

Like solution 4 above it could be that the supply lines are kinked so the gas can’t flow through.

If you think this may be the problem with your oven try pulling the oven out so you can access the supply lines. Straighten out any kinks if you find them and carefully put the oven back making sure that the lines don’t pinch up again.

Problem: Pilot Light Won’t Stay On

If your pilot lights up easily but after a few seconds the flame is out then there could be a few things that are going wrong with the thermocouple..

The thermocouple is a sensor to measure the temperature of your oven, it has metal wires that should be in the pilot flame. The other end of the thermocouple is connected to a thermometer to measure the temperature. 

The thermocouple is essentially a safety feature for your oven, it signals to stop the gas if the pilot light has gone out. If it’s not working correctly then it will not ignite the rest of the oven and the pilot light will go out if you’re not physically supplying the gas.

Let’s run through what you can try to fix the problem.

Solution 1: Heat Up The Thermocouple

Hold the pilot light button in for 20 seconds after it’s lit. This gives the thermocouple time to heat up and enough gas for the flames to stick.

Solution 2: Misaligned Thermocouple

If solution 1 doesn’t work, then the thermocouple could be misaligned and not able to catch the pilot flame. 

If the thermocouple wires are misaligned then just bend them back into place. The wires should be in the centre of the pilot flame, so the thermocouple can heat up properly.

Solution 3: Install a new Thermocouple 

If the above solutions don’t fix the problem then it’s time to get a new thermocouple. You can pick up a thermocouple for about $20 off Amazon, this is one for a Suburban RV oven.

Step 1

Turn off the gas supply with the shut-off valves. Make sure the gas is completely off before moving on.

Step 2

Clear everything out of the oven and remove the screws holding the oven floor in place.

Step 3

Lift off the oven floor and find where the gas line enters and the thermocouple connected to it. The other end of the thermocouple will be connected to the pilot light.

Step 4

Unscrew both ends of the thermocouple using a wrench if needed. Carefully remove the the old thermocouple.

Step 5

Install the new thermocouple in the same place as the old one. Make sure the wires are in the middle of the pilot light, and it’s secured tightly in place using a wrench.

Step 6

Replace the oven floor and turn the gas back on, fingers crossed it works.

RV oven troubleshooting

Problem: RV Oven Burning Food

It’s difficult to cook food evenly in an RV oven at the best of times, here are some tips to trying to get an evenly cooked meal every time from your RV oven.

Solution 1: Make Sure The RV Is Level

If your RV is level then this will help to make sure that the heat distribution in your oven is even. It’s especially important if your meals have a lot of liquid, as it will also stop spills and save you cleaning.

Solution 2: Raise the Wire Shelf Higher

This may take a bit of trial and error before you find the perfect height, but the closer the rack is to the bottom the more my food burnt on the bottom. After I raised the oven shelf a couple of notches my food started to cook more evenly.

Solution 3: Rotate the Food Whilst Cooking

Most ovens cook food a little unevenly, especially RV ovens. Rotating the food regularly whilst it’s cooking in the oven will help drastically.

Even if you just turn it 180 degrees half way through the cooking time it will help.

Solution 4: Learn Your RV Ovens Cooking Times

After a few meals, you will start to get an understanding of your RV oven and know if it tends to cook things faster or slower.

The best thing to do is keep an eye on your dish throughout the cooking process.

Solution 5: Use Good Quality Cookware

Your cookware will affect the cooking process, cheaper low quality cooking equipment will end up burning food because they have poor heat distribution.

Invest in some good quality RV Oven cooking ware that will aid your cooking and fit well in the oven.

RV oven troubleshooting

Solution 6: Use a Baking Stone

This is the best tip I’ve picked up to help cook my food evenly in the RV oven. A baking stone helps to spread the heat evenly and it really does!

I have one similar to this Pizzacraft Round Ceramic Pizza Stone and it works a treat, you could also use a rectangular one if it fits better in your oven.

Final Thoughts

RV ovens are notoriously finicky but if you run through the steps detailed above you should be able to RV oven troubleshoot on your own and avoid repair costs.

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