Appliance Repair Wisdom for the Ages

Saturday, August 16, 2003

I worked on one of these recently, exact same problem: intermittent F7 error code. I couldn't even get it to do the F7 error while I was there. There's a pretty good tech service sheet inside the control panel. I followed its procedure for testing the keypad (which was nothing more than pressing all the buttons and hearing it go "BEEP!" ).

But the tech sheet did mention that intermittent F7 problems are usually caused by poor connections. So I pulled the ribbon connector off the control board and cleaned the copper connectors using a pink pencil eraser. That whupped that puppy!

But then I went out on another service call, same oven, different house. The pink pencil eraser trick didn't work on this one so I had to apply some of that famous Samurai gray matter. To identify the problem on this one, I cut power to the range and disconnected the ribbon connector that connected the touch pad to the electronic range control (ERC) board. Then I re-applied power and let it sit that way for 24 hours after which the customer was instructed to call me and report on the error code status of the oven. If no error code was reported, I knew the touch pad was the problem. If, on the other hand, the F7 error code came back, then I knew the (ERC) was the culprit. In this case, the error code did not come back during the test period and, using my keen, Vulcan-like powers of deduction, concluded that the touch pad was defective. I replaced the touch pad and problem solved!

It's important that you don't skimp the disconnect test because there's a big difference in price between the ERC and touch pad. So, you want to be right on this one. Ok, after you do this test and determine which part you need to replace, come and get it here.