How to Repair a Gas Stove Clicking but Not Lighting

If you have a gas stove, it’s normal to hear a clicking sound when you light an element. But if it makes the clicking sound but doesn’t light, this means something is wrong with your gas stove, and it will need to be fixed.

Thankfully, many of the causes of this problem are quite easy to fix yourself. Simply follow our step-by-step instructions below.

Please note that if you can smell gas coming from the element even when it’s turned off, you should immediately turn your gas supply off, ventilate your house or exit the house completely, and call a qualified technician to come and inspect your gas supply.

If you’re sure there’s no gas leak, get started with step one.

Step 1 – Realign the Burner Cap

The best place to start is to check if the burner cap is out of alignment. If this happens, your gas stove won’t be able to ignite.

To realign the burner cap, you need to:

1. Wait until the stove is completely cool.
2. Remove the burner grate.
3. Realign the cap so it’s in the center.
4. Try to ignite your gas stove.
5. If it doesn’t work, move on to step 2.

Step 2 – Clean and Dry the Burner

The next step is to check if the burner is clean and dry. If there is excess moisture in the burner or loose food debris, this can stop the gas stove from igniting. Most of the time, this is caused by water overflowing from a pot or grease from a pan.

To make sure the burner is clean and dry, you need to:

1. Remove the burner grate.
2. Remove the burner cap of the burner that isn’t igniting.
3. Make sure there is no loose food debris in or around the burner. If there is, give it a good clean. Also, check the stove knob to make sure nothing is obstructing it from turning around correctly.
4. Let it air-dry, or you can turn the oven on at a high temperature for about 30 minutes so the heat from the oven helps to dry out the stove.
5. Once the burners are dry, put the stove back together again, and test if it now ignites. If not, move on to step 3.

Step 3 – Check the Gas Supply

The next step is to check if the gas supply is working correctly. Sometimes when you try to ignite the burner, you can hear a clicking noise and see sparks, but the gas doesn’t ignite. The reason this happens is that the gas supply is partially blocked.

Here’s how to check the gas supply:

1. Lift the grate off the burners.
2. Take the burner cap off (you may have to remove a couple of screws to be able to take the cap off).
3. In the back of the burner, there is a small hole that feeds the gas through the igniter. Sometimes it can get blocked with grease or grime, which stops the gas from igniting. Use a toothpick or needle to give the hole a good clean.
4. Put the burner back on the stove, and check if it now ignites. If not, move on to the next step.

Step 4 – Check the Spark Igniter Connections

If you’re working out how to repair a gas stove clicking but not lighting, the next step is to check the igniter connections to ensure that they are securely in place.

Here’s how to check the igniter connections:

1. Unplug the oven at the wall.
2. Remove the burner head from the oven.
3. Inspect the wires that come out of the range top and connect to the burner head for any signs of damage. If damaged, they will need to be replaced.
4. If the wires are not damaged, check that the connections are attached to the igniter correctly. If loose, tighten them or replace them.
5. Once repaired, put your stove back together, plug the oven back in, and check if the problem has been solved. If not, move on to the next step.

Step 5 – Replace the Igniter

If the burner still won’t light, your next best option is to replace the igniter completely. Replacing the igniter isn’t a very complicated repair to make – just make sure you have the right replacement part.

Here’s how to remove the old igniter and replace it with the new one:

1. Turn the power off to your stove.
2. Turn the gas supply off.
3. Lift the burner head off the stove.
4. Turn the burner head over, and use a screwdriver to disconnect the wires from the igniter.
5. Check that the wires are fine and not damaged in any way. If they are damaged, they will need to be replaced before you attach the new igniter.
6. Attach the new igniter – you can do this by reattaching the wires and then putting it into the place where the old one was.
7. Put your stove back together, turn the power on, and test if the problem has been solved. Hopefully, at this point, your gas stove is now working correctly!