The short answer on E23
E23 means the oven did not reach its preheat temperature within the 30 minutes the control allows, so it flagged the heating system. The oven may still warm, slowly and unevenly; do not rely on it for temperature-critical cooking until the cause is found.
Error codes
Reference| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| E23 | The oven did not reach Pre-Heat Temperature within 30 (thirty) minutes. There may a problem with the Heater, the Appliance Control Board, or the associated wiring. |
Behaviour that comes with E23
- A long preheat that ends in E23 — The cavity is warm but never reaches the set temperature.
- A heater that stays dark — An element that never glows, or a gas burner that never lights, is the strongest single clue.
- Slow, uneven cooking before the code ever appeared — The same weak heat shows in results first.
- NEAR MISS: a lit display, no heat at all, no code — A completely cold oven points to the supply or a part failed outright; start at the breaker.
Why E23 appears, in likelihood order
- A failed or weakened heater — First: a broken element, or a weak igniter that lights the burner late, starves the cavity of heat.
- Half the supply missing — An electric range on a double breaker can lose one side: lights and clock work while the heaters do little or nothing.
- Heat escaping the cavity — A door that does not close fully, or a torn or shrunken gasket, can stall preheat.
- Wiring or the Appliance Control Board — A relay that never closes, or a burnt heater terminal, keeps power from a good heater; confirmed with a meter.
Diagnosing E23: the order that saves time
- Check the breaker first — A half-tripped double breaker costs nothing to rule out and mimics a dead heater.
- Watch the heaters during preheat — Shows whether heat is being produced at all.
- Inspect the gasket and door closure — Gaps, tears or a door that springs open slightly are quick to spot.
- Meter the heater and its supply — A technician separates an open heater from missing power before the board is blamed.
Clearing E23 and checking it safely
- Reset the breaker firmly — Switch it fully off and back on; a double breaker tripped on one side can look on while delivering half its supply.
Tools: breaker panel accessAbout 3 min
- Run a watched test preheat — Empty cavity, and look through the window for a glowing element or a lit burner.
About 15 min
- Check the gasket and door fit — Feel around the closed door for escaping warm air and look for torn or flattened gasket.
Tools: flashlightAbout 5 min
- Inspect an exposed element, power off — Blisters, a split sheath or a burnt spot mark a failed heater.
Tools: flashlightAbout 5 min
Safety on this appliance
Safety
Switch off the breaker before touching an element or removing any panel; a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Stop running test preheats once you see a split element, which can arc. On a gas oven, if you smell gas, do not switch anything on or off, leave the building, and call the gas utility or emergency services from outside.
Reset or repair: where the line is
Call when the breaker is good and the oven still times out, when an element is damaged and you would rather not replace it, or when a gas oven lights slowly or with a bang. Igniter, valve and relay faults all need testing under power.
More Amana oven code pages
Model coverage and limits
This reading of E23 applies to Amana ovens whose control enforces the preheat timeout in the table. It does not cover ovens that report slow preheat differently, and it does not separate gas from electric models; a model-specific page, where one exists, is the better guide. None is listed for E23 yet, so use the Amana oven code index below.
The Amana oven code list
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