The short answer
E13 is a heating performance fault. The documented meaning is that the oven did not pre-heat correctly. Treat it as out of service for cooking: a cavity that cannot reach temperature reliably will not cook food safely either.
This code and its neighbours on this appliance
Reference| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| E13 | The oven did not pre-heat correctly. There may a problem with the Appliance Control Board or the associated wiring. |
| E2 | The NTC sensor may not be working. This issue can not be corrected. Please see the “KitchenAid ® Warranty and Service” sections. |
| E12 | There is a problem with the Gas Sensor or the associated wiring. |
What you see alongside the code
- The code appears at the end of a preheat that never completed — The control waited out its window and stopped.
- Food is undercooked at the usual times and settings — A cavity below its set point cooks slowly without anything looking wrong.
- NEAR MISS - the oven does not attempt to heat at all — No attempt at all is a supply or control fault rather than a heating performance one.
The causes, likeliest first
- A partly failed heating element — First because it is the most common and often visible: elements fail progressively, producing less heat for weeks before they open completely.
- A relay not closing reliably on the control — The element is fine and never gets full power.
- A temperature sensor reading high — The control believes the cavity is hotter than it is and cuts heat early.
Check in this order, and why
- Watch the element with the cavity cool and the light on — Uneven glow or a dead section is a diagnosis on sight, and it costs nothing.
- Check the door gasket all the way round — Gaps, hardening and flattened sections are visible and are a genuine cause.
- Listen for the relay click at the start of a cycle — A click with no heat following separates the control from the element.
The owner-safe procedure
- Switch off at the breaker and let the cavity cool completely — Every visual check on this fault is done cold, and the element is the thing you are about to look at.
About 45 min
- Inspect the element for breaks, blisters or dull sections — With a flashlight and without touching it. You are looking for a visible defect, not testing anything.
Tools: flashlightAbout 10 min
- Run a hand along the door gasket for hard or flattened spots — Cold cavity only. A gasket that no longer springs back is letting heat out.
About 8 min
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel - a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Heating elements carry full supply voltage and stay hot long after a cycle ends, so every check described here is done on a cold appliance with the breaker off. If the oven has tripped a breaker, leave it off and do not reset it repeatedly. Put every screw you remove in one place. A fastener left in the base of a cabinet is a rattle at best and a short at worst.
When this is a service call
Call once the visual checks are clean and the code still appears. What remains - element resistance, relay operation, sensor value and supply voltage - all need a meter on live circuits carrying full element current. Call immediately, and leave the breaker off, if the code came with a burning smell or a tripped breaker. When booking, give the exact code and the model number rather than a description - it decides which parts travel to the visit.
Neighbouring codes on this appliance
What this page does not cover
This is generalized information. It is written for E13 as the KitchenAid oven code list documents it across the brand rather than for one family or model line. Where a family- or model-specific page exists for your unit it is the more specific answer and is linked from the code index for this appliance. The codes listed beside it in the table above are documented differently, so read the characters on your display carefully rather than working from a code that merely looks similar.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
