The short answer
FEE7 names the main cavity broil element and its wiring: the control drove the element and did not get the result it expected. The broil element sits at the top of the cavity and is what browns and finishes food. Expect cooking to be wrong or absent, and treat it as a service call rather than a reset.
Code table
Reference| code | meaning | owner-checkable |
|---|---|---|
| FEE7 | There may be a problem with the main cavity broil element or the associated wiring. | no |
| FEE6 | There may be a problem with the main cavity bake element or the associated wiring. | see page |
| FEE8 | Power unit down by turning off the circuit breaker(s) for one (1) minute. | see page |
What you observe
- Nothing browns under the broiler — The top of the cavity produces no radiant heat.
- One element glows while the other does not — On a dual-element oven, comparing the two localises the fault instantly.
- NEAR MISS — food cooks unevenly but everything glows — Uneven cooking with both elements live is a calibration or fan question.
Likeliest causes first
- A failed element — First, because the code names it: elements fail open at the point where the coil is thinnest, and it is the commonest heating fault on any oven.
- The terminals and harness at the rear of the element — Second: the connections run at high current and high temperature, and a burnt terminal block reproduces a dead element exactly.
- The relay or output driving it — Last: the switching stage can fail, and that is why a technician tests the output before condemning the element.
Check in this order
- Look at the element, cold, with the light on — A break, a bright blister or a bulge is visible without tools and is often the whole diagnosis.
- Compare the two elements under load if the oven has both — One glowing and one dark tells you which side of the cavity has the fault.
- Test the element and its supply with a meter — A technician checks continuity at the element and then voltage at its terminals, in that order.
Owner-safe steps
- Stop using the oven and note the code — A failed element can arc at the break, and continued use is what turns a part into a bigger repair.
About 5 min
- Inspect the element visually with the power off — A cracked or separated coil confirms the fault before anyone is called.
Tools: torchAbout 10 min
- STOP HERE — the element is replaced from inside the cavity on live-rated terminals — It needs the breaker off and the connections made correctly.
Safety first
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel — a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. An oven carries a heavy element circuit behind the rear panel, and the cavity stays dangerous long after the heat is off. Leave the door lock and its switch wired exactly as they are.
When to call
Call once you have looked. An element is a stocked, moderately priced part and the repair is bounded, but the terminals behind it run at high current and a poorly made connection is a fire risk rather than an inconvenience. Ask the technician to check the terminal block as well as the element, because a burnt block will destroy the new part as surely as it did the old one.
Neighbouring codes — FEE6 and FEE8 sit beside FEE7 and name overlapping hardware, so most checks here carry across. Read the two meanings side by side: where they differ in the part named, the order of the checks changes with them.
What this page does not cover
This page is written for the Maytag oven class rather than for one model line, and FEE7 is read exactly as the shared table records it. If your family or model has its own page, that page is the more specific answer and it is linked below — go there first when your model is named. Left out deliberately: connector positions, wiring colours and part numbers, which are family-specific.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
