Thermador Gas Stove Keeps Clicking: Causes & Fix

What the clicking really is#

Thermador's sealed star burners light from a ceramic spark electrode beside each one. The control fires that spark only until it senses a flame, then stops. Continuous clicking means it never gets the "flame is lit" signal, so it keeps striking — a nuisance that slowly wears the spark module rather than a gas hazard.

The short list of causes#

• Moisture across the electrode. A boil-over, steam, or a damp wipe leaves a conductive film on the ceramic tip that keeps the spark shorting until it dries. This is the most common trigger by far.
• Food or grease in the gap. Baked-on spatter between the electrode and the burner conducts current the same way water does.
• A stuck knob switch. The switch that calls for a spark can hang closed on grease or a weak spring, so one burner clicks regardless of the knob.
• A failed spark module. Shorted internally, the module keeps firing even when the cooktop is clean and dry.

A calm, methodical reset#

Let the burner cool, then lift off the star cap and burner head and blot up every trace of moisture. Dry the electrode and its base thoroughly — a fan or a cool hair dryer speeds it along, and trapped water can take an hour or two to leave on its own. Ease any hardened food out of the electrode gap with a wooden pick, reseat the cap squarely, and try again. If a single burner still clicks when everything is bone dry, its knob switch is stuck; if several click together, suspect the shared spark module.

Before the holiday cooking season#

A cooktop that ticks through every meal is at its most maddening when the kitchen is busy. If a spill or a deep clean left yours clicking, dry and clear the burners now so the range is quiet before the holiday cooking begins. If it keeps clicking dry, book a visit and a technician will test the switches and change the spark module.