Whirlpool Oven Bake Ignitor (WP31940001)

The Whirlpool Oven Bake Ignitor is the component responsible for lighting the gas in your oven's bake burner, allowing the oven to reach and hold the temperature you set. It works by drawing enough electrical current to open the gas valve and then producing the heat needed to ignite the gas, starting the bake cycle.

The Whirlpool Oven Bake Ignitor commonly fails from normal wear over time, as the ignitor element weakens and can no longer draw sufficient current to open the gas valve reliably. Exposure to high heat cycles, grease buildup, or a cracked ignitor body can all shorten its lifespan and prevent the oven from heating properly.

These symptoms can help you decide if a faulty bake ignitor matches your problem:

- Oven does not heat at all when set to bake

- Ignitor glows orange but the oven never ignites or takes a very long time to light

- Oven burner lights occasionally but shuts off before reaching temperature

- Strong smell of gas before or without ignition occurring

- Ignitor appears cracked, broken, or visibly damaged

- Oven cycles on and off more frequently than normal during baking