Maytag Oven F3 Error Code: Oven Temperature Sensor Circuit (Meaning, Causes, Fixes)

What the code means

Maytag's Product Help pages for F3, F3-1 and F3 E0 on ranges all give the same one-minute breaker reset, and say there may be a problem with the oven temperature sensor, the oven control, or the associated wiring. Maytag Services' Cooking Products Fault Code Reference Guide (P/N 16023509, 2004) is more specific. On freestanding ranges with RS1, T1 and T2 clocks (April 1997 on, excluding Gemini and Accellis 2X), F3 means a fault in the sensor or sensor circuitry: test the sensor for the proper resistance (1,050 to 1,100 ohms at room temperature), look for frayed or pinched wiring or connector damage, and the guide says in capitals: do not replace the control. On other Maytag, Jenn-Air and Magic Chef controls in the same guide, F3-1 means the sensor is shorted or open, F3-2 a sensor circuit open, and on several older pre-1997 freestanding ranges F3 is an open sensor. A few older Jenn-Air models use F3 differently (a shorted sensor on some wall ovens, and the cooling fan running in time-of-day mode on pre-1997 power-relay-board models), so match the code to your model. Newer Maytag ranges show it as F3 E0, the same sensor-circuit fault in the F# E# format.

Likely causes

• A failed oven temperature sensor (the thin probe at the back of the oven cavity) that reads open or shorted
• A loose, burned or corroded connector where the sensor plugs into its harness, often behind the back wall of the oven
• Frayed or pinched sensor wiring between the oven and the control, sometimes after the range was pushed back against the wall
• Heat damage to the sensor wire after a self-clean cycle
• Rarely, a control fault. Maytag's guide tells technicians to rule out the sensor and wiring first, and on 1997-and-later freestanding ranges not to replace the control for F3
• A one-time glitch that a breaker reset clears

Safe DIY checks

1. Turn off the range's circuit breaker(s) for one minute, turn them back on, and watch the display for one minute. If F3 doesn't return, run a normal bake to check the oven heats (this is Maytag's own reset).
2. Note the exact code, including any extra digit or E code (F3, F3-1, F3-2 or F3 E0). They all point at the sensor circuit, but the full code helps a technician.
3. If F3 returns, stop using the oven and leave the breaker off. The control can't read the oven temperature, so it won't bake reliably.
4. With power off and the oven cool, look at the sensor probe inside the oven at the back. Make sure it isn't bent, touching the oven wall, or visibly burned.
5. If you're comfortable with a multimeter: with power off, remove the sensor's mounting screws, pull it forward gently to reach its connector, unplug it and measure across the sensor's two pins. Maytag's guide lists about 1,050 to 1,100 ohms at room temperature (1,143 ohms at 100°F). An open reading (no continuity) or close to zero means the sensor is bad.
6. If the sensor measures correctly, check the connector for loose or burnt pins and look along the visible harness for pinched or frayed wire.
7. Replace the sensor with the part for your model number, reconnect it, restore power and run a bake test.

Parts that commonly fix it

Always match the part number to your exact model.

Related codes

• F1 E0 Maytag Oven F1 E0
• F1 Maytag Oven F1
• F5 E1 Maytag Oven F5 E1
• F6 E1 Maytag Oven F6 E1
• F9 Maytag Oven F9

All Maytag codes →

Sources

1. Maytag Product Help: F3 - Error Code - Range (oven control or associated wiring; one-minute breaker reset)
2. Maytag Product Help: F3-1 - Error Code - Range (oven temperature sensor, control or associated wiring)
3. Maytag Product Help: F3 E0 - Error Code - Range (oven temperature sensor, control or associated wiring)
4. Maytag Services Cooking Products Fault Code Reference Guide, P/N 16023509, 2004 (F3 sensor/sensor circuitry, 1050-1100 ohms, do not replace control; F3-1/F3-2 and older model meanings; sensor resistance table)