Oven door won't fully shut

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duckDecoy

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#304083 3-Apr-2023 11:17

Our oven door will not shut properly, it hangs open about 1cm (perhaps more). We're losing heat, its heating up the controls etc.

I thought i'd look it how to fix it on youtube and it seems there are a vast array of "fixes", from cutting a nail into bits and shoving it in various holes, from putting towels at the hinges and forcing the oven door shut (I presume to bend something), to taking the entire door off and removing the hinges and hitting them with a hammer.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what to try and what NOT to try? We can always get a person in to fix them but I thought we should see if there is something simple first. Its a Westinghouse and seems to have 2 "hinges" on each side.

Senecio

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#3058148 3-Apr-2023 11:28

Ho mush resistance is there when you first open the door? If there isn't much resistance then the most likely cause is worn hinges that need to be replaced. They no longer have the strength to pull the upper part of the door in to fully close the oven. Get in touch with Westinghouse they should be available readily as a spare part.

duckDecoy

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#3058167 3-Apr-2023 12:31

Senecio:

Ho mush resistance is there when you first open the door? If there isn't much resistance then the most likely cause is worn hinges that need to be replaced. They no longer have the strength to pull the upper part of the door in to fully close the oven. Get in touch with Westinghouse they should be available readily as a spare part.

Basically no resistance at all, so thanks for pinpointing what the problem is.

Is changing hinges out something I could do (with youtube probably), or something I should leave to the experts. For example is it just the door that needs to come off and have bits replaced or will i need to get inside the oven as well.

duckDecoy

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#3058171 3-Apr-2023 12:38

I just watched a youtube video what wasn't really clear on how to do anything BUT it did show he had to use a stanley knife to break some sort of sealant that seemed to stick the front of the oven door to the back. So this might indicate experts are required as it probably should be restuck down again. He just didn't bother, but who knows if it cause issues.

wellygary

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#3058416 3-Apr-2023 13:59

duckDecoy:

Senecio:

Ho mush resistance is there when you first open the door? If there isn't much resistance then the most likely cause is worn hinges that need to be replaced. They no longer have the strength to pull the upper part of the door in to fully close the oven. Get in touch with Westinghouse they should be available readily as a spare part.

Basically no resistance at all, so thanks for pinpointing what the problem is.

Is changing hinges out something I could do (with youtube probably), or something I should leave to the experts. For example is it just the door that needs to come off and have bits replaced or will i need to get inside the oven as well.

Yip as mentioned above, the hinges have gone (they are basically a big tension spring)

Changing hinges on Oven doors is a fairly easy DIY fix ( provided you have the correct new hinges)

You don't need to take the door apart, The door should lift out from where the hinges connect to the main part of the oven,

Then its usually a simple case of unscrewing the old hinges, replacing with new ones and re inserting the over door.

djtOtago

1149 posts

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#3058426 3-Apr-2023 14:10

Most ovens are designed so the doors can be easily removed for oven cleaning. It's possible one of the hinges hasn't located itself properly when the oven door has been put back on the oven.

I had a Simpson oven where the right hinge would take several goes to get it back in correctly. If not located properly the door wouldn't quite close, but otherwise looked fine.

robjg63

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#3058433 3-Apr-2023 14:16

You should be able to pull the door off without tools.

The hinges are usually a bit like pegs/forks that slide into the body of the oven - Check online for instructions.

You may find that even removing the door and putting it back on, may help reposition the door and it may shut a bit better after just doing that.

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mattenz

190 posts

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#3058532 3-Apr-2023 16:33

Pictures and a model number would help.

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kiwifidget

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#3058542 3-Apr-2023 16:55

Just been through this with our F&P oven.

The hinges were stuffed, probably due to the door being badly removed and put back for cleaning several times, or too much weight put on the door when it was open.

Either way, new hinges did the trick.

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neb

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#3058551 3-Apr-2023 17:28

Senecio:
Ho mush resistance is there

Pleash put denshures in before poshting, shank you!

stuartmac

66 posts

Master Geek

#3059755 6-Apr-2023 13:56

I also have a Westinghouse oven. I believe this is a known issue - at least on the model I have (ew30).

Ours is at least 20 years old. I had this same issue some time ago (maybe 5-8 years ago) and purchased and replaced the springs. That repair was fairly straight forward, but I recall the springs being relatively expensive.

Anyway... the same problem has reoccurred. So I am in a similar situation to you (but it sounds like not as bad).

I don't know if replacement springs are still available.

I still have the old springs I replaced last time, so was going to try and inspect those and see if I could heath-robinson whatever makes them lose tension.

duckDecoy

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#3059826 6-Apr-2023 16:41

Purchased 2 new hinges and installed them. Worked a treat, fully fixed.

Took me a bit of working out how to get the oven door front and back separated to get into the springs (turns out you have to slide it off), and discovered the new hinges don't come with a piece that is needed to screw them into the oven and I had to fish around the rubbish to find the old hinges and remove that piece from them and fit them to the new hinges. But all in all a dirty but easy job.

Thanks for the advice.