Oven control knob loose or broken: what our engineers find
These figures come from NAC's own repair records: 65 oven jobs our engineers attended for this fault. Here is what they found, what fixed it and what it typically cost.
When an oven control knob comes loose or breaks off, engineers sometimes find the knob itself has snapped or a small spring inside it has worked free. Quite often, though, the knob is fine and the problem lies behind it: the plastic support or holder that the knob clips onto has snapped, letting the switch behind it drop back inside the control panel. Engineers also sometimes find a snapped locking tab on the selector switch, a switch that keeps flicking between settings by itself, a thermostat that no longer controls the temperature, a broken timer button, or replacement knobs that are the wrong size and will not turn the switches.
An engineer will look closely at the knob and what sits behind it, then run the oven to check it heats and switches off properly. If the switch has simply fallen back, it can sometimes be refitted there and then. More often a new knob, support, switch or thermostat is needed, and this usually has to be ordered and fitted at a second visit.
Until then, avoid forcing the controls or reaching into the gap behind the knob, and leave any work behind the control panel to the engineer.
Written by our engineers from these jobs.
- Jobs attended
- 65
- Confirmed repairs
- 40
- This is not a success rate. Jobs inside their 60-day window, jobs still being classified, jobs held for review and visits that didn't end in a repair aren't counted.
- Fixed at the first appointment
- 18%
- about 1 in 6 of our repairs
- Typical total paid by customers
- £127 to £188
- including parts and VAT, from 37 repairs
No single cause has enough confirmed repairs behind it yet to show for this fault.
About the price. £127 to £188 is the typical total paid by customers, including parts and VAT: the middle half of what customers paid on 37 of these repairs. Repairs paid for by manufacturers and insurers aren't counted, because that work is charged at contract rates. It's a guide, not a quote. Your engineer confirms a fixed price before any work starts.
Before you check anything yourself
- Switch the oven off and unplug it, or turn it off at the isolator switch, before you touch anything. Our guide to safely isolating an appliance walks you through it.
- If it involves the mains supply, sealed parts, or you're not confident at any point, stop and book a qualified engineer rather than risk injury or further damage.
- If it's a gas appliance and you can smell gas, don't use it. Open the windows and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.
Rather leave it to us?
- Fixed-price quote before any work starts
- Same or next-day visits where available
- UK-wide engineer coverage