Wolf range burner not igniting? How to troubleshoot and clean.



Though among the most trouble-free appliances, once in a great while, you may find that your Wolf range burner is not igniting. You’ll want to run a few troubleshooting checks to see if you can correct the problem yourself.

Electrical Check

Check #1: Is the control display on the front panel of your Wolf range burner illuminated?

If not, the problem is likely not the burner, but rather the electrical connection to the appliance. Check your household circuit breaker panel to see if something like an overload or electrical failure has cut off power to the range (the range and oven will usually have its own dedicated circuit). Try to reset the circuit manually.

If that still doesn’t work, the problem is in your house’s electrical system and you should call an electrician.

Moisture Check

Check #2: Have I done anything in the past few minutes that might have gotten moisture in the ignitor mechanism?

One issue that all but guarantees a stove ignitor won’t spark is moisture in the igniter mechanism. Without a spark, the burner won’t ignite. Perhaps a pot of water boiled over, or you were vigorously mixing something one burner over, or you just finished cleaning the cooktop. Don’t worry, if anything like that happened, give the igniter five minutes to dry out and try again.

Wolf Sealed Burner Cleaning

If neither of the above checks solved the issue, you may need to clean the surface burner caps and rings. When the burner holes are clogged with grease or congealed food, gas can’t flow evenly, preventing even lighting all around the burner.

Here are the recommended steps for Wolf sealed burner cleaning:

  1. If burner was in use, allow burner base and cap to cool.
  2. Dampen a soft cloth.
  3. Spray mild detergent or degreaser into the cloth. Do not spray cleaner directly onto the burner. (See Moisture Check above.)
  4. Disassemble and wipe down the various components of the burner.
  5. Rinse each with clear water and towel dry.
  6. Blow through the holes to remove excess detergent or degreaser.
  7. Further clean burner port holes by using a dry toothbrush or paper clip to remove debris. Wolf does not recommend using the dishwasher to clean burner rings and caps, as they have a painted enamel surface.
  8. Reassemble the burner, let dry for five minutes, and test ignition.

For more cleaning tips, check out our blog on how to clean a Wolf oven.

No Luck. What Next?

If after running the above troubleshooting steps your burner still doesn’t ignite, call your local Factory Certified Service to have a professional technician come troubleshoot the issue. For those in the San Diego, Orange County, Riverside County area, or those up north in the San Francisco, San Jose, and Monterey Bay area, it’s time you called the Wolf appliance repair experts at Box Appliance.