KitchenAid
Thermal Cutout or Overheating Shutdown
Microwave intermittently stops heating mid-cycle but the timer continues to count down; after cooling, it may work again.
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Safety Warning
This repair may involve working with high voltage components or water connections. Always unplug the appliance before removing any panels.
If you are not confident in your ability to perform this repair safely, we strongly recommend contacting a professional technician.
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Possible Causes
Overheating magnetron, failing thermal cutout (TCO) on magnetron or cavity, blocked cooling airflow, failing cooling fan motor
How to Fix / Troubleshooting
Safety: Unplug the microwave and allow it to cool fully before inspection.
- Ventilation: Ensure the over-the-range microwave has proper clearance above and that the upper cabinet and exterior vents are not blocked.
- Clean filters: Remove and clean grease filters; replace charcoal filters if present and dirty.
- Inspect cooling fan: With the cabinet removed, check that the internal cooling fan spins freely and runs whenever the microwave is heating.
- Thermal cutouts: Locate the thermal cutouts on the magnetron and cavity. If one is opening prematurely (unit shuts off but later recovers), it may be weak and require replacement.
- Replace suspect parts: Replace the cooling fan motor or thermal cutouts with OEM KitchenAid parts as needed.
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Repair Difficulty
Hard
4/5
Required Part
Thermal Cutout (TCO)
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