The oven igniter is the most commonly replaced part in gas ranges and one of the most frequent appliance repairs overall. The igniter serves two functions: it glows hot enough to ignite the gas, and it draws enough current to open the gas valve. When it weakens, it may still glow visibly but no longer draws sufficient current to open the valve — so gas never flows and the oven doesn't heat.
A weak igniter typically shows itself in one of two ways: the oven takes 3–5 minutes or longer to ignite (normal is 30–90 seconds), or it simply doesn't ignite at all despite the igniter glowing. In both cases, the igniter's resistance has increased with age to the point where it can't reliably open the gas valve.
Igniter replacement is one of the most straightforward gas oven repairs. The igniter is accessed from inside the oven by removing the oven bottom panel, and replacement typically takes 30–45 minutes.