On the covered JennAir range, Indicator Flashing means the hot-surface indicator on an electric cooktop is flashing because a heating area is still very hot, has overheated or is covered by a held key First, make sure that every element is off and give the glass half an hour to cool.
Differential
Likely causes of “JennAir range code Indicator Flashing”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A cooktop surface area is hot, so the indicator flashes
What separates it The indicator light flashes after you turn an element off
How to confirm Wait until the glass has cooled and the light goes out
- 2
An element that was left on at a low setting
What separates it The indicator stays on
How to confirm Check each knob or key
- 3
A key is held down or covered by a spill
What separates it Liquid sits on the touch panel
How to confirm Wipe the panel dry
- 4
A cooktop that has overheated
What separates it The light flashes with a code such as C81
How to confirm Let it cool
- 5
A sensor fault
What separates it The indicator flashes on a cold cooktop
How to confirm A technician checks the sensor
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Whether the hot-surface indicator is flashing alone or with a C81, C82 or C83 code
- How long ago the last element was switched off and how hot the glass feels
- Whether a pot handle, cloth or spill is resting on the touch panel
- The model number from the frame behind the oven door
Try in this order
0 of 9 completedWhat to do first
Reversiblemake sure that every element is off and give the glass half an hour to cool.
Correct only the documented fault domain
ReversibleDry the panel, cycle the breaker and call for service only if the indicator flashes over a cold, dry cooktop.
Turn off every element
ReversibleMake sure that each element on the cooktop is switched off, including any that you might have left on at a low setting.
Wait for the glass to cool
ReversibleThe hot-surface indicator stays on or flashes until the cooktop has cooled, which can take half an hour after a long cook.
Wipe the panel dry
ReversibleUse a soft, dry cloth on the touch panel. A wet or smudged panel can read as a key held down, and that makes the indicator flash.
Check each control
ReversibleLook at every key or knob and make sure none is pressed, covered by a utensil or stuck.
Reset the power at the breaker
ReversibleSwitch the range off at its breaker for a minute, then switch it on and see whether the indicator has cleared.
Book service if it flashes on a cold cooktop
ReversibleIf the indicator flashes when the glass is cold and dry, a technician checks the surface sensor and the control.
Look at the cookware
ReversibleA pan that is larger than the element, or warped, can overheat the glass around it. Use a pan that fits the element and has a flat base, and the indicator is likely to behave.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- The message on this page
- Indicator Flashing on an electric cooktop.
- Parts involved
- The surface sensor and the glass control.
- Related
- C81, C82 and C83 belong to the same group.
- Reading the hot-surface warning
- On a glass cooktop the indicator lights when a heating area is hot enough to burn, and it stays lit after you switch the element off. Flashing, as opposed to steady, is the control's way of saying that something more than ordinary heat is happening, such as a surface that overheated or a key that is held. Waiting is the right first response.
- Keys held by accident
- Pot handles, oven gloves and a damp cloth can all rest on a touch key. Moving them away and wiping the glass dry usually clears the flashing, and a panel that was fine yesterday and flashes today has probably had something sit on it.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !An indicator that keeps flashing over a cold, dry cooktop deserves a JennAir service call with the model number
- !Do not touch the glass to test whether it is hot, and wait for the light to go out
- !Do not use a cooktop with a cracked glass top, which can let liquid reach the wiring
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
What does Indicator Flashing mean on a JennAir range?+
the hot-surface indicator on an electric cooktop is flashing because a heating area is still very hot, has overheated or is covered by a held key
How long does it flash?+
Until the surface has cooled, which can take half an hour or more.
Can a spill cause it?+
Yes, liquid on the touch panel can read as a held key, so wipe the panel dry.
Is it related to C81?+
Yes, they belong to the same group and take the same first steps.
Does the flashing indicator mean that the cooktop is on?+
Not necessarily; it shows that a surface is hot, and the element may be off.
How long does the glass stay hot?+
Half an hour or more after a long cook, so wait for the light to go out.