On the covered Kenmore 790 model manual-cleaning and self-cleaning wall oven, F9 means Kenmore's service table lists this code as: oven door lock failure. Listen for the lock motor when a clean is requested. Measure the switch in both positions: near 0 ohms pushed in and open circuit extended.
Differential
Likely causes of “Kenmore 790 model manual-cleaning and self-cleaning wall oven code F9”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The door lock motor does not complete its travel
What separates it F9 appears around a clean cycle and the door will not lock or release
How to confirm Listen for the lock motor when a clean is requested
- 2
A switch that does not report the lock position
What separates it The lock moves but the control does not see it
How to confirm Measure the switch in both positions: near 0 ohms pushed in and open circuit extended
- 3
A loose or damaged lock harness
What separates it The code comes and goes
How to confirm Check the wires between the lock and the control board
- 4
A lock motor that measures infinite resistance
What separates it The motor never moves
How to confirm Replace the door lock assembly
- 5
A door that sits out of line
What separates it The door does not meet the latch evenly
How to confirm Check the hinges and the door gasket
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- That the display reads F9 and whether it appeared during a clean, a bake or at power-up
- Whether the lock motor makes any sound
- Whether the door is locked now and whether it releases
- The model number from the oven frame
Try in this order
0 of 10 completedCorrect only the documented fault domain
ReversibleUnplug the wall oven and secure any loose connections in the wire harness between the oven door lock assembly and the electronic control board. If the wiring connections between the control and the door lock assembly look okay, check the door lock switch by measuring resistance through the switch using a multimeter. Check switch resistance with the switch arm in two positions: pushed in and extended. If the switch is okay, the meter should measure near 0 ohms with the switch pushed in and OL with the switch arm extended.
Replace the door lock assembly if the meter measures the same resistance in both tests because the switch isn't detecting the door lock's position. If the switch is okay, check resistance through the lock motor. Replace the door lock assembly if the meter measures infinite resistance through the lock motor. Parts named: oven door lock assembly, wire harness.
Unplug the wall oven and secure any loose connections
ReversibleSwitch the wall oven off at its breaker, since a built-in oven is usually hard-wired and may have no plug to unplug. Then secure any loose connections in the wire harness between the oven door lock assembly and the electronic control board, and replace the harness if it is damaged.
Measure the door lock switch in two positions
ReversibleIf the wiring looks okay, measure the switch on the wall oven with the switch arm pushed in and then extended. A good switch reads near 0 ohms pushed in and OL extended; the same reading in both means the switch isn't detecting the lock position, so replace the door lock assembly.
If the switch is okay, measure the lock motor
ReversibleMeasure the resistance through the lock motor on the wall oven. The chart replaces the door lock assembly if it measures infinite resistance.
Switch off the breaker and let the oven cool
ReversibleThe wall oven is hard-wired, so the breaker is the disconnect, and the lock will not release a hot oven in any case.
Check the lock harness
ReversibleLook at the wires between the oven door lock assembly and the electronic control board for loose plugs and damage, and secure or replace them.
Measure the lock switch in two positions
ReversiblePush the switch arm in and measure, then extend it and measure. A good switch reads near 0 ohms pushed in and an open circuit extended.
Measure the lock motor
ReversibleMeasure the resistance through the lock motor. Infinite resistance means that the motor has failed, and the door lock assembly is replaced.
Check the door alignment
ReversibleClose the door and look for an even gap all round. A door that has dropped on its hinges misaligns the latch hook.
Test the lock
ReversibleRestore power and request the lock from the control. The motor should run and the door should lock, then release when cancelled.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Why a lock fault stops the clean
- A self-cleaning oven heats far above baking temperature, so the lock must hold the door shut. If the control cannot confirm that the lock has engaged, it refuses to start a clean cycle and shows F9. That is a safety feature, not a nuisance.
- Hinges and gaskets
- A heavy wall oven door can sag on worn hinges, which moves the latch hook away from the lock. A flattened gasket does the same. Both are cheap fixes that are worth checking before you replace the lock.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !Do not run a self-clean cycle on the wall oven until the door lock works, because the oven reaches a very high temperature
- !Disconnect power to the wall oven before you touch the door lock wiring
- !Do not run a self-clean while the lock is faulty, because the oven reaches a very high temperature
- !A hard-wired wall oven needs its breaker off before any wiring is touched
- !Never force a locked door
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Where the manufacturer's article stops. The two-position switch test and the lock motor test are chart text.
Exact questions
Common questions
What does F9 mean on a Kenmore 790 model manual-cleaning and self-cleaning wall oven?+
Kenmore's service table lists this code as: oven door lock failure.
What should the door lock switch measure?+
Near 0 ohms with the switch pushed in and OL with the switch arm extended, according to the chart.
Is F9 on the manual-cleaning table?+
No. The manual cleaning tables list only F1 and F3; F9 is on the self-cleaning tables.
Can I use the oven for baking with F9?+
Often yes, but avoid the clean cycle.
Does the lower oven have its own lock?+
On a double wall oven each cavity has its own, so note which cavity.
Is the lock expensive?+
The door lock assembly is a moderate part.