On the covered Thermador Masterpiece wall oven, E118 means a failure of the upper oven cooling fan. First, cut power and check the fan and its speed sensor's wiring. Then: reseat connectors and replace damaged harnesses. A fan that does not run when asked is replaced, and if the fan runs normally the speed sensor (the hall sensor) is replaced.
Differential
Likely causes of “Thermador Masterpiece wall oven code E118”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The upper oven cooling fan has failed
What separates it The oven shuts off during a bake and the code shows
How to confirm Cut power and look at the fan and its speed sensor wiring
- 2
A fan that does not run when asked
What separates it You hear no fan when the oven is hot
How to confirm Replace the fan
- 3
A speed sensor (hall sensor) that fails to report
What separates it The fan runs normally but the code stays
How to confirm Replace the speed sensor
- 4
A loose connector or a damaged harness
What separates it The code came after service
How to confirm Reseat connectors and replace damaged harnesses
- 5
Dust or obstruction around the fan
What separates it The fan blades are clogged
How to confirm Clean the fan and its housing
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- That E118 is on the upper oven and not E218 on the lower
- Whether the fan runs at all and whether it sounds rough or silent
- How long the oven had been on and whether it shut down by itself
- The model number from the oven frame, which tells you whether a Masterpiece single or double oven is installed
Try in this order
0 of 9 completedWhat to do first
ReversibleCut power and check the fan and its speed sensor's wiring.
Correct only the documented fault domain
ReversibleReseat connectors and replace damaged harnesses. A fan that does not run when asked is replaced, and if the fan runs normally the speed sensor (the hall sensor) is replaced.
Cut power and let the oven cool
ReversibleSwitch the oven off at its breaker and let the cavity cool fully before you open the panel.
Check the fan and its wiring
ReversibleLook at the upper oven cooling fan and the wiring to its speed sensor for loose connectors and damaged wires.
Reseat connectors and replace damaged harnesses
ReversibleThe table says to reseat connectors and replace any harness that is damaged.
Test whether the fan runs
ReversibleRestore power and run the oven briefly. A cooling fan should start when the oven warms, and you should hear it.
Replace a fan that does not run
ReversibleA fan that does not run when it is asked to is replaced, since a seized or dead motor cannot be revived.
Replace the hall speed sensor if the fan runs
ReversibleIf the fan runs normally, the speed sensor, which is a hall sensor, is the part to replace.
Listen to the fan when the oven is cold
ReversibleWith the oven cool, switch on a short bake and listen. Many fans start at once, and one that is slow or silent from the start has a worn motor.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- The code on this page
- E118, an upper oven cooling fan failure.
- Parts involved
- The cooling fan, its hall speed sensor and the harness.
- Source
- Sears PartsDirect's table for the Thermador Masterpiece wall oven.
- What the hall sensor does
- A hall sensor reads a small magnet on the fan and tells the control how fast the fan is turning. The control uses that to check that the fan is really cooling the electronics. A fan that spins but whose sensor fails to report looks, to the control, like a fan that has stopped.
- Never run without cooling
- The cooling fan keeps the control and the surrounding cabinet from overheating. Running the oven for long without it risks damage to the electronics, which is why the control stops the oven and shows the code.
- Upper and lower fans are separate
- A Masterpiece double wall oven has a cooling fan for each cavity, and each has its own code. E118 is the upper fan and E218 is the lower, so a message for one says nothing about the other. You can often keep using the healthy cavity while the first is repaired, and the technician can test both at the same visit.
- A fan that works when cold
- Some failing fans start without trouble when the oven is cool and drag only when the cabinet is hot. If the fan ran when you tested it cold and the code appeared during a long bake, the bearings are probably heat-sensitive, and replacing the fan is the repair.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !Ask Thermador service for the cooling fan and the hall sensor together if the oven is old, since both are modest parts
- !Keep the upper oven off while the fan is suspect, because the electronics above the cavity depend on it
- !The lower oven has its own fan and its own code, E218, so ask whether it is healthy too
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
What does E118 mean on a Thermador Masterpiece wall oven?+
a failure of the upper oven cooling fan.
Is the fan or the sensor at fault?+
If the fan does not run, the fan; if it runs normally, the hall speed sensor.
Can I keep using the oven?+
Not for long, because the cooling fan protects the electronics.
Is it a home repair?+
A confident owner can, with power off, but a technician is wise on a hard-wired oven.
What is a hall sensor?+
A small sensor that counts the fan's rotations so that the control knows its speed.
Is E218 the lower oven's version?+
Yes, E218 is the lower oven cooling fan, and it takes the same steps.
Can the oven continue baking with a failed fan?+
The control stops it to protect the electronics, so do not try to override it.