GE Oven F3 Reset: Error Code Guide

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What This Error Means

On a GE oven, F3 means the oven temperature sensor circuit is bad or reading way out of range.

Plain English: the control board thinks the oven is either way too hot or that the temperature sensor is “missing” (open circuit), so it kills the heat and throws F3.

Official Fix

What GE wants you to do: power reset it once. If F3 comes back, test and replace the oven temperature sensor or the control board.

Do this with the power off at the breaker. Ovens can bite hard even when they look dead.

1. Do the proper reset (not just Clear/Off)

  • Hit Clear/Off once. If the code stays, move on.
  • Go to your electrical panel. Flip the oven/range breaker OFF.
  • Leave it off at least 1 full minute. This hard-resets the control board.
  • Turn the breaker back ON.
  • Try a simple Bake at 350°F.
  • If F3 does not come back, you got lucky. If F3 pops right away or during preheat, keep going. You have a sensor circuit problem, not a “just reset it” problem.

2. Find the oven temperature sensor

  • Kill power again at the breaker. Leave it off while you work.
  • Open the oven door.
  • Look at the back wall of the oven interior.
  • You’re looking for a thin metal rod, about pencil-thick, usually top-center or top-left, held by two screws. That’s the temp sensor.

3. Pull and check the sensor connection

  • Remove the two screws holding the sensor to the back wall.
  • Gently pull the sensor toward you a few inches. There’s a wire harness and a plug behind it.
  • Careful not to yank and lose the connector back into the wall.
  • Unplug the sensor from the harness, then plug it back in firmly. You’re cleaning any weak connection.
  • Re-seat it, tuck the wires back in the hole, and put the screws back.
  • Turn the breaker back ON and try Bake again.
  • If F3 is gone, you had a loose or dirty connection. If it’s back, the manual says: test/replace parts.

4. Test the sensor (if you have a meter)

  • Breaker back OFF. Pull the sensor out again and unplug it.
  • Set your multimeter to measure resistance (ohms).
  • Touch one meter lead to each sensor pin.
  • At room temperature, GE sensor should read about 1050–1100 Ω (ohms). Anything in roughly 1000–1200 Ω is acceptable.
  • If it reads open (OL, infinite) or something crazy low like 0–100 Ω, the sensor is bad.
  • Official fix: replace the oven temperature sensor with a compatible GE part.

5. If the sensor tests good, check the harness and board

  • Still with power OFF, pull the range out from the wall a bit (watch the gas line if it’s a gas range with electric oven).
  • Remove the back panel behind the control area (usually a few screws).
  • Find the main control board (clock/timer board). Look for the two thin wires from the sensor harness going to it.
  • Unplug and re-plug that connector. Look for burnt, melted, or broken wires.
  • If the wiring looks cooked or brittle, official fix is to repair/replace the harness.
  • If wiring is clean, the manual’s next step is: replace the electronic oven control (EOC), because it’s misreading the sensor circuit.

6. Re-test

  • Put the back cover on. Push the range back in carefully.
  • Turn the breaker ON.
  • Run Bake at 350°F and watch it.
  • If you replaced the sensor and F3 is gone, you’re done.
  • If you’ve got a known-good sensor and wiring but F3 keeps coming back, you’re into control board replacement territory.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

Here’s the money talk.

  • Oven temperature sensor: about $25–$60 for the part. 20–45 minutes DIY. This is almost always worth doing yourself.
  • Wiring harness repair: usually cheap parts (wire, high-temp connectors), but more labor. A tech might charge 1–2 hours.
  • Control board (EOC): often $150–$350 for the part, plus $150–$250 labor if you hire it out.
  • New mid-range range/oven: roughly $600–$1,200+ depending on features.

Verdict:

  • If it’s just the sensor: fix it yourself. Cheap, common, and straightforward.
  • If it needs a control board and the oven is older than ~10–12 years: get a quote, then seriously compare to a new unit.
  • If you’re not comfortable pulling the oven, working around wiring, or using a meter: call a pro, but tell them “F3, likely sensor” so they come with the part.

Bottom line: start with the sensor. That’s the usual F3 cause and the best bang for your buck.

Parts You Might Need

  • GE-compatible oven temperature sensor (RTD probe)
  • Oven sensor wiring harness or high-temperature wire repair kit
  • Electronic oven control board (clock/control, if sensor and wiring are good)
  • High-temperature wire nuts or crimp connectors (if you need to repair wiring)
  • New mounting screws for the sensor (if the old ones are stripped or rusted)