After completion of the Pyrolytic process the oven door Electrolux EPEE63AS Oven will not unlock and an error code F08 is displayed. As suggested in the owner’s manual we have tried turning the power off to the oven for 20 seconds and then back on, but it makes no difference.
Looking at subsequent online forums/reviews problems with the Pyrolytic function of this oven are not uncommon.
The Oven was bought in late 2010 and was CHOICE recommended I believe. Unfortunately though we took out an extended warranty that has now expired.
I have two questions -
a) Should not such an expensive oven be expected to last longer that 7 years?
b) Are all pyrolytic Ovens unreliable?
The Pyrolytic function has only been used a few times.
The control board needs time to discharge its capacitors. The 20 seconds should do it, but. No offence, but wait for it to cool down and try turning it off for a minute if you have not.
Some pyrolytic ovens have a problem whereby they try to unlock the door while the oven is too hot and the lock/unlock motor is not strong enough to overcome the hot latch, hence the error. The control boards are not smart enough to reset but when the power is removed for a sufficient time they reboot when powered up again, then they do a system test and unlock the door in the process. If that does not happen you have either a failed control board ($$$) or a failed lock/unlock motor ($).
Edit: Electrolux F08 is a ‘communications failure/power supply error’ with the repair to check internal wiring and replacing the control board. It can be a long shot that an internal connector has degraded from heat over time, but. Another instigator of problems can be a degraded fan causing overheating causing something else to malfunction.
I had a higher end pyrolytic that we recently sent to the tip after only 6 years rather than keep fixing it. At 4 years pretty much everything except the frame and heating elements were replaced under the ACL. In year 6 it started behaving erratically and bought a SMEG pyrolytic that is 2 months old; other than a teething problem out of the box it has been surprisingly pleasant and SMEG service has been faultless. The previous manufacturer completely redesigned their product and it is now sold under a different brand so I’ll not mention the name here.
The reason pyrolytic ovens can be unreliable is they heat to 400-500C and there are electronics packages controlling them. Electronics dislike heat, hence the fans in all modern ovens to keep the controls cool.
I recommend anyone with a pyrolytic oven runs the cycle monthly to be sure it still works. In our experience failures are most common after running a cleaning cycle.
If you wish to pursue a repair under the ACL you have to work under the law as it was in 2010, eg whatever your state equivalent was before 2011, so you do not have the same eights as with my 1-year later purchase.
If the cool down and power cycle works, please post it. Otherwise your choice is probably a repairman or a replacement. Some owners get the door unlocked and just stop using the pyrolytic cycles and the ovens cook just fine, although hand cleaning them can be troublesome
Also after doing a quick search online, it appears that the locked door after cleaning run could be reasonably common for this model of oven.
It may be worth contacting Electrolux and indicate to them from the research you have done that it appears the fault that your oven now exhibits seems to be a common problem…and would it be possible for them to come to the party and possibly assist in the repair of the oven. Being common may indicate that the design or quality of the oven is the issue, not due to user behaviour.
Suggest that they provide (pay for) parts and that you would be willing to pay for the labour. Indicate that you are also keen to repair the oven, if they come to the party, rather than adding the otherwise perfectly good oven the waste/recycling heap.
Also state that if aren’t interested in assisting with the repair, that you may be forced to buy a new oven and will definitely won’t be replacing it with an Electrolux one. Also state that you will also let other know that a relatively expensive Electrolux pyrolitic oven when purchased only lasts 7 years which is unsatisfactory. One should possibly expect such ovens to last the life of many modern appliances such as fridges and washing machines, that being possible more than a decade.
Good luck.
(We don’t have a pyrolitic oven but have F&P one with removable catalytic side paneling. We looked at pyrolitic ones when we purchsed ours, but decided against it as we were concerned about energy use of the high temperature clean. We have found the catalytic one satisfactory but the top, floor, shelves and door need a clean from time to time (well mainly the door as splatters seem to be on the oven sides than the floor or top). The calaytic panels seem to work well and when they have obvious oil marks on them, these marks tend to disappear over a few uses. The only problem we have had in 12 years is the rear element for fan force cooking burnt out but was easily and cheaply replaced)
I have a 7 year old Westinghouse Pyrolytic oven. I had to call service during the warranty period when I had exactly the same problem as you. Then the grill element caught on fire and was replaced under warranty. After 5 years the Pyrolytic function came up with the F08 error as the oven heats up and the light burned out. My son managed to unlock the door (inside the top panel, he is very handy) I have given up on the pyrolytic cleaning and have been using it without, I intended to change the light myself but have not figured out how to do it and by now got used to not having it. (This just reminded me to ask my son to have a look at it) As an oven it works fine and has the triple (or quadruple?) glazing on the door to seal the heat in. I definitely will not spent the extra money for the Pyrolytic function when I replace this oven. I had not expected that I had to take out the side rack holders and clean all that by hand anyway.
Has anyone had a problem with discolouration in a pyrolytic oven. Mine must have had something on the base when I first used the function and it left a large pale grey mark. I later had something boil over which would not come off with detergent and water as advised by manufacturer. They could not recommend any way to remove it but use pyrolytic function. The grey mark is now worse. The company takes no resonsibility, of course, as they ‘do not know what I have cooked in my oven’.
I merged your topic into this existing one about pyrolytic ovens.
Various spots and discolouration around the seal or varying colourations are normal. Superficial scratches from removing and replacing the racks and telescoping mechanisms can also happen that do not affect self cleaning or integrity.
So long as it is inside what is the worry? If it is outside please be more descriptive and perhaps post a photo as that would be abnormal and unexpected in my experience.
I installed a new kitchen from a very reputable company in August 2020 and bought a Chef Pyrolytic oven. I used the cleaning function 3 times without incident then in August 2021 it malfunctioned and melted the buttons on the front and the door would not unlock. I called the authorized service agent and he came and replaced the parts. In December 2021 I attempted to clean the oven and the same thing happened, the agent came out and I said I felt the oven was faulty and could it be replaced and he said he would request that Chef replace the oven. Chef then sent him out in January this year to check the cavity size and Chef are claiming it has been installed incorrectly and I was to contact the kitchen company. We are awaiting a response from them at the moment, my question is how come the oven worked perfectly for 3 cleans and then has had the same fault twice? In my previous house I installed a Westinghouse pyrolytic oven into the existing cavity and never had a moment’s problem with it, I am very upset and know that I am going to get the run around from everybody and inevitably get ripped off!
Melting buttons is serious, whether specific to the pyrolytic cycle or not. You don’t want to start a fire in the kitchen.
You may be able to stop the run around by checking the installation. You should have an installation manual (if not download from the maker) that will specify how much space should be around the oven and what air circulation openings (if any) are required. Get out your tape measure and verify if it is correct. If correct ping the maker, if not ping the installer.
You may not be able to DIY if, for example, there is supposed to be a vent in the cabinet in some place you cannot access without taking out the oven - which you should not attempt. However there is a chance you can get a result by just measuring the case and allowing for the thickness of material. Worth a try.
Hi @cgarvin, welcome to the community and you must be getting frustrated with your oven and the problem it has.
It is possible as there are things like ambient temperature etc which can affect how hot an oven gets…however, at higher temperatures, the effect is possibly less.
It does sound a bit suspicious. I question whether the buttons on the front of an oven are unlikely to be impacted by the cavity size of the oven. I assume that the buttons are above the exhaust slots/vents which are used to cool the oven down. If the oven inlets vents are restricted, it is possible that these may restrict air flow thus causing the exhausted air to overheat and possibly melting the buttons. This might be something to check that the inlets aren’t overed with something (either part of the kitchen or say food/grime which may have been spilt). The Chef manual below warns about blocked vents pose a risk of a fire.
If you have the make and model of oven, most manufacturers provide an installation guide which specifies the cavity sizing to hold the oven (such as the installation information in the user manual for this Chef oven). You maybe able to check yourself to rule this out.
I would be trying to rule out some of the above yourself rather than relying on Chef or your kitchen company to point the finger at each other. If the cavity is in accordance with the user manual and the inlet/exhaust vents are clear, then it may point to a problem with the design or the particular oven that you have. This would then be Chef’s responsibility under the Australian Consumer Law to resolve, particular since the oven is relatively new.
BTW, do you have the model number. Knowing such allows us to help you find information specific to the oven as well as to search to see if it is a common/known fault with the particular oven.
Each oven has its own requirements for cavity size and ventilation. Repeated cleaning stresses parts and causes them to fail if they get too hot or (see blow) the high temperature fan becomes inoperative. In addition to what you are doing you should report your experience to product safety regardless of the cause (real or claimed).
When installing a new oven it is necessary to give the cabinet maker/installer the installation diagram to assure the cavity suits the requirement.
Most ovens require vents, but not all - even pyrolytic. Regardless it is best practice to have one.
Most ovens are very heavy. Repairmen usually have an elevator trolley to position in front of the oven so they can pull it straight onto the trolley rather than bringing a helper.
There are two important measures, the volume inside the cavity and the ventilation. Sometimes a cabinet maker will vent into the roof cavity with a ‘slot’ behind the oven/cabinets, sometimes underneath toward the flooring, and I have seen them just vent into the wall behind the oven. So long as it inhibits heat build up.
The highest probability is the high temperature cooling fan is inoperative. It could be the fan motor failing or the temperature sensor. Been there and experienced that with our previous pyrolytic oven. Hot/melting buttons are obviously caused by heat; door locks can jam as they expand ‘too much’ from excessive heat and the motor mechanism may not be strong enough to turn them unlocked if they do.
At the temperatures that pyrolytic cleaning gets to, I doubt ambient temperatures would make more than fractional differences to the oven temperatures. Another point to consider is that the thermostat should be controlling the temperatures fairly well unless it too has failed. Variations do occur between ovens, a fact I’m sure we all have observed, each oven often having a different setting from another to produce same outcomes eg one may need to be set at 170 and yet another 160 to obtain the same cooking times and outcomes.
As the oven has cleaned itself 3 times without this melting problem and then commenced having the issue, in fact twice in a row, it would be unlikely that the venting system has been purposely altered (eg a renovation to that space after the oven was installed). Perhaps as noted the thermostat when in pyrolytic function may be faulty, thus allowing temperatures to vastly exceed the levels required. Another possibility is that something accidental has occurred eg insulation in the cavity around the oven has fallen in some way to restrict airflow?? Another possibility is that some other component has failed such as a fan in the oven that is used to vent the hot air during operation in pyrolytic mode, our one has a fan that is very high capacity for that purpose and is quite noticeable when the cleaning cycle is on.
My old post was about a built-in pyrolytic oven. The high temperature fan did not operate correctly and as best I could discern it was a design problem. The knobs overheated and the door motor could not unlock it because it expanded and the electronics detected a jam and errored. A power cycle was the only rectification to open the door. It was a safety problem when the knobs overheated to a temperature that could sear not just burn skin.
It was a brilliant cooking oven excepting for its fragility. The oven was withdrawn from market not long after. Another two years on it started developing other issues. As standard sizes evolved it became a unique size and I had a single reasonable alternative to replace it so copped the loss and moved on.
@cgarvin , A Letter of Complaint is appropriate to get resolution, and it should be reported to ProductSafety.
Welcome to the community. I have moved your question to an existing thread which is to do with Pyrolitic ovens.
Some time ago I scored a used oven which was the same brand as mine. I thought I would use if for spare parts. When started to examine the oven, I realised that much of the electrical wiring within the oven was hard and brittle. In a couple of places flakes of brittle insulation had fallen off leaving wires exposed. Clearly this oven would have been much older than yours, but it exemplifies what can happen if the innards get too hot for too long.
I replaced the old oven, so I no longer needed spares. Unlike my old oven, my new oven has ventilation over the top of the oven door, which is under the control buttons. Fortunately, the controls have not gotten hot so far.
It would seem to me that you oven is producing way too much heat when cleaning, and may be the excessive heat that is causing the issues. It may have been too hot from the beginning, and it took four cleaning cycles for the damage to accumulate and become noticeable. Replacing parts such as the lock and the knobs would only be treating the symptoms and not the cause. Consequently, the next time you ran the cleaning cycle, the underlying cause and damage to the innards was still there, resulting in a repetition of the symptoms.
If it were my oven, I would be claiming that it is a major fault (see the ACCC website for in more information, or search the community using the magnifying glass icon), and asking politely for a replacement. Clearly an oven is not something you can readily take back to the supplier, so I would be expecting them to arrange the removal and replacement at no cost to you. You will need to make you claim in writing. Search www.choice.com.au for a template on how to write a letter of complaint.
Thanks for your reply, the kitchen is brand new and the cavity recommendations which were in the instruction booklet that came with the oven are W600mm (mine is 600mm) H600mm (mine is 600mm) D581mm (mine is 600) and a gap measurement at the back of the bottom shelf of 20mm (mine is 80mm) so I can’t believe the cavity is the problem. The oven is a Chef CVEP614SA. No vents were blocked.
The Kitchen company who installed the unit are coming on Wednesday to do their own measurements, so it will be interesting to see what they say.
If I can’t get a satisfactory outcome to this problem I will most certainly take it to the ACCC and thank you for the tip about the Choice template for a claim.
The other strange thing is that when the tech came out the 2nd time I complained that I would be without an oven over the Christmas period so he ‘reset’ (or some such thing) the oven so that I could cook with it but warned me not to try and use the cleaning function (which of course I have not done)
The company that installed the new kitchen are coming on Wednesday so it will be interesting to see what they say.
Will the high temperatures of a pyrolytic wall oven damage the cupboards? We have polyurethane coated sides which butt directly onto the sides of the existing wall oven but are then open to the air.
There is a venting space behind the oven plus shelves above and drawers below
From 30+ years experience owning 3 different manufacturer pyrolytic evens it should be a ‘no worries’ unless you have a very unusual installation. There is an air space between the oven and the cabinet walls for starters; pyrolytic ovens are also very well insulated and although the internal temperatures get near 500C during a cleaning cycle as long as the high temperature fan is operating properly there is no external heat issue; even when that fan is not operating properly damages are to the electronics, knobs, and oven rather than the cabinetry.
That being written there are many resources to be found on the net, but your best source of information will be a documented Q&A with the sales people who might supply your preferred product, and then confirming that with the manufacturer via their customer service lines. As you are concerned about the possibility it would be best to keep all that in writing with your oven receipt, just in the unlikely event you did have a worry in future.
welcome to the community. I have move your question to an existing topic. If you read the proceeding posts you will find quite a bit of discussion about how much space is required around pyrolytic ovens. Hope that helps answer your questions.
