Need replacement bulbs for over-range hood

Purchase a replacement lamp from somewhere like espares or the like.
It should be a standard E17 or SES 20Watt bulb.

On page 20 of your owner's manual:

To replace oven light:
1. Disconnect power at main fuse or circuit breaker or pull plug.
2. Remove the top grill by taking out the 2 screws that hold it in place. (See Figures 3.)
3. Remove charcoal filter.
4. Pull out the Lamp cover. (See Figure 4.)
5. Replace the light bulb with a 30-watt bulb.
6. Replace light housing to original position
7. Replace charcoal filter.
8. Replace top grill and secure with screws.
9. Connect electrical power.

You may have to get your spares through Kenmore.com

I would return it but only when you have it agreed that it will be replaced. Preferably in writing.
If you paid for it by Visa, then you have extra protection, consumer rights, and if the supplier won't do anything, Visa can refund your money!

I would not use the lamps. Sounds like there is a shortage in the wiring for the lamps. They lamps should run together, and if one of the sockets have a short or burned wire it will not let it complete the circuit. This could be a fire hazard, so I would replace the whole microwave. It would be more trouble to tear it apart and find the exact problem than it's worth.

Depends on the model number but here are some owner's manuals to check:

HTML clipboard http://www.microwavedisplay.com/KOT131UB.pdf
http://www.microwavedisplay.com/KOT131UW.pdf
http://www.microwavedisplay.com/KOT152UB.pdf
http://www.microwavedisplay.com/KOT152UW.pdf
http://www.microwavedisplay.com/KOT153UB.pdf
http://www.microwavedisplay.com/KOT153UW.pdf
http://www.microwavedisplay.com/KOT170SB.pdf
http://www.microwavedisplay.com/KOT170SW.pdf
http://www.microwavedisplay.com/KOT171S.pdf

If you find that you still have trouble after replacing the bulbs, you probably have a problem on the circuit board.

We see (and repair) this a lot. The problem is on the control panel, which we regularly repair nationwide by mail for $39.95 postpaid in about a week or so.

At our Web site, you can get details of our service, plus we have a video available showing how to remove a typical over the range control panel assembly in under 5 minutes.

This light failure often occurs when a bulb goes out and the filament shorts, or when the bulbs are removed or installed without first unplugging the oven from the power line. Either can cause such a failure on the controller.

The lights can can be inoperable or stuck on or stuck in "night light" mode. Sometimes this will similarly affect the fan operation or inside light, too.

Feel free to contact me directly (and please remind me of your full model number from the tag on the unit) for more information & help.

We're happy to help you with free advice and we'd appreciate your thoughtful rating of our answer.

William E. Miller, AS-EET
[email protected]
http://www.microwavedisplay.com

Panasonic's UK site is here, and you can use the support links to find spare parts and servicers.

If there's no obvious removable cover over the bulb (most often on the rear or side) and the owner's manual doesn't address it, then disassembly will be required.

You'll need to remove the outer cover (wrapper) to get to the bulb.

Always unplug a microwave before removing or installing any bulbs.

If it's an over the range type, remove the vent grille across the top and see if bulbs can be accessed there. There may be a panel on the bottom covering the light(s), instead.

If not, chances are you'll have to remove it from the wall, then remove the outer cover. If so, the installation instructions are very handy, and it's best to have two people since the microwave can be heavy and awkward.

Once it's out of the wall, the outer cover (wrapper) will need to be removed, just as you'll need to do on a counter top model.

On a counter top model, be sure it's unplugged, but otherwise ignore the instructions above this paragraph.

You'll need to remove the outer cover (wrapper) to get to the bulb.

See these links before proceeding:
http://www.microwavedisplay.com/safety.txt
http://www.microwavedisplay.com/disassembly.txt

The screws you need to remove should be pretty obvious, but a special driver (such as a T20H type or GTXH20-100) may be needed.

Be sure to put all the screws back in the right holes, since some may be special grounding screws.

Bulbs can be had locally in most grocery stores, hardware stores, home improvement centers, and big box or department stores.

Many models use halogen lamps. You must not touch halogen types with your bare skin, as the oils will shorten the bulb life.

We're happy to help you with free advice and we'd appreciate your thoughtful rating of our answer.

If you don't see an access panel inside the oven, you must remove the outer cover to find & replace the bulb. Be sure to unplug the oven first!

Many models use halogen lamps. You must not touch the new one with your bare skin as the oils will shorten the bulb life.

If you don't have your owner's manual, you can download it here: http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/NNT990SA.PDF

We're happy to help and we appreciate your thoughtful rating of our answer.

Manufacturers used to include access panels in the rear or side so you could easily change the bulb. That exposed the customer to 110V connectors, and that posed a real liability threat, so they stopped using them.

You now must generally remove the outer cover to replace the bulb.

In many over-the-range models, that can mean having to take the oven down from the wall! For safety's sake, that should be a two-person job.

It's really helpful if you have your original installation instructions to do this.

Many models use one halogen lamp to illuminate the cooktop and another to illuminate the cavity. You must not touch them with your bare skin as the oils will shorten the bulb life.

To order Panasonic parts see http://www.pasc.panasonic.com/epartr ; To download a Panasonic manual see
http://service.us.panasonic.com/operman ; to find an authorized Panasonic servicer, see
http://www.pasc.panasonic.com/WhereTo/FindServicer.asp?Pass=1 ; For FAQs, see http://service.us.panasonic.com/faq/faq.aspx

We appreciate your thoughtful rating of our answer.

They are indeed the same bulb, a 10W halogen. Care must be taken not to touch the lamp, as the oils from the skin will shorten its life. In many recent models, the oven must be removed from the wall (a two-person job due to safety concerns) and the cover must be removed. The manufacturers consider this a "technician-only" type job to lessen their liability. You can find helpful exploded view diagrams of both ovens and order the bulbs here: http://tinyurl.com/gv383