When microwave quits heating is it better to get a new one or call for repair

If "everything" works and your microwave just stopped heating, the problem might be with the internal door switches, the high voltage circuitry, or the circuit board or quite probalby your magnetron is dead. If you don't have the technical knowledge to repair microwaves, you should take it to a repair service for diagnostics.

Is this an over the stove type unit? I have had a few problems with my over the range spacesaver. I think the heat from cooking gets up into the microwave and damages it. The steam from me boiling things on the stove had mine quit heating and I purchased a new one. The parts to replace the faulty ones can be quite expensive over $150.00, so its better to purchase a new microwave.

Almost certainly the magnetron tube in your oven shorted and caused the light show and sound effects. This is the microwave source, and without the waves there's no heat. The tube is replaceable, but it's a costly parts. Add in repair labor, and you'd be better off replacing the oven. New ones are often cheaper than the parts alone today.

Hello Keith Sprague,

Spelling is close and your guess is quite excellent...

Before you ENGAGE in a wholesale repair effort...

You should check your machine is not in DEMO mode...

Demo Mode
Activate to practice using the control without actually turning on
the magnetron. Touch and hold number pad "3" for 3 seconds. The
"DEMO" icon will appear in the display. Repeat to exit Demo Mode

From page 3 (of your operators manual)

Whirlpool MH2175XSB User Instructions Electrical Requirements

Hope this helps


Carnac the Magnificent

Hello. When the microwave sounds okay, but there's no heat, one of the internal door switches, the high voltage circuitry, or the circuit board may have a problem. To resolve this problem, you need the assistance of a qualified appliance repair technician. Just get a firm estimate before you commit to a repair because it is often better in this market place to replace as opposed to repair. it is cheaper and the new microwave is better all the way around. plus the new one is under warranty.
Joe

The main circuit board quit working. Replace unit. ITs cheaper to replace this unit than to repair it. By the time you invest the parts/labor for repair, you are over half way to a new unit w/warranty.

The problem could be anything from a defective control circuit board or a burned out magnetron tube. Either fix is quite expensive and you'll have to evaluate whether you think the repair is worth the cost vs buying a new microwave.

Bear in mind that a fixed microwave is still a used microwave. So to get an apples-to-apples comparison you have to ask yourself, would I pay $XXX (substitute XXX's with actual repair cost) for my used microwave?

Took microwave out, opened back, 15amp fuse blown. Replaced all ok.

chances are your magnatron quit on you and you may be better off getting a new one.

The most common causes for a lack of heating are a bad door switch, a loose connection on the magnetron, a bad magnetron, bad connection on the control circuit board, a bad relay on the board, bad high voltage diode, or bad high voltage transformer. If you or a friend decide to work on it, we have *critical* safety, disassembly, and troubleshooting info (as well as a text file which helps in diagnosing and repairing door switch problems) at our site, which is linked at our listing here on FixYa: http://tinyurl.com/yzjozk We are the ones who repair the displays and control boards, by the way.