GE Oven F2 — Oven Temperature Runaway / Over-Temperature

What does GE F2 mean?

The oven exceeded the programmed temperature by a significant margin, or the temperature sensor read above the maximum safe threshold (~590°F / 310°C for most GE models). This is a safety-circuit code.

What causes GE F2?

• Shorted or failed oven temperature sensor (RTD probe)
• Relay on the control board stuck in the closed position, keeping the element energized
• Self-clean cycle ran and damaged the sensor

How a technician tells the causes apart

• With the oven off and cool, open the door and look at the small metal probe mounted on the back wall of the cavity: if it's bent so it's touching the oven wall or a rack, that contact alone can cause a false over-temperature reading.
• Power the oven off at the circuit breaker, not just at the control panel, and let it sit for a few seconds before restoring power. If F2 clears and the oven reaches normal temperatures afterward, the fault may have been a one-time control glitch rather than a failed part.
• With the breaker off, follow the sensor's wiring back from the probe a short distance and check the connector for browning, melted insulation, or looseness — damage here often follows a self-clean cycle that ran hotter than normal.
• Once the wiring checks out, measure the sensor probe's resistance across its two terminals with the breaker still off: a steady reading confirms the sensor is intact, while an open (infinite) or shorted (near-zero) reading confirms the sensor itself has failed.
• After a reset, place an independent oven thermometer inside and watch a full preheat cycle. If the oven's own display and the thermometer disagree by a wide and growing margin, the control is losing an accurate read on cavity temperature.
• If the sensor tests good, a technician can check whether the bake relay on the control board is staying energized after the set temperature is reached — this involves probing a live circuit and should only be done by a qualified technician with the appropriate meter and safety precautions.

Most F2 calls trace back to the probe itself, a simple two-wire part mounted on the cavity's back wall — cheap to replace and worth checking first. If the probe tests fine and the relay stays closed, the fault is on the control board, and the whole board gets replaced as a unit. Either part has to match your exact model; the tag for that sits on the frame around the oven cavity opening, visible with the door open, often behind the storage drawer.

How to fix GE F2 yourself

1. 1 Do NOT use the oven while F2 is active.
2. 2 Power off at the circuit breaker for 30 seconds, then restore. If F2 clears and the oven reaches correct temperatures, monitor it closely.
3. 3 The temperature sensor probe is typically accessible from inside the oven cavity — it's a small metal probe on the back wall. Check that it's not visibly damaged or touching the oven wall.