3 Reasons Your Microwave Runs For A Few Seconds & Stops
When you put food inside of your microwave, hit the number of seconds you want the food to heat up, and press start, you expect your microwave to run for the full amount of time you entered. You don't expect your microwave to run for a few seconds and stop. If you feel like you are playing a game trying to get your microwave to run for a couple of seconds at a time, your microwave is in need of some repairs. There are five common reasons your microwave may be acting this way.
Reason #1: Bad Door Switches
For your microwave to run properly, the door must be sealed shut. Your microwave has special sensors that let your microwave know if the door is completely shut.
Even if your door looks shut to you, your microwave may not be registering the door as being shut if the sensors are damaged. If your microwave has a seal around it, your sensors could be completely accurate, because the gasket around the door could be damaged, preventing a full seal.
Check out the gasket and see if it needs to be replaced. If the gasket is fine, the door sensors may need to be replaced.
Reason #2: Damaged Touchpad
Touchpads on microwaves are easy to use, but they are also easy to break down. Touchpads are really sensitive, and sometimes the components in the touchpad get damaged. One of the side effects of a damaged touchpad is some buttons may not work correctly, and your microwave may keep turning off instead of running a full cycle.
Reason #3: Bad Cooling Fan
When your microwave turns on, a fan inside also turns on. The fan is designed to keep all the electrical components of your microwave cool while it is in operation. If the fan is damaged and doesn't turn on when your microwave starts, as a fail-safe measure, your microwave is going to turn off after a few seconds to prevent it from overheating. If your microwave doesn't sound like it normally does when you turn it on, it may have a bad cooling fan.
If your microwave will not stay on for the necessary time to cook your food, this is an issue that can be fixed. The door sensor, touchpad, or cooling fan may need to be replaced. If you can't pinpoint the issue, an appliance repair technician should be able to quickly fix up your microwave and get it running again.
For more information on microwave repair, reach out to an appliance repair technician in your area.