--- title: "Cooktop surface & element repair" description: "KitchenAid cooktop surface and element repair — one zone dead on an electric top, a touch control that will not answer, or a glass surface that has cracked." url: "https://kitchenaidmiami.support/services/cooktop-surface-and-element-repair/" date_modified: "2026-08-23" Appliance type: "Cooktops, Ranges" --- # KitchenAid cooktop surface & element repair ### Four surfaces, and how to tell yours Sealed gas burners on stainless. Gas on glass, where the burners sit on a ceramic surface. Electric radiant, where the elements glow red under ceramic. Induction, where the surface never glows and only magnetic pans work. Widths run 15, 30 and 36 inches, and there are downdraft versions in gas and electric. This page is about the two that live under glass. ### What actually goes wrong - **A single radiant element**, open or weak. - **The infinite switch** behind a knob-controlled zone, which is the other half of the same complaint. - **The touch control**, after water on it or under it. - **The glass itself**, cracked or chipped, which is a replacement. - **The wiring at the terminal block**, on a top where two zones went together. ### Caring for the surface Cooktop cream, a scraper held nearly flat, and a cool surface. On the stainless around it, the maker names water left to dry as the cause of discoloration, and warns that bleach, ammonia, citrus and vinegar cleaners and abrasives damage the finish — damage it says is not covered by its warranty. Dry it after cleaning it. ### What it costs From $185 for an element or a switch, with a glass replacement quoted separately after we have seen the model. The exact cost is confirmed after the on-site diagnostic. What this involves Radiant elements and their switches tested zone by zone Touch controls checked for water above and behind the glass Cracked glass quoted honestly against the appliance One zone or the whole top A single dead zone is that element or its switch. A whole top that has gone is the supply, the control or — on a range — one leg of a double breaker, which is free to check and worth checking first. Test the element under load Radiant elements fail open and they also fail partly, which is a zone that warms and never gets hot. Current under load separates the two. Look for water at the controls Touch controls stop working reliably when there is water on them and permanently when water has been under them. Where it got in matters as much as the part. Be straight about the glass A cracked ceramic surface is a replacement, not a repair, and it is a real cost. On an older appliance it is worth quoting against what a new one would cost, and we will do that arithmetic with you rather than for you. Four surfaces, and how to tell yours Sealed gas burners on stainless. Gas on glass, where the burners sit on a ceramic surface. Electric radiant, where the elements glow red under ceramic. Induction, where the surface never glows and only magnetic pans work. Widths run 15, 30 and 36 inches, and there are downdraft versions in gas and electric. This page is about the two that live under glass. What actually goes wrong A single radiant element, open or weak. The infinite switch behind a knob-controlled zone, which is the other half of the same complaint. The touch control, after water on it or under it. The glass itself, cracked or chipped, which is a replacement. The wiring at the terminal block, on a top where two zones went together. Caring for the surface Cooktop cream, a scraper held nearly flat, and a cool surface. On the stainless around it, the maker names water left to dry as the cause of discoloration, and warns that bleach, ammonia, citrus and vinegar cleaners and abrasives damage the finish — damage it says is not covered by its warranty. Dry it after cleaning it. What it costs From $185 for an element or a switch, with a glass replacement quoted separately after we have seen the model. The exact cost is confirmed after the on-site diagnostic. ### The glass is cracked. Can I still use it? No. A cracked ceramic or induction top is a live surface with a path to water and to your hand, and it should be switched off at the breaker until it is replaced. It is one of the few things on this site we will say plainly: stop using it. ### One zone does nothing and the others are fine. Good news, because it rules out the supply and the control most of the time. That leaves the element and its switch, and they are told apart in a few minutes with a meter. ### How do I clean the glass without scratching it? Cooktop cream and a flat blade scraper held nearly parallel, on a cool surface. What scratches these tops is grit trapped under a cloth and abrasive pads; what damages them permanently is sugar left to cool on the glass, which lifts the surface with it. Wipe a sugar spill carefully while it is still hot and leave everything else until it cools. ### What does the work cost? From $185 for an element or a switch. A glass surface replacement is a much larger figure and depends entirely on the model, which is why we quote it after seeing the appliance. The exact cost is confirmed after the on-site diagnostic. --- **[Read full article: Cooktop surface & element repair](https://kitchenaidmiami.support/services/cooktop-surface-and-element-repair/)**