gaggenau induction cooktop problem

11 years ago

Hi. my 36" gaggenau induction cooktop CI491-610 was purchased new in box in 2009 but due to delayed kitchen remodel, was just installed in November 2014. So the warranty is long gone. It was installed to all specifications over a Wolf oven. It worked perfectly and we loved it until Monday when the left 2 burners stopped heating the pans- it continually clicks until it turns off, or displays a mirror image digital "9". When I posted on "just answers" , a paid site for internet appliance advice, the technician answered that the power module was out and needed to be replaced. That makes sense to me since those two burners share power from the Power boost feature. When I called the local appliance company that deals with Gaggenau, the total cost of repair including installing and reinstalling the cooktop and the oven is $970 eeps. And that is only warranted for 90 days.

When we installed the c36" cooktop to specifications, because of the installation in a custom 30" cabinet and adjacent flanking cabinets, we had to partly cut off the lateral 3 inches of the heat shield that projects down from the cooktop - I had thought that the heat shield was a hinged flap and the cabinets were built accordingly but it was a fixed flap. Could this be the cause of the power module failure? The unit has never overheated or turned off with error messages while using it. Alternatively we do use the Wolf oven a lot. I think it is well insulated but is there a chance that the heat from the oven has caused the power module failure? I am going to have to get the current module replaced but want to prevent any further occurence.

thank you for any help that you can give me.

Featured Answer

scrappy25
Original Author

11 years ago

I found a Gagg certified company that will allow me to bring the unit in for repair thereby saving some money. I can try to fix the cut heat shield. Does anyone know if the exhaust or the intake is in front of the heat shield? Also does the heat shield have to touch the surface below to effectively separate the intake from the outtake?

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Comments (7)

dbabrams
11 years ago
My understanding is that the warranty starts when the appliance is installed. Was this purchased from an authorized dealer? If so, you should get a letter from your installer stating the date it was installed.
scrappy25
Original Author
11 years ago
I have a call into Gaggenau about this
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59 Dodge
11 years ago
I suspects due to the heat shield being cut off, that the warranty will be declined, regardless of when it was installed. Since we have seen few failures of any induction cooktop, and I never recall seeing a Gaggenau failure, (although I haven't looked for one specifically), I think without all of that heat shield, you "may be", asking for trouble!

Gary
scrappy25
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
hmm perhaps I will attach some aluminum sheeting to recreate the heat shield in the cut off parts then after reinstallation and before the under cooktop oven is put back. Since the heat shield is present along most of the length and there is plenty of "circulation space" due to my deeper base cabinets I thought there would not be a problem. Plllog posted that her gagg induction shut off when it overheated, but I don't remember her saying that it damaged any modules. Thread linked below.

discussion of heat shields and clearances induction cooktops
Jakvis
11 years ago
Induction electronics put out massive amounts of heat and that heat has to be removed from the cabinet somehow and definitely needs to be kept from sucking in any of the heat it put out. (This is what the air dam helps with)

No oven has perfect insulation, so an oven will add additional heat to the cabinet. You may need to find someway to ventilate the cabinet so no or very little heat is trapped inside.
kaseki
11 years ago
I had a similar failure recently in a Kenmore (Electrolux clone) induction cooktop. This unit has a vast reservoir of unheated air to draw from, so your problem may only be that some component aged out. However, the issue of the "heat shield" is a valid concern, because its purpose was to block direct flow of warm exhaust air back to the intake. This could be exacerbated by being located over an oven. I recommend when reinstalling this unit that you consider where cool air can come from and where hot air can be moved to, and install baffles, holes, or whatever else helps keep the hot exhaust from the intake.

kas