Asko Induction Cooktop Not Heating: What to Check Before You Call

An induction cooktop makes heat in the cookware itself. A coil under the glass produces a magnetic field, the pan responds, and the heat starts in the metal. That is why the surface stays cool and why the glass may appear untouched while a pot of water boils. It is also why a cooktop that has stopped heating can be hard to read: the lights may all be on, a fan may run, and nothing happens in the pan.

Start with the pan and the zone

The most frequent cause of a “dead” zone is the cookware. Induction needs a pan that responds to a magnetic field. A pan with a warped base, an aluminum or glass pot, a base much smaller than the marked zone, or a pan that is off-center may fail to start heating. If a zone has stopped working, try a different pan that you know is suitable on a different zone, then return to the first zone with the same pan. If the pan heats elsewhere but not on the first zone, the zone itself needs a look. If no pan heats anywhere, the problem is more general. When the display flashes a pan symbol or the zone refuses to start, our companion article on an {a(“ct_pan”)} covers that path.

Is the cooktop switched on and unlocked?

Most induction cooktops have a child lock, a pause or a control lock that makes the panel ignore touches. If you cleaned the glass recently, the cooktop may have received accidental touches and locked itself, or a wet cloth left on the panel may be registering as a finger. Dry the glass, make sure nothing is resting on the controls, and check the display for a lock symbol. Only use controls as described for your cooktop. Do not hold buttons for long periods trying to force it.

Power: breaker, circuit and the house

An induction cooktop draws a lot of power and usually has its own circuit. A breaker that has tripped, or partly tripped, can leave the panel working through one leg of the supply while the heating does not start. Look at the breaker panel for any breaker that sits between positions, and reset it once, firmly. If the breaker trips again, stop. In older San Francisco flats, a cooktop installed in a remodel can share space with wiring that was never meant for it, and the repeated trip tells a technician about the circuit. Our Asko cooktop repair page describes how such circuits come into the diagnosis.

One zone, two zones or all of them

• One zone only: usually the coil or its driver for that zone, a cracked or damaged area of glass, or a pan problem on that spot.
• Part of the cooktop: the cooktop may share power electronics between zones, so two neighboring zones failing together points at a shared component.
• Whole cooktop: the supply, a main board or the controls. The fan may still spin.
• Starts then stops: overheating protection, a pan that is not detected consistently, or a fan or ventilation issue.

Heat protection and airflow

An induction cooktop has electronics beneath the glass that need cool air. If the unit is installed above a drawer, an oven or a stack of pots stored too close, airflow suffers and the cooktop may reduce or stop heating to protect itself. Look at what sits directly below the cooktop. A drawer of baking trays pressed up against the underside, or a deep pan that someone placed on a shelf there, can block the air path. Tidy the space and let the cooktop cool before testing again.

Glass damage and spills

Check the glass surface for a crack, a chip or a fine line. Any damage means you should stop using the cooktop, since liquid can reach electronics. Sugary spills that have burned onto the glass can also interfere with contact. Clean cold glass with a soft cloth only. Do not use a scraper on a cooktop that is not behaving normally.

A few words about cookware that surprises owners

Induction is fussy about the cookware, and not always in obvious ways. A pan can be magnetic and still perform badly if its base is thin and bows when hot. A pan that worked on the previous cooktop may not suit this one. Cookware sold as suitable for all stoves is not always equal. If one particular pan keeps causing trouble while others behave, trust the pattern and replace the pan rather than suspecting the cooktop.

Safe checks, in order

1. Try a known good magnetic pan, centered on the marked zone.
2. Test a second zone with the same pan.
3. Dry the control area and look for a lock or pause symbol.
4. Look at the breaker and reset it once if it has tripped.
5. Clear what is stored below the cooktop and let it cool.
6. Do one controlled power reset at the breaker, wait, then try again.

Write down what the display shows, and which zones work. Do not remove the cooktop, lift the glass or touch wiring beneath it.

When to stop and book

Stop using the cooktop if you see cracked glass, smell something burning, notice sparks or a breaker that keeps tripping. Switch it off at the breaker. Our diagnosis comes before any repair, with a written estimate and nothing done until you approve. Read about the Asko cooktops lineup, and keep the model number ready. The HI1995G and the HI1655G are the induction cooktops we list, and our how to find your Asko model number guide explains where labels sit, usually on the underside of the unit or on the paperwork from installation.

Frequently asked questions