Generally, we cannot use our microwave oven until its door is not open. We can only place items to prepare when the door is not closed.
If your Cuisinart microwave convection oven door won’t open, there is a hardware issue in your appliance. However, it is not hard to fix this issue if done correctly.
Technically, if your Cuisinart microwave convection oven door is not opening, a plastic part called the lever located behind the door opener switch is broken. You will have to remove the covers of your appliance to access the faulty element. Replace it to fix the issue.
Let’s understand what you should do when your Cuisinart microwave convection oven won’t open.
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Why Won’t the Cuisinart Microwave Convection Door Open?
Electric-powered kitchen appliances are usually made of metal and non-metal elements. The microwave convection oven is also an electrically powered appliance that has a variety of small and big components made of metal and plastic.
The outer body of this model by Cuisinart is made of metal including its covers. But the door open button located on its front right side bottom has some plastic parts that make it connect with the door.
Let’s learn how this system works: technically this item has a door open button, when you press this button, it opens the door. This button is visible from outside its half-door opening system is hidden from the outside that is situated inside the oven’s front.
A small stick-shaped plastic part connects the door-holding locks and door-open buttons together. When you press the button it presses a plastic lever inside the oven system, and this lever unlocks the door holding locks.
The button moves inward and outward, but this lever rotates upward and downward. Rotates upward when the button is pressed(inward), lever rotates downward once the door is opened.
The microwave oven door won’t open when this connection is broken. In simple words, the door won’t open when the button fails to rotate the plastic lever when the lever is broken.
This lever can break when you are using the appliance for many years and unit parts are weakened. Don’t press the open button hard because it can break the plastic lever. Consider pressing the door open button gently.
How to Fix the Cuisinart Microwave Door that won’t open?
The best thing is that you can easily fix a door problem in your Cuisinart microwave yourself. A screwdriver according to screw types and a new plastic lever are required to fix this issue.
You must get a replacement element based on the model number of your appliance. This model number can be found on the bottom or back side of the device. This is necessary because it avoids buying unmatched spare parts. This fix would take 15 to 30 minutes to complete. Don’t miss any step.
Here’s how you can fix not opening the door of your Cuisinart microwave convection oven:
- As we discussed before it’s an internal hardware issue, so we have disassembled the covers of the oven to get access to that part. You must UNPLUG the appliance before touching it for fixing.
- Once the appliance is unplugged, place it on enough counter space, so you can easily secure all the disengaged components. Consider having a clean and soft piece of cloth to place the cover there. It prevents scratches.
- Have a screwdriver and open the covers holding the screws open one by one. Consider collecting all the opened screws in one secure place where they cannot be lost.
- Disengage all the side and front covers and place them on the counter space.
- Now keep an eye behind the door opening button, you will find a plastic lever there. In case this is broken from any side, you have to replace it. You must have an exactly matched plastic lever to fit there.
- Disassemble the broken part slowly, so you cannot end up having other parts broken also.
- Fit the new lever there and after fitting it, must check if it is working or not. To test, press the door open button and see if the button is rotating the lever.
- Once it is working fine, assemble the cover back. Just do the reverse steps. Now, the door of your kitchen microwave convection oven starts opening and closing perfectly.
What Should You Do When the Cuisinart Microwave Oven Door Won’t Open and Close?
The first thing we noticed in many individuals is that they usually panic when something happens wrong with their appliance. So don’t panic when the door does not open. It will open when you find the cause behind this issue and fix it as soon as possible.
Second, you investigate the actual cause. You can do this by following this guide. When the microwave door is not opening, the button will show no resistance when you press it.
A good working door opening button always shows some tightness and resistance. This resistance is noticeable when the button hits the lever. When it loses the connection with the lever, your door is stuck closed and will not open.
Always operate your appliance gently. Don’t operate it hard, so it works for many years which most of us want and expects from our appliances.