Maytag oven top heating element won't come on unless on broil

your Maytag range has only a single heating element located at the top of the oven, it is likely a "broil" element, which is used primarily for cooking food close to the top of the oven. The lower heating element, which is typically used for baking and roasting, may be hidden beneath the oven floor or located at the bottom of the oven.
If your oven is not getting very hot, it is possible that the broil element is malfunctioning and needs to be replaced. However, if the oven is not heating evenly or is not getting hot enough to cook food properly, it may be a more complex issue related to the temperature sensor, the control board, or other components.
To diagnose and repair the issue, it is recommended to have the range serviced by a qualified technician, who can properly identify the model and locate the faulty component. The model number of your range can typically be found on a label inside the oven door, on the back of the range, or on a storage drawer beneath the oven.

the upper element only comes on when you broil or clean with selfcleaner. the bottom comes on when you are baking, it sounds like your bottom element is bad.

You're actually referring to the "broiler" elements. Most electric ovens have these at the top of the main oven space. (Some gas ovens are set up the same way, but many put the broiler elements in a bottom drawer.)

As their name implies, broiler elements are active only when you're broiling. They will not go on for baking.

Broiling is the process of cooking food by exposing it directly to a high heat source at close range. To broil a steak, for example, you would place the pan holding the steak on an oven rack raised to the top or next to top position in the oven (consult the manual) and set the oven to broil. The top elements will then turn on and cook the meat by direct radiation.

Most people, however, use ovens for baking far more often than for broiling. Baking is the process of cooking food (cakes, casseroles, roasts etc) by indirect heat. In other words you raise the oven to a certain temperature, put the food on a rack more in the middle of the oven, and let the surrounding heat cook it over time. When you bake the top broiler elements usually don't come on at all.

I hope this helps.

the broil element
is the heating element that is found at the top of the oven and produces a very high heat for broiling. If the broil element isn't working, you should first do a visual inspection for signs that the element has blistered or separated. If the element appears normal then you can check for continuity with a multi-meter. Remove power from the appliance before performing this test. Remove the back panel and locate the terminals for the broil element and inspect the terminals and wires for signs of overheating or damage.

If there is no continuity then the element will need to be replaced. If the wires are damaged then they will need to be repaired. If the element is ok then you will need to check the broil circuit to determine the cause. This involves live voltage checks and should only be performed by qualified persons. Components to check include fuses, if the range is equipped, and oven control thermostat or electronic control.

https://www.repairclinic.com/RepairHelp/How-To-Fix-A-Range-Stove-Oven/18---/Oven-won-t-turn-on-
Oven Won Turn on

the broil element
is the heating element that is found at the top of the oven and produces a very high heat for broiling. If the broil element isn't working, you should first do a visual inspection for signs that the element has blistered or separated. If the element appears normal then you can check for continuity with a multi-meter. Remove power from the appliance before performing this test. Remove the back panel and locate the terminals for the broil element and inspect the terminals and wires for signs of overheating or damage.

If there is no continuity then the element will need to be replaced. If the wires are damaged then they will need to be repaired. If the element is ok then you will need to check the broil circuit to determine the cause. This involves live voltage checks and should only be performed by qualified persons. Components to check include fuses, if the range is equipped, and oven control thermostat or electronic control. Depending on the manufacturer of the element, you will normally read between 19 ohms and 115 ohms

the broil element
is the heating element that is found at the top of the oven and produces a very high heat for broiling. If the broil element isn't working, you should first do a visual inspection for signs that the element has blistered or separated. If the element appears normal then you can check for continuity with a multi-meter. Remove power from the appliance before performing this test. Remove the back panel and locate the terminals for the broil element and inspect the terminals and wires for signs of overheating or damage.

If there is no continuity then the element will need to be replaced. If the wires are damaged then they will need to be repaired. If the element is ok then you will need to check the broil circuit to determine the cause. This involves live voltage checks and should only be performed by qualified persons. Components to check include fuses, if the range is equipped, and oven control thermostat or electronic control. Depending on the manufacturer of the element, you will normally read between 19 ohms and 115 ohms

Most modern ovens use an electronic control board
to control the oven functions. These models will use the control board to operate the oven safety valve on a gas range or oven, and the bake and broil elements on an electric range or oven. If there is no power to the igniter circuit, or the element circuits, then you should check the control board to verify that there is power at the appropriate output relay. These are live voltage checks and should be performed by qualified persons only. If there is no output voltage then the control should be replaced.

http://www.partselect.com/Repair/Range-Stove-Oven/Will-Not-Start

time for a new element

THINGS TO CHECK:

the broil element
is the heating element that is found at the top of the oven and produces a very high heat for broiling. If the broil element isn't working, you should first do a visual inspection for signs that the element has blistered or separated. If the element appears normal then you can check for continuity with a multi-meter. Remove power from the appliance before performing this test. Remove the back panel and locate the terminals for the broil element and inspect the terminals and wires for signs of overheating or damage.

If there is no continuity then the element will need to be replaced. If the wires are damaged then they will need to be repaired. If the element is ok then you will need to check the broil circuit to determine the cause. This involves live voltage checks and should only be performed by qualified persons. Components to check include fuses, if the range is equipped, and oven control thermostat or electronic control. Depending on the manufacturer of the element, you will normally read between 19 ohms and 115 ohms


The bake element
is the heating element that is found at the bottom of the oven. Most electric ovens use both the bake element and the broil element in a bake cycle, with the bake element performing 90% of the heating. If the bake element isn't working, the oven may not heat. To help determine if the bake element is defective you should first do a visual check. If the element is blistered or separated then it should be replaced. If the element appears to look normal, then turn the oven on to a bake function for a minute and then turn it off.

Check the element for signs of heating and if it is still cold then it may be defective. Disconnect the power and then remove the back panel. First check the wires as they may have become loose or corroded. If the element appears to be fine visually, test it for continuity with a multi-meter. ( by placing the each of the meter prongs on each end of the heater element connectors) If the element is burned or no longer has continuity, it will need to be replaced. Depending on the manufacturer of the element, you will normally read between 19 ohms and 115 ohms

The oven safety valve
(also called the gas valve) is the part that ensures that gas is not released until the igniter has reached the correct temperature needed to ignite the gas. While this part can fail, it is uncommon. If the hot surface igniter does not glow you should first verify that you have voltage to the circuit. This is a live voltage check and should be performed by a qualified person. If voltage is lost at the valve terminals then you should verify the continuity of the bi-metal in the valve using a multi-meter.
Most modern ovens use an electronic control board
to control the oven functions. These models will use the control board to operate the oven safety valve on a gas range or oven, and the bake and broil elements on an electric range or oven. If there is no power to the igniter circuit, or the element circuits, then you should check the control board to verify that there is power at the appropriate output relay. These are live voltage checks and should be performed by qualified persons only. If there is no output voltage then the control should be replaced.


http://www.partselect.com/Repair/Range-Stove-Oven/Will-Not-Start Oven Won Turn on

Check the bake element.(bottom Element).
It is likely burnt out.
Sounds like your only getting some pre-heat from the top(broil element).

I suspect a heating element in the oven has burned out. Some ovens have 2 heating elements, one on the bottom for baking and one on the top for broiling. If this is the case, you can try setting the oven on broil and see if the top element gets hot. Usually the bottom element fails first because food gets dripped on it. In most cases you can unplug the old heating element by just pulling on it and plug the new one just as easily. You can check the resistance of the heating element with an ohm meter. If it's burned out the resistance will be very high, probably greater than a mega ohm. In some cases you will need to take the back off the oven to replace the heating element. Just make sure the oven is unplugged and cool when you start working on it.