GE Microwave Fan Won’t Turn Off: How to Fix It

The purpose of the fan in your GE microwave is to help cool down the appliance after it has been used. This helps to protect the components within the microwave so they don’t overheat and become defective. However, if your microwave fan won’t turn off this indicates something is wrong with it that will need to be repaired. 

In this article, we are going to give you some tips for how to prevent the fan from not turning off, and if they don’t work some specific fixes that you can apply.

All major GE microwave models are covered in this article, including:

56-289610-02, 56-2899-10, JE101901, JE101902, JE1019H01, JE1019H02,

JVM1540DM5WW, JVM1540SM5SS, JVM1790SK01, JVM1860SF001

JVM1870SF001, JVM1870SF02, JVM1950SR1SS, JVM2070SH001

JVM2070SK02, JVM3160DF2WW, JVM7195SF1SS, PVM1870SM1SS

PVM1870SM3SS, PVM1970SR1SS, SCA1001KSS02

Make sure you don’t overload your microwave

If you put too much food into your microwave to heat up, it can sometimes cause the fan to stay on after you take your food out of the microwave. This is because your microwave has had to work overtime to be able to cook everything you put in it. The easiest solution to this problem is to watch how much food you’re cooking at one time.

Don’t overuse your microwave

The second tip to stop your microwave fan from staying turned on for too long is to make sure you don’t overuse it. For example, if you cook food in your microwave for 5-10 minutes you should give it at least 10 minutes to cool down before using it again. Of course, this doesn’t apply to commercial-grade microwaves that you can find in commercial kitchens. Another option if your microwave fan won’t turn off is to turn your appliance off at the wall for 10-15 minutes and leave the door open to give it time to cool down before turning it back on again.

Make sure the vents aren’t blocked

If your microwave isn’t connected to an exhaust vent, you need to make sure the vents on your microwave can let out the warm air that is produced when you’re using the microwave. This can be achieved by making sure the top, back, and sides of your microwave aren’t positioned hard up against a wall or cabinet. Also, make sure that nothing is sitting on top of your microwave that could prevent air from being able to disperse out.

Clean your microwave

If the tips above didn’t solve your fan problem, the next thing you should do is give your microwave a good clean. When loose debris, grease, and grime build up in your microwave it can get stuck in the vents and cause your microwave to not be able to cool down, resulting in the fan not turning off.

Here’s a quick way to clean your microwave:

• Place half a cup of white vinegar, half a cup of water, and three-quarters of a cup of lemon juice into a microwave-safe bowl
• Place the bowl into the microwave and place it on high for 5 minutes
• After the cycle ends, wait 2-3 minutes before opening the door
• Remove the bowl from the microwave (be careful as it will be very hot)
• Remove the plate from the microwave
• Grab a clean cloth and wipe the interior of your microwave out
• Clean and dry the plate and place it back into your microwave

You can now use your microwave again. If you still have a problem with the fan you will have to check the thermostat (see below).

Check the thermostat

The purpose of the thermostat in your microwave is to monitor the temperature inside your microwave and when it records a high temperature it tells the control board to turn the fan on. If the thermostat becomes faulty it may mistakenly tell the control board to turn and keep the fan on when it shouldn’t. 

To check the thermostat, you will need to:

1. Turn your microwave off by unplugging it or turning the circuit breaker off
2. Locate the thermostat
3. Use a multimeter to test the thermostat for continuity. This can be done by placing the probes on the thermostat.
4. If the thermostat is faulty it will need to be replaced, or if that option is too expensive you may decide to purchase a new microwave. If the thermostat is working correctly you will need to consider replacing the main control board (see below).
5. If the thermostat gets replaced, plug your microwave back in and test if the fan is working properly. If it still won’t turn off, you will need to consider replacing the main control board (see below).

Replace the main control board

The main control board in your GE microwave is like the brain of the appliance. It is responsible for telling all of the other components within the appliance what to do. When it becomes faulty it will give out the wrong commands and your microwave will stop working correctly. 

If you still haven’t found the cause of your fan not turning off, your last option is to replace the main control board and then check if that solves the problem. The reason you need to replace them is that they are very difficult to test and even harder to repair. If replacing the main control board is going to be expensive you may decide your better option is to simply purchase a new microwave.