smeg oven door not shutting properly

richard, December 2008

works. perfect and thanks

marco, September 2017

The links to illustrations do not work but here is a link that helped me fix this annoying problem in 5 mins!!

Till then, we'd been tying the door up with a dish cloth..

http://www.flipangle.org/?p=117

Thanks, All!

AlexTelly, May 2017

Thank you! I've just fixed my Smeg oven door using this method. So simple and it cost nothing.

SCH, March 2017

Can someone please post a pic of this fix as I am a little confused

Sharon, April 2016

Fantastic solution!
I have the same ajar door issue on an Ilve Grand Chef 900mm oven, so I found this solution worked!

I used ordinary foil just to see if the solution worked.
First I put the foil under the top arms (incorrect) then I looked at the pic and then did it the correct way.

So look at the pic - the foil goes under the bottom arms on Ilve door hinge holes!

Bensy, March 2016

I used two flat powerful magnets in the top left and right corners of the door frame. (Smeg 6 Burner)

They work perfectly and the oven door closes against the seal with a satisfying click.

The magnets are self attaching without any fastener and remain on the frame..not the door as it opens.

Craig Howard . NZ, February 2016

At the top of the door just below control knobs I have used a small piece of metal say 20mm x 30mm screwed into the lip below the control knobs . Don't fasten this too tightly with a self tapping screw and as the door closes tight I flick the metal down and it keeps the door perfectly sealed.

Ian, January 2016

Brilliant. Thick foil worked a treat on my smeg. Took less than 10 minutes.

Ash M, December 2015

We've tried this but can't get the door back in after putting the foil on! The notch in the lower bit of hinge won't sit on the lip any more, even without the foil. Now we have no oven at all! Please help...

SimonP, October 2015

I tried the metal strip, and worked for a while until the metal wore through. I've now got some thin but powerful magnets at the top of the door. Works like a charm.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=391142518328&globalID=EBAY-AU

The Wolf, July 2015

Thanks to Chris & Chris in first post. I stripped our door, but the hinges were still in good order - tried packing the hinge slot as described (cat food tin lid cut up with tinsnips) and worked first try - great diy fix, cheers

Alex, December 2014

After reading all the advise, I'm still at a loss. I have the same issue with a 90" Ilve oven. The door will remains ajar when closed. The door springs are strong. I wonder if the Ilve hinge differs from the Smeg? One response here says they are similar. I'm unable to locate a link to a diagram or UTube demonstration of where to put the U insert. Even though the explanations given are ideal, I remain confused. I would appreciate some help. Many thanks. Tony G, NZ

Tony G, October 2014

This is a simple and clever fix. If I hadn't seen it I would have wasted money on new hinges. My solution to the worn metal in the roller holder was a small hoop of strip steel, 1/32" thick, bent to cover the worn area and held in place with strong aluminium sticky tape. Result, the door now closes nice and tightly.
Another solution would be to replace the roller holders - they are under £30 a pair. You can buy them here http://www.espares.co.uk/product/es969608/oven-door-left-hinge-roller-holder?PartTypeId=1598&ManufacturerId=1213

David SC, September 2014

Has anyone got a pic of where to put the hinge foil - the links below aren't working anymore. Got the same problem but a bit foxed!

Durnat, January 2014

Followed the blog and made two little u shaped clips about 10mm long and 3 wide. Took off the door and loosened the two door hinge screws on the main body of the oven - slipped the clips over the bottom of the hinge slot and tightened the screws - re-fitted the door making sure that the hinge slot fitted over the newly installed clips & bingo, a closing oven door for a few minutes work - thanks to all who passed on their experiences with Smeg A2 oven hinges. I made the clips from an old Roses Chocolate tin and cut it with tin snips. Will be looking out for a pieces of stainless steel to make the job more permanent.

Tractordriver, November 2013

Having stripped and cleaned, hinges looked serviceable so put back together and re-fitted to find the shut tight and snug. i stood back to admire my handy work, shock horror, the door wasn't straight! I straightened the door and back came the problem of not shutting :(

Time to throw away your foil trays....

Solution...
Open door 3/4 and twist both sides of the door upwards and outwards a little until bottom sits on rubber seal.
Job done...
The beef cooked thereafter was delicious :)

Postmanpat, January 2013

Amazing, thankyou!

Sophie & Paul, December 2012

never believed this would work in a million years, AMAZING! We used the "metal" of a soft drinks can.

dawn, October 2012

Simpler solution: the problem is caused by the mechanism inside the slot in the oven into which the hinge goes dropping down a little with use (due to heavy door) - the solution is take door off, loosen screws top and bottom of a slot a little (do not remove screws entirely). Then push mechanism up as far as it will go with a screwdriver and hold while tightening screws firmly again. Repeat for other slot. Only if metal is very worn away do you need to pad with foil as described by others.

Pete, October 2012

That's amazing, I thought that was going to cost me a fortune.So easy. What did we do without google. Thank you

Lynne, September 2012

This just saved me £40 - brilliant and couldn't be easier. Worst part was cleaning all the crud off the door. Thanks

Nigel, March 2012

Abdolutely unbelieveable!!! Had the same problem for ages. Tried the "bent bit of foil" trick thought to myself "no way will this work" but IT DOES. Brilliant!

Rob, November 2011

yup! brilliant. cut a bit of an old tin can and folded it over. simple.

callum, August 2011

Thanks Chris and Chris! I just used some foil to fix our dodgy door. Genius.

Paul, July 2011

Hmm.Just found the diagram.Tried it and voila.it works.Thanks so much everyone.Like an earlier poster my wife will be very happy when she comes home from her weekend away.

Johnny G, May 2011

I'm still a bit confused.Can someone post up a diagram of exactly what the repair should look like.Sorry if i sound a bit dim.

Johnny G, May 2011

the foil idea worked for me, fabulously easy, and does not involve removing any screws - took 5 minutes once I'd understood the instructions, which I'll try to make more clear...

remove oven door as shown in manual, but if that's not clear see the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWke_-OPOlU

all you need is to cut two bits of foil to go over the bottom of the slots that you now have in the front of the oven - I actually used the lid that I'd removed from a can, and cut a couple of short ribbons with kitchen scissors - make two small n shapes and hang them on the bottom of the slots above the screws

then put the door back!

banjofish, February 2011

worked for me also - one a Smeg A1-1 Thanks everyone. Used a meat pie case not a mince pie but it seemed to work just as well.

PW, January 2011

I can't believe it ... it worked on an Ilve door as well. You guys rock.

I must admit the U shape made it difficult to stay in place when I pushed the door hinge back through the hole so I just packed the bottom of the door hinge hole with foil and it works perfect now.

The irony of this is that we actually bought a set of hinges to replace for around $80 and bent them trying to put the door on over a year ago. We have been using 1/2 the door (cover hanlde off) for a year now and with a little googling found this fantastic site and your answers. Wish I had found you 12 months ago :).

Many thanks

Bald Eagle, January 2011

Fantastic!
I too wasn't sure where to put the foil,
The realised the door had to come off.
Bugger I says, thinking of a big job,
Then I found this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWke_-OPOlU
And followed your own instructions.
Bobs your uncle, it worked!
Now a dodgy Smeg oven door closes for the first time in a couple of years, and I shall have a happy better half upon her return this evening!
Happy days!

Ciderman, January 2011

Errr awsome solution. Legends guys. Now I have a reason to eat mince pies.

Dobbie, December 2010

thank you chriss and chriss clean the door while you do that do the hinges too ours were gross

fdjk, December 2010

What a genius solution - I took the door off and checked the hinges/springs which seemed fine to me. Made up some packing pads as suggested with baking foil, reassembled and vola! Works better than ever before - thanks!

Tom, December 2010

GENIUS!! The tin foil solution worked for me (as per Ash). Just for further clarity (assuming your hinges look OK) it's just a case of taking the door off (no removal of screws at all) and adding the foil as mentioned by just looping it over the bottom of the hole the hinges go in. as said before, no idea why it works but it does!

Mart, October 2010

I too have to replace an entire hinge on mine as the internals were bent and an internal axle missing..managed to find one for about 15 quid. To my mind a bit of a rip off as actually the hinge has had no undue stress

peter hinde, October 2010

Thanks, still puzzling over why it worked, but it did !

Steve, July 2010

Presto! Thanks to all for your good advice! I took the oven door off. Made 2 tinfoil 'n' shapes. Hooked the tinfoil 'n' over the top of the slot where the door brackets go in. This was where I was confused in the first place as I didn't think it would be as simple as this! The tinfoil n should be placed on both sides and be visible from the front. When you put the door back it just sits on top of the tinfoil causing it to raise the door up making it shut properly! Fantastic!

kate, July 2010

I've the same problem, the door is not closing properly on my smeg. Have tried the tin foil idea, however I am still unsure exactly where to place the foil...do I have to take the door off?

kate, July 2010

I was a bit confused what the screws had to do with the solution, but managed to work out that the tin foil goes between the bottom latch and just above the bottom screw.
The easiest way is to use tin foil oven tray folded into a thin strip (2-3mm wide) and 1 or 2 mm thick. Use a length of around 15mm and make a "u" shape as mentioned. Instead of putting under the bottom bracket, place them on each side over the bottom of the hole where the brackets insert into the oven. The bracket then sits on this and presto, problem solved.
Thanks all for your help. Saved me going through the hassle of getting parts imported to Australia at outrageous prices.
Cheers,
Ash

Ash, June 2010

The fix suggested by Chris&Chris solved my problem with the SMEG oven door as well. Photo with explanation can be found here: http://jan.rekersmegens.nl/misc/fixHingeSmegOven.JPG

Thanks! Jan Rekers

Jan Rekers, January 2010

Thanks Chris & Chris, that worked perfectly!

For others, here's an image showing where to wrap the foil:
http://yfrog.com/23notchp

Stuart, September 2009

thanks a million bikesaddle, chris & chris.
I got the door off easily (there is a picture showing the catches here - http://www.smegtech.com/site/smeg/pdf_libretti/914772524-GB.pdf section 8.2).
I dismantled the door undoing the right screws! but couldn't see any problems with the hinges (part no. 931330532 http://www.smeg-service.co.uk/shop/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=56735).

The second tip really worked for me! So simple - i never would have worked that out and new hinges probably wouldn't have helped. the door now closes tight, less wasted electric!

by the way my oven model is SUK81MFX but i think the hinges seem to be fairly universal so i think it could work on many smeg ovens.

Roger Walker, August 2009

Similar problem here with a SMEG SUK91MFX5 cooker. Decided to take the door off the oven. Instructions are in the SMEG manual so they don't repeating. It's a little fiddly - best done by two people. That's when I realized that the tension on the springs was very different - one was very tight, the other very slack.

Removed door and then carefully placed it handle side down on a solid surface.

To take the door apart, you need to get five screws out. Two long phillips head screws on the inner face towards the top of the door also hold the handle in place. Remove them. Find the Three philps head screws along the base of the door - they are close to the level of the front glass face of the door.

[Note that there are two other screws on the base, and two on the side of the door - these hold the hinge assembly in place. Leave these alone until you're ready.]

With the 5 screws out, lift the inner face of the door off. You willnow see the hinges on either side. Have a look at them.

In our case, one of the two was severely distorted, and the pin holding the spring to the assembly had come adrift. The whole hinge needs replacing as it's not possible to adjust it. The disassembly process took about 15 mins.

I've ordered the part from http://www.smeg-service.co.uk - only about £15 all in.

I hope to report back that it's sorted.

bikesaddle, April 2009

We have the same problem where the door flops open by about an inch. Having stripped the door down and concluded nothing could go wrong with the springs we have now concluded that the rollers are worn. i.e. there's some slack in the roller bush and the slot is probably worn deeper than it should be. How we fixed ours was to add several layers of tin foil to the metal lip where the lower door brackets/arm engage when you fit the door to the oven. i.e. look where the little slot on the lower bracket/arm engages in the oven front and build this up by a couple of mils. This lifts the assembly causing the roller to push harder on the top arm and this keeps the door shut. We got some mince pie foil trays and folded them several times to build up the thickness and cut then into a thin strip. Then making two small inverted U's folded them over the point where the lower arm engages.There's no wear mechanism in this so it should be a reasonably long term fix until the roller wear gets too great again. Good luck. Regards Chris and Chris

Chris & chris, December 2008