I shipped a brand new cooker to my holiday home in France only to find this fault. It's automatic ignition - you don't have to press a button. The top oven /grill is fine. The problem is with the main lower oven. There's no service support for Cannon in France even though it's part of Indesit. I've got a french service engineer but language is a bit of a barrier. Please can anyone tell me what the cause may be? My only option is to keep buying parts until it works. I've tried a new thermostat but that hasn't cured it. what next? I keep ringing Cannon but they won't let me talk to an engineer. I think the French engineer is now telling me to buy a display which is evidently one complete unit.

Soosiemm, October 2010

Probably the ignition lead broken or ignition box is defective. Normally when you turn on the oven, very high voltage is passed down the lead to the electrode. This is powerful enough to jump the gap from the electrode to earth (accross the burner) and this spark ignites the gas. A flame is able to conduct electricity and the ignition box knows the resistance to earth is less when a flame is present and the box stops the ignition sequence. If a lead is broken the current is strong enough to jump any gaps but the box is unable to detect any resistance so continues to spark. I would replace the lead, electrode and then the box in that order. 9/10 its the lead which costs pennies electrode few £s box about £40. The proper name for the box is Spark generator or controller.

aC, October 2010