Whirlpool YWFE500M4HS Owner's Manual

ELECTRIC RANGE

USER INSTRUCTIONS

THANK YOU for purchasing this high-quality product. Register your range at www.whirlpool.com.
For future reference, please make a note of your product model and serial numbers. These can be found on the label located under

the storage drawer.
Model Number __________________________________________ Serial Number ___________________________________________

Table of Contents

RANGE SAFETY .............................................................................2

The Anti-Tip Bracket ....................................................................2

FEATURE GUIDE ............................................................................4

COOKTOP USE ..............................................................................5

Cookware .....................................................................................6

Home Canning .............................................................................6

OVEN USE .......................................................................................7

Oven Cooking ..............................................................................7

Aluminum Foil ...............................................................................7

Positioning Racks and Bakeware ................................................7

Oven Vent .....................................................................................8

Baking and Roasting ....................................................................8

Broiling..........................................................................................8

RANGE CARE .................................................................................9

General Cleaning ..........................................................................9

Oven Light ..................................................................................10

TROUBLESHOOTING ..................................................................11

ACCESSORIES .............................................................................12

W11169654A

RANGE SAFETY

Your safety and the safety of others are very important.

We have provided many important safety messages in this manual and on your appliance. Always read and obey all safety
messages.

This is the safety alert symbol.

This symbol alerts you to potential hazards that can kill or hurt you and others.

All safety messages will follow the safety alert symbol and either the word “DANGER” or “WARNING.”

These words mean:

You can be killed or seriously injured if you don't immediately

DANGER

WARNING

All safety messages will tell you what the potential hazard is, tell you how to reduce the chance of injury, and tell you what can
happen if the instructions are not followed.

The Anti-Tip Bracket

The range will not tip during normal use. However, the range can tip if you apply too much force or weight to the open door without the
anti-tip bracket fastened down properly.

follow instructions.

You

can be killed or seriously injured if you don't

instructions.

follow

WARNING

Tip Over Hazard

A child or adult can tip the range and be killed.

Verify the anti-tip bracket has been properly installed and engaged per installation instructions.

Re-engage anti-tip bracket if range is moved.

Do not operate range without anti-tip bracket installed and engaged.

Failure to follow these instructions can result in death or serious burns to children and adults.

To verify the anti-tip bracket is installed and engaged:

• Slide range forward.

• Look for the anti-tip bracket securely attached to floor or wall.

Anti-Tip

Range Foot

State of California Proposition 65 Warnings:
WARNING: This product contains one or more chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer.
WARNING: This product contains one or more chemicals known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other

reproductive harm.

Bracket

• Slide range back so rear range foot is under anti-tip bracket.

• See installation instructions for details.

2

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire, electrical shock,

injury to persons, or damage when using the range, follow
basic precautions, including the following:

■ WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF TIPPING OF

THE RANGE, THE RANGE MUST BE SECURED BY
PROPERLY INSTALLED ANTI-TIP DEVICES. TO CHECK
IF THE DEVICES ARE INSTALLED PROPERLY, SLIDE
RANGE FORWARD, LOOK FOR ANTI-TIP BRACKET
SECURELY ATTACHED TO FLOOR OR WALL, AND
SLIDE RANGE BACK SO REAR RANGE FOOT IS
UNDER ANTI-TIP BRACKET.

■ CAUTION: Do not store items of interest to children in

cabinets above a range or on the backguard of a range –
children climbing on the range to reach items could be
seriously injured.

■ Proper Installation – Be sure the range is properly installed

and grounded by a qualified technician.

■ Never Use the Range for Warming or Heating the Room.

■ Do Not Leave Children Alone – Children should not be left

alone or unattended in area where the range is in use.
They should never be allowed to sit or stand on any part of
the range.

■ Wear Proper Apparel – Loose-fitting or hanging garments

should never be worn while using the range.

■ User Servicing – Do not repair or replace any part of the

range unless specifically recommended in the manual. All
other servicing should be referred to a qualified technician.

■ Storage in or on the Range – Flammable materials should

not be stored in an oven or near surface units.

■ Do Not Use Water on Grease Fires – Smother fire or flame

or use dry chemical or foam-type extinguisher.

■ Use Only Dry Potholders – Moist or damp potholders on

hot surfaces may result in burns from steam. Do not let
potholder touch hot heating elements. Do not use a towel
or other bulky cloth.

■ DO NOT TOUCH SURFACE UNITS OR AREAS NEAR

UNITS – Surface units may be hot even though they are
dark in color. Areas near surface units may become hot
enough to cause burns. During and after use, do not touch,
or let clothing or other flammable materials contact surface
units or areas near units until they have had sufficient time
to cool. Among those areas are the cooktop and surfaces
facing the cooktop.

■ Use Proper Pan Size – The range is equipped with one or

more surface units of different size. Select utensils having
flat bottoms large enough to cover the surface unit heating
element. The use of undersized utensils will expose a
portion of the heating element to direct contact and may
result in ignition of clothing. Proper relationship of utensil to
burner will also improve efficiency.

■ Never Leave Surface Units Unattended at High Heat

Settings – Boilover causes smoking and greasy spillovers
that may ignite.

■ Make Sure Reflector Pans or Drip Bowls Are in Place –

Absence of these pans or bowls during cooking may
subject wiring or components underneath to damage.

■ Protective Liners – Do not use aluminum foil to line surface

unit drip bowls or oven bottoms, except as suggested in
the manual. Improper installation of these liners may result
in a risk of electric shock, or fire.

■ Glazed Cooking Utensils – Only certain types of glass,

glass/ceramic, ceramic, earthenware, or other glazed
utensils are suitable for range-top service without breaking
due to the sudden change in temperature.

■ Utensil Handles Should Be Turned Inward and Not Extend

Over Adjacent Surface Units – To reduce the risk of burns,
ignition of flammable materials, and spillage due to
unintentional contact with the utensil, the handle of a
utensil should be positioned so that it is turned inward, and
does not extend over adjacent surface units.

■ Do Not Soak Removable Heating Elements – Heating

elements should never be immersed in water.

■ Do Not Cook on Broken Cooktop – If cooktop should

break, cleaning solutions and spillovers may penetrate the
broken cooktop and create a risk of electric shock. Contact
a qualified technician immediately.

■ Clean Cooktop With Caution – If a wet sponge or cloth is

used to wipe spills on a hot cooking area, be careful to
avoid steam burn. Some cleaners can produce noxious
fumes if applied to a hot surface.

■ Use Care When Opening Door – Let hot air or steam

escape before removing or replacing food.

■ Do Not Heat Unopened Food Containers – Build-up of

pressure may cause container to burst and result in injury.

■ Keep Oven Vent Ducts Unobstructed.

■ Placement of Oven Racks – Always place oven racks in

desired location while oven is cool. If rack must be moved
while oven is hot, do not let potholder contact hot heating
element in oven.

■ DO NOT TOUCH HEATING ELEMENTS OR INTERIOR

SURFACES OF OVEN – Heating elements may be hot even
though they are dark in color. Interior surfaces of an oven
become hot enough to cause burns. During and after use,
do not touch, or let clothing or other flammable materials
contact heating elements or interior surfaces of oven until
they have had sufficient time to cool. Other surfaces of the
appliance may become hot enough to cause burns – among
these surfaces are oven vent openings and surfaces near
these openings, oven doors, and windows of oven doors.

For self-cleaning ranges –

■ Do Not Clean Door Gasket – The door gasket is essential

for a good seal. Care should be taken not to rub, damage,
or move the gasket.

■ Do Not Use Oven Cleaners – No commercial oven cleaner

or oven liner protective coating of any kind should be used
in or around any part of the oven.

■ Clean Only Parts Listed in Manual.

■ Before Self-Cleaning the Oven – Remove broiler pan and

other utensils.

For units with ventilating hood –

■ Clean Ventilating Hoods Frequently – Grease should not

be allowed to accumulate on hood or filter.

■ When flambéing foods under the hood, turn the fan on.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

3

FEATURE GUIDE

This manual covers several models. Your model may have some or all of the items listed. Refer to this manual or Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQs) section of our website at www.whirlpool.com for more detailed instructions. In Canada, reference the Customer
Service section at www.whirlpool.ca.

FRONT REAR

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SURFACE

OVEN

Keypad Feature Instructions

LIGHT Oven cavity light

While the oven door is closed, turn the switch located at the right of the control panel to turn
the oven light on and off.

BAKE Baking and

roasting

The oven turns on when the oven control dial is turned clockwise to the desired temperature.
When the control is turned to the desired temperature, the bake element turns to full power
until the set temperature is reached, then temperature is maintained by the bottom element
cycling on and off.

Allow oven to preheat for 10 to 12 minutes before putting in the food to bake.
NOTE: To cancel bake, turn the oven control dial counterclockwise to the OFF position.

BROIL

Broiling

1. Position cookware in the oven and close the oven door. No preheating is necessary.

2. Turn the oven control to BR (broil) position to start broil.

3. Turn the oven control to the OFF position to cancel broil.

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COOKTOP USE

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WARNING

Fire Hazard

Turn off all controls when done cooking.

Failure to do so can result in death or fire.

REMEMBER: When range is in use or (on some models)
during the Self-Cleaning cycle, the entire cooktop area may
become hot.

Ceramic Glass

The surface cooking area will glow red when an element is ON.
Some parts of the surface cooking area may not glow red when an
element is ON. This is normal operation. It will also randomly cycle
off and back on again, even while on High, to keep the cooktop
from extreme temperatures.

It is normal for the surface of light-colored ceramic glass to appear
to change color when surface cooking areas are hot. Asthe glass
cools, it will return to its original color.

Clean the cooktop after each use to help avoid scratches, pitting,
abrasions, and to condition the glass surface. Ceramic glass
cooktop cleaner and a cooktop scraper are also recommended
for stubborn soils. Do not use abrasive cleaners, cleaning pads,
orharsh chemicals for cleaning. The Cooktop Care Kit Part
Number 31605 contains all of the items needed to clean and
condition your ceramic glass cooktop. Refer to the “Range Care”
section for additional information.

IMPORTANT: To avoid permanent damage to the cooktop surface
and to make soils easier to remove, clean the cooktop after each
use to remove all soils.

■ Avoid storing jars or cans above the cooktop. Dropping

a heavy or hard object onto the cooktop could crack
thecooktop.

■ To avoid damage to the cooktop, do not leave a hot lid on

the cooktop. As the cooktop cools, air can become trapped
between the lid and the cooktop and the ceramic glass could
break when the lid is removed.

■ For foods containing sugar in any form, clean up all spills and

soils as soon as possible. Allow the cooktop to cool down
slightly. Then, while wearing oven mitts, remove the spills
using a scraper while the surface is still warm. If sugary spills
are allowed to cool down, they can adhere to the cooktop and
can cause pitting and permanent marks.

■ To avoid scratches, do not slide cookware or bakeware across

the cooktop. Aluminum or copper bottoms and rough nishes
on cookware or bakeware could leave scratches or marks on
the cooktop.

■ Do not cook popcorn in prepackaged aluminum containers on

the cooktop. They could leave aluminum marks that cannot be
removed completely.

■ To avoid damage to the cooktop, do not allow objects that

could melt, such as plastic or aluminum foil, to touch any part
of the entire cooktop.

■ To avoid damage to the cooktop, do not use the cooktop as a

cutting board.

■ Use cookware about the same size as the surface cooking

area. Cookware should not extend more than 1/2" (1.3 cm)
outside the area.

B

A

C

A. Surface cooking area
B. Cookware/canner
C. 1/2" (1.3 cm) maximum overhang

■ Use at-bottomed cookware for best heat conduction and

energy efciency. Cookware with rounded, warped, ribbed,
ordented bottoms could cause uneven heating and poor
cooking results.

■ Determine atness by placing the straight edge of a ruler

across the bottom of the cookware. While you rotate the
ruler, no space or light should be visible between it and
thecookware.

■ Cookware designed with slightly indented bottoms or small

expansion channels can be used.

■ Make sure the bottoms of pots and pans are clean and dry

before using them. Residue and water can leave deposits
when heated.

■ To avoid damage to the cooktop, do not cook foods directly

on the cooktop.

Cooktop On Indicator Light

The Cooktop On indicator light is located on the control panel.
When any cooktop element on the console panel is turned on,
theCooktop On indicator light will glow.

Hot Surface Indicator Light

On ceramic glass models, the Hot Surface indicator light is located
on the display panel.

The Hot Surface indicator light will glow as long as any surface
cooking area is too hot to touch, even after the surface cooking
area is turned off.

5

Cookware

IMPORTANT: Do not leave empty cookware on a hot surface
cooking area, element, or surface burner.

Ideal cookware should have a at bottom, straight sides, and a
well-tting lid, and the material should be of medium-to-heavy
thickness.

Rough nishes may scratch the cooktop. Aluminum and
coppermay be used as a core or base in cookware. However,
when used as a base, they can leave permanent marks on
thesurfaces.

Cookware material is a factor in how quickly and evenly heat
is transferred which affects cooking results. A nonstick nish
has thesame characteristics as its base material. For example,
aluminum cookware with a nonstick nish will take on the
properties of aluminum.

Cookware with nonstick surfaces should not be used under
thebroiler.

Check for atness by placing the straight edge of a ruler across
the bottom of the cookware. While you rotate the ruler, no space
or light should be visible between it and the cookware.

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Cookware Characteristics
Copper

■ Heats very quickly and evenly.

■ May leave copper residue which may be

diminished if cleaned immediately after
cooking.

■ Can leave a permanent stain or bond to

the cooktop if overheated.

Earthenware

Porcelain
enamel-on-steel
or cast iron

■ Follow manufacturer’s instructions.

■ Use on low heat settings.

■ May scratch the cooktop.

■ See stainless steel or cast iron.

■ Porcelain enamel bakeware without the

metal base may bond to the cooktop if
overheated.

Stainless steel

■ Heats quickly, but unevenly.

■ A core or base of aluminum or copper

on stainless steel provides even heating.

Use at-bottomed cookware for best cooking results and energy
efciency. The cookware should be about the same size as the
cooking area outlined on the cooktop. Cookware should not
extend more than 1/2" (1.3 cm) outside the area.

Use the following chart as a guide for cookware material
characteristics.

Cookware Characteristics
Aluminum

■ Heats quickly and evenly.

■ Suitable for all types of cooking

■ Medium or heavy thickness is best for

most cooking tasks.

■ May leave aluminum residue which may

be diminished if cleaned immediately
after cooking.

Cast iron

■ Heats slowly and evenly.

■ Good for browning and frying

■ Maintains heat for slow cooking.

■ Rough edges or burrs may scratch

thecooktop.

Ceramic or
ceramic glass

■ Follow manufacturer’s instructions.

■ Heats slowly, but unevenly.

■ Ideal results on low-to-medium heat

settings

■ May scratch the cooktop.

Home Canning

Canning can be performed on a glass smoothtop cooking surface
or traditional coil element cooktop. When canning for long periods,
alternate the use of surface cooking areas or elements between
batches. This allows time for the most recently used areas to cool.

■ Center the canner on the largest surface cooking area or

element. On electric cooktops, canners should not extend
more than 1/2" (1.3 cm) beyond the surface cooking area
orelement.

■ Do not place canner on 2 surface cooking areas or elements

atthe same time.

■ On ceramic glass models, use only at-bottomed canners

toavoid damage to the cooktop and elements.

■ For more information, contact your local agricultural extension

ofce or refer to published home canning guides. Companies
that manufacture home canning products can also offer
assistance.

6

OVEN USE

Odors and smoke are normal when the oven is used the rst few
times or when it is heavily soiled.

IMPORTANT: The health of some birds is extremely sensitive
tothe fumes given off. Exposure to the fumes may result in
deathto certain birds. Always move birds to another closed
andwell-ventilated room.

Oven Cooking

Oven Control

To use your oven, turn the oven control dial clockwise to the
desired temperature. When the control is turned on, the bake
element turns to full power until the set temperature is reached,
then temperature is maintained by the bottom element cycling on
and off.

Oven Indicator Light

The oven indicator light will go on when the oven control is turned
on. As the oven heat reaches the selected temperature the light
goes off. As the oven elements turn on and off to maintain the
selected temperature during the cooking operation, the red
indicator light will go on and off.

Oven Light

The switch located at the right of the control panel turns the oven
light on and off.

To move a rack, pull it out to the stop position, raise the front
edge, and then lift out. Use the following illustration asa guide.

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1

Rack Positions

Rack 4: 2-Broiling and toasting
Rack 3: Most baked goods on a cookie sheet, mufn pan, or jelly

roll pan; and layer cakes; broiling chicken pieces
Rack 2: Pies, casseroles, yeast bread, quick breads, frozen

convenience foods, and 2-rack baking
Rack 1: Roasting large and small cuts of meat and poultry

Aluminum Foil

IMPORTANT: To avoid permanent damage to the oven bottom
nish, do not line the oven bottom with any type of foil or liner.

For best cooking results, do not cover entire oven rack with foil
because air must be able to move freely.

Positioning Racks and Bakeware

IMPORTANT: To avoid permanent damage to the porcelain
nish, do not place food or bakeware directly on the oven door
orbottom.

Bakeware

To cook food evenly, hot air must be able to circulate. Allow
2"(5cm) of space around bakeware and oven walls. Make
surethatno bakeware piece is directly over another.

Racks

■ Position racks before turning on the oven.

■ Do not position racks with bakeware on them.

■ Make sure racks are level.

7

Oven Vent

A

A. Oven vent

The oven vent releases hot air and moisture from the oven
andshould not be blocked or covered. Blocking or covering the
oven vent will cause poor air circulation, affecting cooking and
cleaning results. Do not set plastics, paper, or other items that
could melt or burn near the oven vent.

Baking and Roasting

Oven Temperature

While in use, the oven elements will cycle on and off as needed to
maintain a consistent temperature, but they may run slightly hot
or cool at any point in time due to cycling. Opening the oven door
while in use will release the hot air and cool the oven which could
impact the cooking time and performance. It is recommended to
use the oven light to monitor cooking progress.

Temperature Management System

The Temperature Management System electronically regulates the
oven heat levels during preheat and Bake to maintain a precise
temperature range for optimal cooking results. The bake and broil
elements or burners cycle on and off in intervals. On convection
range models, the fan will run while preheating and may be cycled
on and off for short intervals during Bake to provide the best
results. This feature is automatically activated when the oven is in
use.

Before baking and roasting, position racks according to
“Positioning Racks and Bakeware” section. When roasting,
itisnotnecessary to wait for the oven preheat cycle to end
beforeputting food in unless it is recommended in the recipe.

Preheating

The oven should be preheated for most baked products (cakes,
pies, bread, etc.). Preheat oven by rotating the temperature control
dial to the temperature needed for the product being cooked.
Allow 10 to 12 minutes before putting food in the oven.

Broiling

NOTE: After broiling, the dial must be turned to “OFF” before
Baking.

Close the oven door while broiling. No preheating is necessary.
Position food on grid in a broiler pan, then place it in the center
ofthe oven rack.

■ For best results, use a broiler pan and grid. It is designed to

drain juices and help avoid spatter and smoke.

NOTE: Odors and smoke are normal the rst few times the oven
isused or if the oven is heavily soiled.

8

RANGE CARE

General Cleaning

IMPORTANT: Before cleaning, make sure all controls are OFF and
the oven and cooktop are cool. Always follow label instructions
on cleaning products. For additional information, you can visit
the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section of our website at
www.whirlpool.com.

Soap, water, and a soft cloth or sponge are suggested rst
unlessotherwise noted.

EXTERIOR PORCELAIN ENAMEL SURFACES
(on some models)

Food spills containing acids, such as vinegar and tomato, should
be cleaned as soon as the entire range is cool. These spills may
affect the nish.

Cleaning Method:

■ Glass cleaner, mild liquid cleaner, or nonabrasive

scrubbingpad:
Gently clean around the model/serial/rating plate
becausescrubbing may remove numbers.

■ Affresh

STAINLESS STEEL (on some models)

NOTE: To avoid damage to stainless steel surfaces, do not use
soap-lled scouring pads, abrasive cleaners, Cooktop Cleaner,
steel-wool pads, gritty washcloths, or abrasive paper towels.
Damage may occur to stainless steel surfaces, even with one-time
or limited use.

Cleaning Method:

Rub in direction of grain to avoid damaging.

■ Affresh

®

Kitchen and Appliance Cleaner Part Number
W10355010 (not included):
See the “Accessories” section for more information.

®

Stainless Steel Cleaner Part Number W10355016
(notincluded):
See the “Accessories” section for more information.

■ Hold the Cooktop Scraper at approximately a 45° angle

against the glass surface and scrape the residue. It will
be necessary to apply pressure in order to remove the
residue.

Allow the cooktop to cool down completely before proceeding
to Step 2.

2. Apply a few dime-sized drops of affresh® Cooktop Cleaner
tothe affected areas.

■ Rub affresh

®

Cooktop Cleaner onto the cooktop surface
with the blue Cooktop Cleaning Pad. Some pressure is
needed to remove stubborn stains.

■ Allow the cleaner to dry to a white haze before proceeding

to Step 3.

3. Polish with a clean, dry cloth or a clean, dry paper towel.

METALLIC PAINT (on some models)

Do not use abrasive cleaners, cleaners with bleach, rust removers,
ammonia, or sodium hydroxide (lye) because paintsurface
maystain.

CERAMIC GLASS

Cleaning Method:

To avoid damaging the cooktop, do not use steel wool, abrasive
powder cleansers, chlorine bleach, rust remover, or ammonia.

1. Remove food/residue with the Cooktop Scraper.

■ For best results, use the Cooktop Scraper while the

cooktop is still warm but not hot to the touch. It is
recommended to wear an oven mitt while scraping
thewarm cooktop.

■ Repeat steps 1 through 3 as necessary for stubborn

orburned-on stains.

The Complete Cooktop Cleaner Kit is available for order and
includes the following:

■ Cooktop Scraper

■ Affresh

■ Blue Cooktop Cleaning Pads

®

Cooktop Cleaner

See the “Accessories” section for part numbers and information
on ordering.

COOKTOP CONTROLS

To avoid damage to the cooktop controls, do not use steel wool,
abrasive cleansers, or oven cleaner.

To avoid damage, do not soak knobs.
When replacing knobs, make sure knobs are in the OFF position.
On some models, do not remove seals under knobs.

Cleaning Method:

■ Soap and water:

Pull knobs straight away from control panel to remove.

9