A GE Profile oven has several lockout features that may render either the control panel or the oven door unusable until unlocked once again. Locking and unlocking the control panel is simply a matter of pressing and holding a button on the panel, while unlocking the actual oven door is a bit more involved depending on why the door locked in the first place.
Unlock a GE Oven Control Panel
A GE Profile oven offers lockable controls so none of the settings can be turned on or changed accidentally by a child. The lockout setting is activated by pushing and holding the "lock controls" button for three seconds. Deactivating the lockout is also accomplished by holding down the "lock controls" button for three seconds. While the oven is in lockout mode, the "cancel" or "off" setting is still available, which could come in handy if a child accidentally turned the oven on and then locked the control panel.
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Locked Out in Self-Cleaning Mode
On self-cleaning oven models such as the Profile, the oven door lock engages so the door cannot be opened during the cleaning process. This cleaning process could take anywhere from three to five hours depending upon the cleaning time you selected prior to activating "clean" mode. The door will not unlock until the oven has cooled to room temperature.
Some models offer a faster "steam clean" mode, which takes only 30 minutes. Once a steam clean session is active, the oven door will not unlock until the cleaning cycle completes.
Unlocking After Cleaning
Some models feature a latch that slides to the right to lock the door for cleaning mode. Once the oven cools after cleaning, move the latch to the left to unlock the door. Don't force the latch; if it doesn't move freely, wait for the oven to cool a little longer and try again.
If you haven't cleaned the oven but the door still seems locked, try sliding the latch to the left gently without force. Some older models also have a latch-release button that must be pressed to slide the lock left. On models with "set" and "temperature" knobs, the latch cannot be moved left to unlock unless the knobs are set to "clean." Move the knobs back to "clean" position and then try the latch.
If you did activate a cleaning mode but wish to cancel it and open the oven door, turn the oven temperature knob to "off," wait for the oven to cool and then slide the latch to the left to unlock the door. Use this same method if the oven door locks when you intended to bake or broil something, but cleaning mode may have been activated accidentally.
If it Locks During Use
GE Profile ovens are only meant to be locked during a cleaning cycle. If the oven lock activates while something bakes, press "clear/off" and wait for the oven to cool completely. The door should unlock.
When All Else Fails
If the oven door won't open even after you're certain the oven is cool inside, start a new self-cleaning cycle and then hit "clear/off" after one minute. Do this only with no food or items in the oven that may be damaged by the cleaning cycle. If it still won't open, run a cleaning cycle for an hour or two and then wait for the oven to cool again. It should unlock.
On some electric Profile ranges, unplugging the device for 30 seconds and then plugging it back in may allow the door to unlock. Turning its circuit breaker off for several minutes and then on again may also work. If the oven door is still locked, you may need to schedule a service appointment with GE Factory Service.