Solving a Microwave Turntable That Won’t Turn

In every microwave, the turntable plays a crucial part in evenly heating the food you put inside. While your microwave will still very much do its job without a functioning turntable, you may notice that parts of your dishes are colder than others. As an obvious annoyance, you want to get this issue fixed up fast.

When your turntable no longer turns, there are two primary parts that you should investigate – the drive motor that powers it and the drive coupler that makes contact with the tray to turn it.

Drive Coupler – Guide

The drive coupler is a three-pronged cap that sits under your turntable. It connects to the plate and is rotated by the motor. However, if two or more prongs on the drive coupler are broken, it will not be able to turn the plate. If you have discovered that your coupler is broken or missing, it needs to be replaced.

While most will pull right off, there are some drive couplers that require you to remove the motor first in order to remove the coupler.

Drive Motor

If your coupler checks out, then your last suspect is the drive motor. If this part goes out, the turntable will not function at all. However, it is a simple part to replace. You will need to be able to access the bottom outer panel of your microwave to remove it. From there, it will only be the small circular drive motor and the wire harness it attaches to. Remove the mounting screws and the motor can be unplugged and replaced.

Solving turntable issues in your microwave is easier than you’d expect, but there are many issues that can be complex. For issues like magnetron problems that cause your microwave to fail to produce heat, it may be better to leave them to a professional. If you have microwave problems or any complex appliance issues, contact us today.