Pat wrote:

We have a gas range that has worked flawlessly for many a year.

Now, on one side, when the front burner is activated, the
electronic spark igniter for the BACK burner comes to life! When
the back burner is activated, the back burner acts normally. The
front burner doesn't spark at all (full disclosu I haven't
tried to light the front burner by turning on the oven).

I had a similar problem earlier this year with our gas range. I'd
had a boilover on the stove, and the liquid clogged up the tiny
hole in the burner that the gas goes through to be ignited. Just
lift off your problematic burner (if this is a sealed burner,
there's probably a lid, and then the burner itself) and look for a
pinhole. Take a safety pin and ream it out. That ought to do it.

Thanks for the pointer.

You're suggesting, then, that when either knob is turned to "light"
that BOTH the front and back igniters fire?

Weird. Oh well, I'll check.

Thanks again.

Typically, all ignitors fire when you turn any of the knobs to
"light" and only the one with gas going to it lights. This is
standard operation.

JK

I though "no way" when I read that, but I just went to my stove and
turned on one burner (but not to ignition), waited a second, and then
turned on another burner -- bam, they both lit. Pretty cool.

Thanks for confirming that I was not the only one for which this concept was
a new.