Viking appliance repair

About Viking appliances

Who makes Viking. Fred Carl Jr. founded Viking Range in 1987 in Greenwood, Mississippi, and introduced what is described as the first professional-grade range for home use that year. The Middleby Corporation bought Viking in 2013. Viking says the majority of its products are made in Greenwood, Mississippi. Viking support, parts and service scheduling now run through Middleby Residential, with a single customer-support line listed on Viking's site. Viking ranges were sold in Canada: the Government of Canada's 2015 recall notice counts about 8,300 recalled Viking and Brigade ranges sold here.

Product families. Viking's current site organizes products into the 7 Series, 5 Series and 3 Series, plus the RVL, Tuscany and Veil lines. On older appliances the model prefix tells you the family: VGIC, VGCC and VGSC ranges, for example, are the ones in the 2015 recall. Viking's own FAQ explains several design points that affect repair:

• Open and sealed burners. Viking open burners come apart so grates, burner bowls and grate supports can be soaked; sealed-burner ranges have a one-piece porcelain top. Viking says its highest-output burner is 23,000 BTU.
• Natural gas and propane. Viking says ranges can be ordered for natural gas or LP, and a natural-gas range can be field-converted with the LP kit. Conversion is gas work, done by the certified gas contractor we work with.
• Ovens. Viking gas ovens use the Gourmet-Glo infrared broiler; electric ovens use the Vari-Speed Dual Flow convection system. Viking says self-clean reaches up to 399°C (750°F) and runs 3 to 3½ hours plus about 30 minutes of cool-down.
• Hoods. Viking says every Viking hood has a heat sensor: if the temperature under the hood reaches 74°C (165°F), the fan goes to full power, and it returns to the previous setting below 64°C (147°F). A hood that speeds up on its own during heavy cooking may be working as designed. Downdrafts have a filter light that comes on after 30 hours of use.
• Refrigeration. Viking says its built-in refrigerators install flush into standard 61 cm (24 in.) deep openings, with custom-panel models. 5 Series units have one variable-speed DC compressor; 7 Series units have two, so each compartment runs independently. Viking ice machines need a drain, with a drain pump as an option where there is no floor drain.

Recalls: check before you repair. Viking has had several recalls, and some older units in Ottawa and Gatineau homes may never have been fixed.

• Freestanding gas ranges, 2015 (Government of Canada notice). Viking and Brigade freestanding gas ranges in 76, 91, 122 and 152 cm (30, 36, 48 and 60 in.) widths, models VGIC, VGCC and VGSC listed in the notice, sold from July 2007 to June 2014. The notice says the oven can turn on by itself when liquid drips from the stovetop into the oven, posing a burn hazard. Owners were told to stop using the range and contact Viking for a free in-home repair.
• Dishwashers, expanded 2015. Viking's recall page lists 24-inch dishwasher models 200, 325 and 450, where the electrical connector to the heater may fail and create a fire risk, and refers to a Health Canada release.
• Built-in refrigerators, 2009 and 2013. Viking's recall page lists built-in side-by-side and bottom-freezer models whose doors could detach because of pivot-plate screws or a weld, and a 2013 recall of certain built-in side-by-sides with in-door dispensers for a wire harness that can overheat.
• 5 Series gas range tubing, 2022. Viking's page and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission list certain 5 Series freestanding gas ranges where rigid gas tubing to the bake, broil and griddle burners can separate, a gas leak and fire hazard. We did not find a Government of Canada notice for this one; if you own one of the listed models, contact Viking to ask whether it applies to your unit.

If you smell gas at any time, leave the home and call your gas utility from outside. Our gas smell guide explains what to do next.

Finding your Viking model and serial number

The Viking support pages we checked do not publish a label-location chart. Viking's use-and-care manual for your model shows where its rating plate is, and Viking's documentation pages list manuals by product. Viking's own support team asks for the model and serial number for any service request, and so do we.

The model number begins with letters that identify the family, such as VGR, VDR, VER and VIR on ranges, VGRT, VERT and VIRT on rangetops, VCBB and FDBB on built-in bottom-freezer refrigerators, and VCSB and FDSB on built-in side-by-sides. Older ranges in the 2015 recall begin VGIC, VGCC or VGSC.

Only look where you can see without removing anything, and only with burners off and the appliance cool. Do not remove burner parts, kick panels or covers on a gas appliance to find a label. A clear photo of the label, or of the manual's cover if you still have it, is enough to start. Our model and serial number guide has more help.

General guide to model and serial labels →

Parts and compatibility

Viking parts are sold through Middleby Residential's parts site, which also serves other Middleby brands. That site is U.S.-based and prices in U.S. dollars, so some Viking parts reach Ottawa and Gatineau by cross-border shipping, and lead times can be longer than for mainstream brands. Viking says its countertop appliances and their parts have been discontinued, and some parts for older full-size models may be discontinued too. We confirm the part, the price and the expected lead time in the written finding before you commit, and we flag it plainly if a part is no longer available.

What makes Viking service different:

• Weight. Viking pro-style ranges are very heavy, and pulling one forward for access is a two-person job. On gas models, disconnecting and reconnecting the gas is done by our certified gas contractor.
• Gas and electric split. On a dual-fuel range, the electric oven, its elements, convection fan, sensor and controls are ours; burners, igniters, valves and the gas connection go to the gas contractor.
• Built-in refrigeration. Flush, custom-panel units can need the panel or trim removed. 7 Series units have two compressors. We diagnose sealed systems; refrigerant work is done for us by a certified refrigeration technician.
• Recall check first. We check the model against the recall lists before quoting, because a recall repair is free through Viking.

Installed parts and our labour carry our 90-day warranty. Our repair or replace guide helps when an older Viking needs a costly part.