Whirlpool RS386PXE User manual

Table of Contents
(complete) ................... 2
A Note to You................. 3
Important Safety
Instructions.................4-6
Parts and Features ........ 7
Using Your Range ......... 8
Using the
Self-Cleaning Cycle .....25
Caring for
Your Range ..................29
If You Need
Assistance
or Service .....................33
Warranty .......................36
1-800-253-1301
Call us with questions or comments.
UseAndCare
GUIDE
SELF-CLEANING ELECTRIC SLIDE-IN RANGE
MODEL RS386PXE
PART NO. 229C4020P026-1/4389867
Home Appliances

2
Table of Contents
Page
A Note to You ........................................... 3
Important Safety Instructions .............. 4-6
Parts and Features................................... 7
Using Your Range .................................... 8
Using the surface units ......................... 8
Positioning racks and pans................. 10
For best air circulation ........................ 11
Using aluminum foil for baking............ 11
The electronic oven control................. 12
Setting the clock ................................. 13
Using the electronic Minute Timer ...... 13
Using the off/cancel pad ..................... 14
Audible signals.................................... 14
Baking/roasting................................... 15
Adjusting the oven temperature
control................................................. 16
Broiling................................................ 17
Broiling tips ......................................... 18
Page
Energy saving tips .............................. 19
Using the electronic MEALTIMER™
control................................................. 19
The oven vent ..................................... 23
The storage drawer............................. 23
The anti-tip bracket ............................. 24
Using the Self-Cleaning Cycle .............. 25
Before you start .................................. 25
Setting the controls ............................. 26
Special tips ......................................... 28
How the cycle works ........................... 28
Caring for Your Range........................... 29
Cleaning the cooktop.......................... 29
Cleaning other range parts ................. 31
The oven light ..................................... 32
If You Need Assistance or Service ....... 33
Warranty.................................................. 36

3
A Note to You
Thank you for buying a WHIRLPOOL®appliance.
Because your life is getting busier and more complicated, WHIRLPOOL ranges are easy to
use, save time, and help you manage your home better. To ensure that you enjoy years of
trouble-free operation, we developed this Use and Care Guide. It is full of valuable information
about how to operate and maintain your appliance properly and safely. Please read
it carefully.
Also, please complete and mail in the Ownership Registration Card provided with your appli-
ance. The card helps us notify you about any new information on your appliance.
Please record your model’s information.
Whenever you call our Consumer Assistance
Center at 1-800-253-1301 or request service
for your appliance, you need to know your
complete model number and serial number.
You can find this information on the model
and serial number plate (see diagram on
page 7 for location of plate).
Please also record the purchase date of
your appliance and your dealer’s name,
address, and telephone number.
Keep this book and the sales slip together in a safe place for future reference.
Model Number ______________________
Serial Number ______________________
Purchase Date ______________________
Dealer Name _______________________
Dealer Address _____________________
Dealer Phone _______________________
Our Consumer Assistance
Center number is toll-free. 1-800-253-1301

4
Your safety is important to us.
This guide contains safety symbols and
statements. Please pay special attention to
these symbols and follow any instructions
given. Here is a brief explanation of the use
of the symbol.
wWARNING
•Do not operate the range if it is
damaged or not working properly.
•Do not use the range for warming
or heating the room. Persons
could be burned or injured, or
a fire could start.
•Use the range only for its intended
use as described in this manual.
•Do not touch surface units, areas
near units, heating elements, or
interior surfaces of oven. Surface
units and heating elements may
be hot even though they are dark
in color. Areas near surface units
and 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
surface units, areas near units,
heating elements, or interior sur-
faces of oven until they have had
sufficient time to cool. Other sur-
faces of the range, such as the
oven ventopening, the surface
near the vent opening, the
cooktop, and the oven door and
Important Safety Instructions
To reduce the risk of fire, electrical shock,
injury to persons, or damage when using
the range, follow basic precautions,
including the following:
General
•Read all instructions before using
the range.
•Install or locate the range only
in accordance with the provided
Installation Instructions. The
range must be installed by a
qualified installer. The range
must be properly connected to
electrical supply and grounded.
•WARNING: To reduce the risk
of tipping the appliance, the
appliance must be secured by
a properly installed anti-tip
bracket. To check if the bracket
is installed properly, see “The
anti-tip bracket” on page 24.
•CAUTION: Do not store things
children might want above the
range. Children could be burned
or injured while climbing on it.
•Do not leave children 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. They
could be burned or injured.
This symbol alerts you to
hazards such as fire, electrical
shock, or other injuries.

5
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
cleaning solutions and spillovers
could penetrate the broken cook-
top and create a risk of electrical
shock. Contact a qualified techni-
cian immediately.
•Select a pan with a flat bottom
that is about the same size as the
surface unit. If pan is smaller than
the surface unit, some of the
heating element will be exposed
and could result in the igniting of
clothing or pot holders. Correct
pan size also improves cooking
efficiency.
•Check to be sure glass cookware
is safe for use on the range. Only
certain types of glass, glass-
ceramic, ceramic, earthenware,
or other glazed cookware are suit-
able for cooktops without breaking
due to the sudden change in
temperature.
•Never leave surface units unat-
tended at high heat settings. A
boilover could result and cause
smoking and greasy spillovers
that could ignite.
•Turn pan handles inward, but not
over other surface units. This will
help reduce the chance of burns,
igniting of flammable materials,
and spills due to bumping of
the pan.
window, could also become hot
enough to cause burns.
•Do not wear loose or hanging
garments when using the range.
They could ignite if they touch a
hot surface unit and you could
be burned.
•Use only dry pot holders. Moist or
damp pot holders on hot surfaces
could result in burns from steam.
Do not let pot holder touch hot
heating elements. Do not use
a towel or bulky cloth for a pot
holder. It could catch on fire.
•Keep range vents unobstructed.
•Do not heat unopened contain-
ers. They could explode. The hot
contents could cause burns and
container particles could cause
injury.
•Use only cookware approved for
oven use. Follow cookware
manufacturer’s instructions,
especially when using glass or
plastic cookware.
•Do not store flammable materials
on or near the range. The fumes
could create an explosion and/or
fire hazard.
When using the cooktop
•Do not cook on a broken cook-
top. If cooktop should break,

6
When using the oven
•Always position oven rack(s) in
desired location while oven is
cool. If a rack must be removed
while oven is hot, do not let pot
holder contact hot heating
elements in oven.
•Use care when opening oven
door. Let hot air or steam escape
before removing or replacing
food.
Grease
•Grease is flammable. Do not
allow grease to collect around
cooktop or in vents. Wipe spill-
overs immediately.
•Do not use water on grease fires.
Never pick up a flaming pan.
Smother flaming pan on range
by covering with a well-fitting lid,
cookie sheet, or flat tray. Flaming
grease outside of pan can be
extinguished with baking soda
or, if available, a multipurpose
dry chemical or foam-type
extinguisher.
Care and cleaning
•Clean cooktop with care. Some
cleaners could produce noxious
fumes if applied to a hot surface.
If a wet paper towel is used to
wipe spills on a hot cooking area,
be careful to avoid steam burns.
•Small amounts of formaldehyde
and carbon monoxide are given
off in the Self-Cleaning cycle from
fiberglass insulation and food
decomposition. Significant expo-
sure to these substances could
cause cancer or reproductive
harm. Exposure can be minimized
by venting with a hood or open
window and wiping out excess
food spills prior to self-cleaning.
•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.
•Before self-cleaning the oven,
remove broiler pan, broiler grid,
oven racks, and other cookware.
Do not use your oven to clean
miscellaneous parts unless you
are instructed to do so in this
Use and Care Guide.
•Do not clean door heat seal. It is
essential for a good seal. Care
should be taken not to rub, dam-
age, or move the seal. Clean only
parts recommended in this Use
and Care Guide.
•Do not repair or replace any part
of the range unless specifically
recommended in this manual. All
other servicing should be referred
to a qualified technician.
•Disconnect the electrical supply
before servicing the range.
– SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS –
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

7
FRONTREAR
FRONT REAR
ON/OFF
CLOCK
STOP
TIME COOK TIME
CLEAN BROIL BAKE
CANCEL
OFF
TIMER
O
N
DELAY
OVEN ON
TIMER
STOP
CLEAN
HR
BAKE
CLEAN
BROIL
LOCK
OVEN
LIGHT
SURFACE
HEATING
PUSH TO TURN
PUSH TO TURN
OFF
HI
LO
OFF
HI
LO
OFF
HI
LO
OFF
HI
LO
Surface unit
markers
(p. 8)
Manual oven
light switch
(p. 32)
Control panel
Parts and Features
This section contains captioned illustrations of your range. Use them to become familiar with
the location and appearance of all parts and features. To help you find information on specific
parts or features quickly, page references are included.
Surface heating
indicator light
(p. 8)
Electronic
oven control
(p. 12)
Right front
control
knob
(p. 8)
Right rear
control
knob
(p. 8)
Left rear
control
knob
(p. 8)
Left front
control
knob
(p. 8)
OVEN
LIGHT
FRONTREAR
FRONT REAR
ON/OFFON/OFF
CLOCKCLOCK
STOP
TIME COOK
TIME
CLEANCLEAN
BROIL BAKE
CANCEL
OFF
TIMERTIMER
O
N
DELAY
DELAY
OVENON OVENON
TIMER TIMER
STOP STOP
CLEAN CLEAN
HR
BAKE
CLEAN
BROIL
LOCK
SURFACE
HEATING
PUSHTO TURN
PUSHTO TURN
OFFOFF
HI
LO
OFFOFF
HI
LO
OFFOFF
HIHI
LOLO
OFFOFF
HI
LOLO
HOT SURFACEHOT SURFACE
Oven vent
(p. 23)
Broil element
(not shown)
(pp. 17, 18)
Bake
element
(p. 15)
CLEAN TOP®
ceramic cooktop
(pp. 8, 29)
Control panel
(pp. 8, 12, 31)
Model and serial
number plate
(p. 3)
Storage drawer
(p. 23)
Anti-tip bracket
(not shown)
(p. 24)

8
wWARNING
Fire Hazard
Turn all controls off when done
cooking.
Failure to do so can result in death,
fire, or burns.
Until you get used to the settings, use the
chart at right as a guide. For best results,
start cooking at the high setting; then turn
the control knob down to continue cooking.
HOT SURFACE
Using Your Range
To get the best cooking results, you should use your range the correct way. This section tells
you what you need to know to use your range safely and efficiently.
Using the surface units
Push in control knobs before turning
them to a setting. You can set them any-
where between HI and OFF.
Surface unit markers
The solid dot in the surface unit marker
shows which surface unit is turned on by
that knob.
Surface heating indicator light
The Surface Heating Indicator Light on the
control panel will glow when a surface unit is
turned on.
Hot surface indicator lights
The Hot Surface Indicator Lights on the
cooktop surface will glow when the surface
units are turned on. The Indicator Lights will
continue to glow as long as the surface units
are too hot to touch, even after they are
turned off.
SETTING RECOMMENDED USE
HI •To start foods cooking.
•To bring liquids to a boil.
Medium-high •To hold a rapid boil.
•To fry chicken or
pancakes.
Medium •For gravy, pudding,
and icing.
(opposite OFF •To cook large amounts
of vegetables.
Medium-low •To keep food cooking
after starting it on a
higher setting.
LO •To keep food warm until
ready to serve.
(opposite OFF)
OFF
L
O

9
USING YOUR RANGE
Using the ceramic glass
cooktop
Cooking on the ceramic glass cooktop is
almost the same as cooking on coil surface
units. There are, however, a few differences:
•The surface unit will glow red when it is
turned on. You will see the element cycling
on (glowing red) and off – even on HI
setting – to maintain the proper tempera-
ture setting you have selected.
•Sliding metal pans on ceramic glass
cooktop surface could leave marks. Wiping
off the cooktop before and after each use
will help keep the surface free from stains
and provide the most even heating. See
pages 29 and 30 for care and cleaning
suggestions.
Cookware tips
•Select a pan that is about the same size
as the surface unit.
•NOTE: For best results and greater
energy efficiency, use only flat-bottomed
cookware that makes good contact with the
surface units. Cookware with rounded,
warped, ribbed (such as some porcelain
enamelware) or dented bottoms could
cause uneven heating and poor cooking
results.
You can, however, use the newer
cookware available with slightly indented
bottoms or very small expansion channels.
This cookware is specially designed to
provide the good contact needed for best
cooking results.
Also, woks, canners, and teakettles with
flat bottoms suitable for use on your
cooktop are now available in most stores
that sell housewares.
•The pan should have straight sides and a
tight-fitting lid.
•Choose medium to heavy gauge (thick-
ness) pans that are fairly lightweight.
•The pan material (metal or glass) affects
how fast heat transfers from the surface
unit through the pan material and how
evenly heat spreads over the pan bottom.
Choose pans that provide the best cooking
results.
•Handles should be made of sturdy, heat-
resistant material and be securely attached
to the pan.
•With your hand, feel the bottom of your
pans while they are cool for nicks and
scratches. Nicks and scratches on pan
bottoms will scratch the ceramic glass
cooktop.
•Make sure bottoms of pans are clean and
dry before using on cooktop.
•Avoid spillovers on cooktop. Use pans
with tall sides.
•Do not cook food directly on cooktop.
NOTE: Do not leave empty cookware, or
cookware which has boiled dry, on a hot
surface unit. The cookware could overheat
and damage the cookware or surface unit.
Home canning information
•Use the largest surface unit for best
results. Also, use a canner/pan which
can be centered over the surface unit.
•Start with hot water. This reduces the
time the control is set on high. Reduce
heat setting to lowest position needed
to keep water boiling.
•Refer to your canner manual for specific
instructions.

10
USING YOUR RANGE
Positioning racks and pans
To remove racks:
1. Pull rack toward you.
2. Tilt up front end.
3. Pull rack out.
To replace racks:
1. Place rack on rack guides.
2. Tilt up front end.
3. Push rack in until it clears the stop.
4. Lower front and push rack in the rest of
the way.
General guidelines
•Before turning on the oven, place oven
racks where you need them.
•Be sure the rack(s) is level.
•Use pot holders or oven mitts to protect
your hands if rack(s) must be moved while
the oven is hot.
•For baking/roasting with 1 rack,
place the rack so the top of the food will
be centered in the oven.
•When baking/roasting on 2 racks,
arrange racks on the bottom and 3rd
level from the bottom.
•Do not place items on the oven door
when it is open.
Rack placement for specific
foods:
FOOD
Frozen pies, large
roasts, turkeys,
angel food cake
Bundt cakes,
most quick
breads, yeast
breads,
casseroles, meats
Cookies, biscuits,
muffins, cakes,
nonfrozen pies
RACK POSITION
Lowest level or 2nd
level from bottom
2nd level from
bottom
2nd or 3rd level
from bottom
NOTE: For recommended rack placement
when broiling, see “Broiling rack position
chart” on page 18.
Bakeware tips
•When baking with insulated cookie
sheets or baking pans, place them in the
bottom third of the oven. You may need to
increase the recommended baking times,
so test for doneness before removing from
the oven.
•For most baking, reduce the oven
temperature by 25°F, but use the same
baking time when using ovenproof glass-
ware or dark pans. These pans absorb
heat, producing darker bottom browning
and crispier crusts. When baking pies and
bread, you can use the temperature called
for in the recipe.