Oven repair question

[retropia]

Our 12-year-old Kenmore-by-GE range has developed a problem. The lower heating element in the oven isn't heating. The upper element puts out heat.

A couple of weeks ago, the control panel, on its own, displayed what looked like an error code; we think it read F4 or F7. The owners manual doesn't provide a list of codes. We reset the clock and it hasn't happened again.

I'm guessing it could either be the control board is going bad, or perhaps the lower heating element is on the fritz. Has anyone else run into anything similar? Thanks!

 

[sensi-temp]

In bake, the upper element puts out a small amount of heat for browning, if the lower element is the plug in type, just pull it out & check it yourself or have it checked, if not plug in type, make sure circut breaker to stove is off, remove screws that hold element to back of oven, pull it slightly forward & remove wires from element & check it. Also, before doing all of this, look over the element for a burned out or broken area, it can happen. A wire could be burnt off at back terminal too.

 

[retropia]

The heating element is the kind that is held in by a screw on each side and has a wire connector. I can figure out how to disconnect it.

However, I'm not the brightest bulb in the chandelier when it comes to doing electrical tests. I've got a pocket-sized GE multimeter that is still in the original package.

The concept, I think, is to hold a probe on one end and the other probe on the other end, turn the dial on the multimeter to something, and then see what the needle does. That should tell me if electricity is able to flow through the element, correct? If electricity is able to flow through the element, then it would be a problem somewhere else?