Why is the keep warm function on my rice cooker not working?

If your rice cooker finishes cooking but does not seem to stay warm, check the mode transition first. Many cookers switch to keep warm only after they reach the cooking stage properly, so bowl fit and water level matter.

1. Wait until the cooking cycle has finished and see whether the appliance changes from cooking to keeping warm. Expected result: the keep warm indicator should light when cooking is complete. If it never changes, the cooker may not have reached the correct cooking stage.
2. Confirm the inner pan is fitted correctly and contains the correct rice to water ratio. Expected result: the bowl should sit flat and the contents should be within the marked levels. If the ratio is wrong, the rice may cook unevenly and the keep warm stage may not behave as expected.
3. Check that the lid is fitted properly and the steam vent is clear. Expected result: steam should escape in a controlled way, not build up around the lid. A blocked vent can affect cooking and the warming cycle.
4. Unplug the cooker and let it cool, then restart a fresh cycle with a smaller test portion. Expected result: the appliance should complete cooking and change to warm mode normally.
5. Do not rely on keep warm for extended periods if food quality is changing or the food smells unusual. Expected result: rice should stay warm briefly, not continue indefinitely at unsafe quality.

If the keep warm function still does not operate as expected, or the appliance seems to overheat or behave erratically, stop using it and contact the retailer or store where it was purchased.