Oven Temperature Is Wrong — West Hollywood Repair

What this symptom usually means

An oven that's running hot or cold isn't always broken — it sometimes just needs calibration. Most modern ovens can be calibrated from the control panel by ±25–35°F. If the oven is off by more than that, we're usually looking at a bad sensor. Below is a breakdown of the most common causes we find on this exact problem, roughly in order of frequency.

Common causes, in order of likelihood

Miscalibration

Over years of use, many ovens drift. A simple calibration from the control menu brings them back into spec.

Failed oven temperature sensor

The sensor is a small probe inside the oven. When it fails, temperature control can be wildly off or unstable.

Dirty or damaged sensor

Spills and splatter can coat the sensor and skew its readings. Sometimes the fix is cleaning, not replacement.

Bad control board

Less common, but a failing board can produce erratic temperature swings.

Weak or aging element (electric)

An element with a partial short or resistance drift can produce lower-than-set temperatures.

When it's time to call

Call when baked goods are reliably under- or over-baked, or when an oven thermometer confirms the actual temperature is off by more than 35°F. We bring an independent thermocouple to verify.