Wondering why you have an oven temperature not accurate issue? You’re certainly not alone. This is one of the most common complaints we receive in our line of work (appliance repair). The cause of this can usually be narrowed down to a handful of possible reasons. Here are the first things to check when you suspect your oven temperature is inaccurate:
Why is My Oven Temperature Not Accurate?
If you notice your food isn’t cooking as fast as it should, or your oven isn’t heating up all the way, there may be an issue with the bake element or other components of your oven.
Oven Igniter Malfunction
The job of the oven’s igniter is to draw an electrical current that triggers the gas valve to open. When this is malfunctioning, it’ll take longer to open that valve. The temperature could be dropping too low before the burner is being reignited.
Bake Element Damaged
Examine the bake element when your oven is off. Does it show any signs of blistering or any other damage? Another test is to see whether the bake element is glowing red when the oven is on. If it fails either of these eye tests, the bake element needs to be tested for continuity using a multimeter. When it lacks continuity, it needs to be replaced.

Broil Element Faulty
Another possibility is a faulty broil element. Like the bake element, examine for holes or blisters and see if it glows red hot. If it fails a test for continuity, it’ll need to be replaced.
Temperature Control Thermostat Not Calibrated Correctly
A temperature control thermostat monitors the internal temperature of the oven, sending a signal when the oven’s temperature gets too low. When it’s not calibrated correctly, the signal to cycle on the heat won’t come at the right time, thus making the oven temperature too high or too low. The condition of your temperature control thermostat is hard to assess on your own, so a qualified repair technician would likely have to diagnose this problem for you.
Temperature Sensor Failure
The oven temperature sensor works with the oven control board to control the temperature. It varies the resistance to electrical current as the temperature varies. When the sensor provides the wrong amount of resistance, this can cause the oven’s temperature to be inaccurate. It’s possible to recalibrate this on your own if you’re up for it. You’d need to check your owner’s manual for instructions specific to your oven model.
Food Not Cooking Evenly
One way to tell your temperature sensor is failing is unevenly cooked food. The temperature sensor may be malfunctioning if you have to rotate the dish partially through the cooking time or add time for it to cook completely.
If you continue to have issues with your food cooking unevenly despite having a properly functioning temperature sensor, use the center rack to ensure food is cooked from the top and bottom evenly and keep the door shut while cooking as much as possible.
Other Possible Reasons Why Your Oven Temperature Isn’t Accurate
Other common kitchen range problems are caused by:
- Oven control board
- Convection element
- Convection motor
We can help fix your oven temperature not accurate problem. Contact us for expert oven repair in Connecticut today!