We have a GE Profile refrigerator (model #PFSF6PKXBB, top fridge, bottom freezer) that is less than three years old. In the last few months, we've noticed that it's been getting harder and harder to scoop ice cream, and we've been slowly increasing the temperature setpoint. This weekend, I decided something must truly be wrong with the temperature control. I placed my outdoor Lacrosse digital temperature sensor in the freezer. Here's the data:

• Freezer set point: +8F
  
• Temperature reported by freezer: +8F
  
• Temperature reported by Lacrosse probe: -3F to -6F

Although we've noticed no issues with the refrigerator, here's the data:

• Refrigerator set point: +38F
  
• Temperature reported by refrigerator: +38F
  
• Temperature reported by Lacrosse probe: +38F to +36F

Something else is strange with the freezer. When I varied the set point from +8F to +4F, the freezer's own temperature reading varied accordingly, but the Lacrosse probe still returned temperatures in the -3F to -6F range. I am not quite sure how the freezer's own temperature sensor would reflect a variation that wasn't there, but perhaps we can chalk it up to dirty data.

I'm hoping it's as simple as replacing a faulty freezer temperature sensor. Hopefully it's not too much of a PITA. What's the best way to proceed?

I've determined that the displayed temperature is an average. After keeping the doors open for a couple minutes, I shut them. When I came back a couple minutes later, the displayed temperature had dropped by one degree.

Last night, when I got some ice cream, I noticed it was soft and easy to scoop. I checked the Lacrosse probe and it read +4F. This means that the actual temperature swinging from -6F to +4F. The freezer's own temperature readout always reads +8F.