Outdoor Service · Traeger Pellet Grill · Error Codes & Not Heating
Traeger Error Codes & Won't-Heat, Explained
AC letter codes (LEr, HEr, Er1-Er7) vs WiFIRE numeric codes (0001-0023). Find your controller, then the fix. $89 outdoor diagnostic. Same-day across LA, OC, Ventura.
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01 · Start here
First, find your controller — the codes are different.
Traeger uses two code systems, and which one you have depends on your controller. Older AC (non-WiFIRE) grills show letter codes — LEr, HEr, and Err/Er1 through Er7 — and read temperature with an RTD probe. WiFIRE, D2, and touchscreen grills show numeric codes — 0001 through 0023 (also written ER01, ER02) — and read temperature with a thermocouple. Identify your controller first so you're reading the right table. Whichever you have, the most common reason a Traeger won't reach temperature isn't a code at all: it's poor or wet pellets, ash in the firepot, or an improper open-lid startup.
Everything below comes from Traeger's own support documentation. Where a code involves a part — the hot rod (igniter), the auger motor, the induction fan, or the temperature sensor — we call out whether it's an owner check or a technician replacement. $89 outdoor diagnostic, waived with repair. BHGS #A49573, EPA 608 Universal #1346255700410. This page is the diagnostic companion to our Traeger repair service page and the outdoor smoker repair hub.
02 · AC (non-WiFIRE) grills
Letter codes: LEr, HEr, Err, Er1-Er7.
These grills use a 3-digit digital controller and an RTD temperature probe. If your Traeger shows letters, this is your table.
| Code | What it means | Owner check / technician |
|---|---|---|
| LEr | Low-temp error — grill fell below 125°F for over 10 minutes and shut down. Usual causes: open-lid startup, wet/poor pellets, cold or windy weather, empty firepot, failed hot rod, or fouled RTD. | Owner: fresh pellets, clean firepot, closed-lid startup. Returns → hot rod / RTD (tech). |
| HEr | High-temp error — grill exceeded 550°F and shut off. Most often a grease fire or flare-up; also excess pellets from a bad prior shutdown, or a drip tray installed wrong. | Owner: let it cool, clean grease, restart. Usually clears. |
| Err / Er1 | Bad connection or disconnect between the RTD probe and the controller. | Owner: check/reseat the RTD connection. |
| Er2 | RTD temperature probe has failed. | RTD is owner-replaceable per Traeger, or we do it. |
| Er3 / Er5 | Igniter (hot rod) disconnected — loose wire at the controller. | Owner: check connections. No heat with good connections → hot rod (tech). |
| Er4 | Induction fan disconnected. | Owner: check the fan connection. Fan replacement → tech. |
| Er6 | Auger disconnected. | Auger motor replacement → technician. |
| Er7 | Auger jammed. | Owner: cycle the auger — hold DOWN + IGNITE in Idle for ~60 sec; clear damp pellet dust. |
03 · WiFIRE / D2 / touchscreen grills
Numeric codes: 0001 through 0023.
These grills show numbers (sometimes with an ER prefix — ER01, ER02) on the controller or in the Traeger app, and read temperature with a thermocouple. If your Traeger shows numbers, this is your table.
| Code | What it means | Owner check / technician |
|---|---|---|
| 0001 / ER01 | High-temp error — grill went above 550°F. Common trigger: using a sear grate at 500° (Traeger recommends 475° with a sear grate). | Owner: cool down, clear grease, lower the setpoint. |
| 0002 / ER02 | Low-temp error — grill fell below 120°F for over 10 minutes. The WiFIRE equivalent of LEr. | Owner: closed-lid startup, check hopper level, update firmware, replace pellets. |
| 0003 / ER03 | Low ambient temperature — informational; the grill keeps cooking at reduced performance in very cold weather. | Owner: environmental; expect slower heat in the cold. |
| 0006 / ER06 | Temp sensor disconnected — the controller isn't receiving the thermocouple signal, usually a wiring disconnect. | Owner: check the sensor connection. Sensor replacement → tech. |
| 0007 / ER07 | Failed to ignite within the set time — typically out of pellets or started with the lid open. | Owner: refill hopper, closed-lid startup. Returns → hot rod (tech). |
| 0013 / ER13 | Auger not detected / auger motor disconnected. | Owner: check connection. Motor replacement → technician. |
| 0023 | Lid sensor error (newer touchscreen grills). | Technician diagnosis. |
Codes you might see online but not on this page: a few codes get repeated on forums and parts blogs — for example LEG, GEr, ErR, or ErH — that are not in Traeger's official documentation, and their claimed meanings conflict with Traeger's real codes. We don't publish or guess at them. If your grill shows something you can't match here, send us the exact code and your model rather than chasing an unverified meaning.
04 · Won't reach temperature
Why a Traeger won't heat up — even with no code.
Traeger's stated number-one cause of temperature problems is poor or wet pellet quality, so every diagnosis starts there. Work down this list — the first several are owner checks, and they resolve most "running too cool" calls before anyone pays for a part.
- Pellets (start here). Empty the hopper, vacuum out sawdust, and refill with fresh, dry pellets. Wet or old pellets that have lost their sheen and "snap" are Traeger's most-cited cause. Store pellets sealed and dry.
- Firepot ash. Ash and unburned pellets smother the hot rod and choke the fire. Vacuum the firepot clean.
- Airflow. Keep food and pans at least an inch from the barrel walls and don't block the drip tray — restricted airflow drops temperature.
- Startup method. Always start with the lid closed. An open-lid startup is a frequent cause of LEr / 0002 low-temp shutdowns.
- Auger jam. Clear it (WiFIRE: MENU > AUGER > CLEAR AUGER; AC: hold DOWN + IGNITE in Idle ~60 sec) and vacuum damp pellet dust from the hopper.
- RTD / temp probe. Check it's seated and positioned correctly; Traeger publishes an owner self-test for the RTD.
- Power. Confirm the grill is on live power — check the outlet and reset the GFCI if the patio circuit tripped.
If it still won't heat after those, the part is usually the hot rod (igniter) — no glow or heat with good connections — the induction/combustion fan, the auger motor, or the controller. Those are what our techs carry and replace. There is no gas, propane, or regulator on a standard Traeger — it's an electric-ignition, auger-fed pellet grill, so the fix is on the electrical and mechanical side, not a gas component.
05 · When it's a technician job
A code that returns after the owner checks means a failed part.
When fresh pellets, a clean firepot, and a reseat don't hold — or the code points straight at a part (Er2 RTD, Er6 auger, 0013 auger, a hot rod that won't glow) — the component has to be replaced. Our techs at Same Day Appliance Repair carry the common Traeger hot rods, induction fans, auger motors, and temperature probes, so most code calls are a one-visit fix. We verify the simple causes first — pellets, ash, a loose connector — before quoting a part.
More Traeger help: our full Traeger repair service page (models, repair costs, what we service) and the outdoor smoker & pellet grill repair hub. Same-day across LA, OC, and Ventura in most cases. $89 outdoor diagnostic, waived with repair. Book online or call (424) 325-0520.
06 · FAQ
Traeger error codes: common questions.
Why is my Traeger not heating up?
Traeger's own number-one cause of temperature problems is poor or wet pellet quality, so start there: empty the hopper, vacuum out any sawdust, and refill with fresh, dry pellets. Then check the firepot for ash buildup (ash smothers the hot rod), confirm nothing is sitting within about an inch of the barrel walls or blocking the drip tray, and make sure you used a closed-lid startup. If it still won't reach temperature after that, the likely part is the hot rod (igniter), the induction/combustion fan, the auger motor, or the RTD temperature probe — those are what our techs replace. $89 outdoor diagnostic, waived with repair.
What does LEr mean on my Traeger?
LEr is the Low Temperature error on AC (non-WiFIRE) Traeger grills: the grill dropped below 125°F for more than 10 minutes, so it shut down the auger, fan, and igniter as a safety. Common causes are an improper open-lid startup, wet or poor-quality pellets, cold or windy weather, an empty firepot, a failed hot rod, or a fouled RTD probe. Start with fresh pellets and a clean firepot; if LEr returns, the hot rod or RTD is the usual culprit. On WiFIRE (touchscreen/app) grills the same condition shows as error 0002 / ER02 instead.
What does error 0002 or ER02 mean on my WiFIRE Traeger?
0002 (also shown as ER02) is the Low Temp Error on WiFIRE and D2 Traeger grills: the grill fell below 120°F for more than 10 minutes. Traeger's fixes are to use a proper closed-lid startup, check the hopper pellet level, confirm the firmware is current, and replace poor or wet pellets. It is the WiFIRE equivalent of the LEr code on older AC grills. If it keeps coming back after fresh pellets and a clean firepot, the hot rod, fan, or thermocouple needs a technician.
How do I clear a Traeger auger jam?
On a WiFIRE grill, use the menu: MENU then AUGER then CLEAR AUGER. On an AC grill, hold the DOWN and IGNITE buttons together in Idle mode for about 60 seconds to cycle the auger. Also empty the hopper and vacuum out sawdust, since damp pellet dust is the usual cause of a jam. If the auger still won't turn, or the error (Er6/Er7 on AC, 0013 on WiFIRE) returns, the auger motor needs replacement — that is a technician job, not an operator fix.
I saw a Traeger code online that isn't on this page — what is it?
We only publish codes that appear in Traeger's own support documentation. Some codes floating around forums and parts blogs (for example LEG, GEr, ErR, or ErH) are not in Traeger's official error database, and their claimed meanings conflict with Traeger's real codes — so we don't guess at them. If your Traeger shows something you can't match here, don't chase an unverified meaning: send us the exact code and your model, and our techs will read it against Traeger's service references. $89 outdoor diagnostic, waived with repair.
Traeger showing a code or won't heat? Call today.
$89 outdoor diagnostic, waived with repair. Same-day across LA, OC, Ventura. Phones answered 24/7.