Traeger Pellet Grill HEr — What It Means & How to Fix It
HEr (High Error Reading) means a non-WiFIRE Traeger climbed past 550°F — most often a grease flare-up — and switched itself off as a safety precaution.
What this code means
The controller cuts the grill off when it reads more than 550°F/287°C and shows HEr. Traeger lists grease fires as the most common trigger, followed by overdue cleaning, a drip tray or heat baffle fitted wrongly, a bad startup or shutdown, and an LEr on the previous cook that left the firepot full of pellets.
Traeger documents HEr for non-WiFIRE grills with 3-digit digital controllers. WiFIRE models show a high-temperature error in a different form, so check the article that matches your controller.
Most likely causes
| Cause | How likely | DIY-fixable? |
|---|---|---|
| Grease fire or flare-up in the barrel | Very common | Yes — deep clean once cool |
| Firepot overloaded with pellets after a failed cook or bad shutdown | Common | Yes — clean out the firepot |
| Drip tray or heat baffle installed incorrectly, or rusted through | Occasional | Yes — refit or replace |
| RTD temperature probe damaged or touching the grill wall | Less common | Partly — inspect only |
What you can try yourself
- Turn the grill off and unplug it. If it is still hot, wait for it to cool before going further.
- Once cool, give the grill a thorough clean: scrape the drip tray, empty the grease bucket and vacuum the firepot.
- Refit the heat baffle and drip tray the right way round, and check the tray for rust holes that would let grease drip into the barrel.
- Look at the RTD probe inside the barrel. If it is resting against the wall, gently bend it clear.
- Start the grill normally and watch the preheat. A temperature that rises smoothly means the probe is reading correctly.
When to call a technician
- HEr appears before the grill is anywhere near 550°F.
- The temperature reading jumps erratically during preheat.
- The RTD probe is visibly damaged, or the code survives a clean and a restart.
Typical professional repair cost: Usually free — a clean and a correct restart clears it. A replacement RTD probe comes through Traeger support if the sensor turns out to be faulty.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to keep using my Traeger after an HEr?
Yes, once it has cooled and you have cleaned out the grease and the firepot. The shutdown is the safety system working; the risk is restarting without removing whatever fed the flare-up.
Why did I get HEr right after an LEr?
An LEr leaves unburned pellets in the firepot. If they are not cleaned out, they can all light together on the next start and spike the temperature past 550°F.
Sources checked
Error meanings can vary by model. This guide was checked against the documentation above; use the manual for the model number on your own appliance when it differs.
Related Traeger codes
- Traeger Pellet Grill LEr LEr (Low Error Reading) means a non-WiFIRE Traeger dropped below 125°F for more than 10 minutes, so the fire is out and the grill has shut itself down.
- Traeger Pellet Grill Er1 Er1 (or Err) on a non-WiFi Traeger means the RTD temperature probe has a poor connection to the controller or has come disconnected altogether.
- Traeger Pellet Grill Er2 Er2 on a non-WiFi Traeger means the RTD temperature probe itself has failed and needs replacing.
- Traeger Pellet Grill Er4 Er4 on a non-WiFi Traeger means the controller has lost its connection to the induction fan that feeds air to the fire.
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