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A Pit Boss that goes cold mid-cook or throws a coded message on the display sends most owners straight to Pit Boss Pellet Grill Review: Best Value for the Money? territory in their head — wondering if the grill was a mistake. It almost never is. The overwhelming majority of Pit Boss pellet grill troubleshooting calls trace back to one of six repeat offenders: wet pellets, a jammed auger, a sheared shear pin, a dead hot-rod igniter, an ash-choked fire pot, or a failing RTD probe and control board — roughly in that order of likelihood and cost to fix.
Pit Boss earns its reputation as the best value entry into pellet smoking, but that value comes with a trade-off: the time-based controllers on older and mid-tier models hold temperature by cycling the auger on and off, which produces swings that feel alarming to a first-time owner but are engineered behavior, not a fault. Separating that normal cycling from an actual failure is the first skill this guide builds.
What follows is a branching diagnostic path rather than a list of unrelated symptoms: check pellets and airflow before buying parts, isolate auger from igniter from board with a multimeter when needed, and read every error code your controller can throw — from the legacy ErH/Er1/noP set to the newer icon-based Err and the PID-era 4P1 and LL4 codes — with the exact trigger condition and fix for each. Legacy time-based controllers, PID/app-connected boards, and the auto-relight feature on WiFi models all behave differently enough that a fix for one can be the wrong move on another, so model-line differences are called out throughout.
This is written for the owner standing in front of a cold or coded grill mid-cook, deciding whether the next step is a $20–30 part or a call to customer support — not for someone browsing for a grill to buy.
Quick Reference: Error Codes at a Glance
| Code | Meaning | Fix in short |
|---|---|---|
| Er1 / ErL | RTD (grill temp) probe not connecting | Clean and reseat the probe wire; replace if it persists |
| Er2 | Fire failed to establish on startup | Confirm pellets, prime the auger, check igniter and airflow |
| Er3 | Fire established, then went out | Refill pellets, clear jam, check fan and airflow |
| ErH / HEr | Overheating past safe threshold | Cool down, deep-clean fire pot and grease tray, clean RTD |
| ErP | Improper shutdown or power loss | Dial OFF, wait 2 minutes, restart normally |
| NoP | Meat probe unplugged or damaged | Reseat until it clicks; replace if needed |
| ErR / Err (icon-based) | Component fault flagged by a lit icon | Follow the fix for whichever icon (pellet/igniter/auger/fan) is lit |
| Lo1 / Lo2 / LEr | Temperature below minimum threshold | Refill, restart, shelter from wind |
| 4P1 | Control board no longer syncing | Replace the control board |
Before You Troubleshoot: Normal Cycling vs. a Real Fault
Pit Boss controls temperature on most models by turning the auger on and off at set intervals rather than running it continuously, and that on/off cycling produces a swing of roughly ±25°F around the set point by design. An owner watching the display climb to 275°F, drift down to 250°F, then climb again is watching the grill work correctly, not failing. That distinction matters because it's the single most common misdiagnosis: a normal cycle gets treated as a temperature problem, parts get bought, and nothing improves because nothing was broken.
A genuine fault looks different: swings of 50–100°F or more, a fire that goes out entirely, a display that freezes or blanks, or a code that appears and stays. If what you're seeing fits inside that ±25°F band, the grill doesn't need a part — it needs a fresh bag of dry pellets and a clean fire pot, covered below.
The other behavior worth naming up front: on app-connected models, the igniter can turn back on mid-cook if the internal temperature drops below roughly 130°F. Pit Boss documents this as a relight feature, not a defect — the flashing dots or igniter-on indicator reappearing partway through a long cook is the controller doing its job, not a sign the igniter is dying.
The Diagnostic Order — Check These Six Things First
Work through this order before buying a single part. Each step is faster and cheaper than the next, so ruling one out before moving on saves money.
- Pellets — dump the hopper if pellets look swollen, crumbly, or smell musty. Wet pellets expand roughly 6:1 back toward sawdust volume, and that expansion is what jams an auger, not a mechanical failure.
- Auger movement — use the Prime function (or manually jog the auger per your model) and listen. Turning freely means the motor and pin are fine; grinding or silence points downstream.
- Auger motor and shear pin — the motor rarely fails outright; a dropped or sheared pin between motor and auger shaft is the far more common cause of "motor runs, auger doesn't."
- Igniter — hold a hand near (not on) the fire pot on startup. No warmth after several minutes with pellets confirmed present points to the hot rod.
- Fire pot and airflow — ash buildup around the burn holes chokes combustion even with a working igniter and full hopper.
- RTD probe and control board — only after the first five are ruled out. This is the least likely cause and the most expensive to replace.
Auger Problems: Jams, Shear Pins & Dead Motors
The single most common real-world failure on any Pit Boss is what field techs call "pellet concrete" — pellets that absorbed moisture in the hopper (rain, humidity, condensation) and swelled back toward their pre-compression sawdust state, packing solid inside the auger tube. Because pellets are manufactured at roughly a 6:1 compression ratio, a small amount of swelling is enough to jam the feed completely. Prevention is the highest-leverage fix here: keep the grill covered, empty the hopper of unused pellets before extended storage, and burn out whatever's left in the auger tube at shutdown rather than leaving it to sit.
Clearing an existing jam is unglamorous but usually free: unplug the grill, empty the hopper, remove the hopper shell, disconnect the auger motor, and work the auger free with a pair of vise grips, breaking up compacted material as you go. Reassemble and test with the Prime function before restarting a cook.
If the auger turns for roughly a minute and then stops advancing pellets, suspect a sheared or dropped shear pin — the small connector between the motor shaft and the auger itself, designed to snap under excess resistance rather than burn out the motor. It's a cheap, fast swap, typically included with a replacement motor.
When the motor itself is silent — no turning, no jam, no obstruction — it's a motor replacement. The Pit Boss OEM auger motor (part 70102) is a 2 RPM, 120V unit that fits nearly the entire full-size lineup: 340, 440, 700/Classic, 820, Austin XL, Brunswick, Laredo, Lexington, Lockhart and the 1000-series.
A third-party 2.0 RPM upgraded motor is also available, offering more torque than the older 1.6 RPM units for owners who jam frequently or run in cold, damp climates.
Either swap is a plug-and-play job in the 15–45 minute range for a first-timer — the connector is a Molex quick-disconnect, not a wired splice.
Igniter Failures: Testing, Replacing, OEM vs. Third-Party
If the auger is confirmed to be feeding pellets but nothing lights, the hot-rod igniter is the next suspect. It's also the single most commonly replaced wear part on any pellet grill, with owners typically seeing 2–5 years of service depending on use, moisture exposure, and ash buildup around the tip.
A multimeter takes the guesswork out: a healthy Pit Boss igniter reads roughly 46 ohms (±10%) across its terminals. An open circuit or very high reading means a burned-out element — replace it. A single-digit reading suggests an internal short, which also means replace it, and check the control board's output while you're at it, since a board pushing current to an igniter that's already shorted can trip breakers or blow fuses repeatedly.
The OEM part is 70112: a 200-watt, 120V hot rod roughly 3-11/16" long, installed so that 3/8" to 1/2" of the tip sits visible inside the burn pot. It fits most AC-powered models — 340, 440, 700/Classic, 820, Austin XL 1000, Navigator 850, Sportsman 1100, Pro 1150 — but not the Lockhart, PTG, or rapid-igniter variants.
Third-party igniters work and cost less, but quality varies more than with auger motors: a mismatched or lower-quality unit can draw enough current at high heat to trip a breaker, which owners sometimes chase for weeks before realizing the replacement part itself was the problem. If a fresh igniter still trips the circuit, don't keep swapping igniters — the control board is the more likely culprit at that point.
One igniter behavior isn't a fault at all: on app-connected models, the hot rod re-energizing mid-cook when internal temperature drops below roughly 130°F is the auto-relight feature working as intended, not the igniter failing.
Error Codes Decoded
Controller generations matter here. The official Pit Boss owner's manual documents only three codes for legacy time-based units — ErH, Er1, and noP — while the rest of the codes below are field-documented across PID and app-connected models and may not appear identically on every controller.
| Code | Trigger condition | Fix steps |
|---|---|---|
| Er1 / ErL | RTD (grill temperature) probe loose, dirty, damaged, or disconnected | Power cycle 5–15 minutes; clean the RTD with water and a little vinegar; reseat the connector behind the control panel; replace the probe if it recurs |
| Er2 | Fire failed to establish during startup — empty hopper, unprimed auger, jam, dead motor, dead igniter, or ash-blocked airflow | Confirm pellets are present, prime the auger, verify it turns, confirm the igniter is heating, clean the fire pot, replace igniter or motor as needed |
| Er3 | Fire established, then went out — out of pellets, mid-cook jam, failing fan, or airflow/ash blockage | Refill the hopper, clear any jam, clean the fire pot and RTD, check the induction fan |
| ErH / HEr | Overheating past the safe threshold — grease fire, excess fuel, dirty or failing RTD | Shut off and unplug, let the grill cool fully, deep-clean the fire pot and grease tray, clean or replace the RTD |
| ErP | Improper shutdown — power interruption, wall switch cut before the shutdown cycle completed | Turn the dial OFF, wait about 2 minutes, restart normally |
| NoP | Meat probe unplugged or damaged (on some models: hopper empty) | Reseat the probe until it clicks, or refill pellets; replace the probe if it persists |
| ErR / Err (icon-based) | General sensor or component fault, shown with a lit pellet, igniter, auger, or fan icon on newer SmokeIT-style panels | Identify which icon is lit and troubleshoot that specific component; power cycle first |
| Lo1 / Lo2 / LEr | Temperature below the minimum threshold — fire out, empty hopper, wind, cold, or wet pellets | Refill, restart, shelter the grill from wind; contact support if Lo1 appears on a plug-in unit |
| 4P1 | Control board no longer syncing with its program — indicates board damage | Replace the control board |
| LL4 / Ls1 | Brief programming or startup codes | Normal if momentary; if either persists, treat as a board issue and contact support |
The P-Setting and Smoke Setting, Explained
The P-setting (P1 through P7, typically) only affects behavior on the Smoke setting, and it works by changing auger timing. The default, P4, feeds pellets for roughly 18 seconds and pauses for roughly 115 seconds. Raising the P-setting lengthens the pause, which lowers the average temperature and increases smolder and smoke output; lowering it shortens the pause and raises heat. Adjust one step at a time — jumping several settings at once is the most common cause of a flame-out or a smoke buildup thick enough to bitter the food.
This is also where controller generation causes real confusion. On legacy time-based boards, the P-setting is a recessed button you press directly. On newer PID and app-connected boards — including Platinum and second-generation Pro Series controllers — there often isn't a live P-setting button at all; it's buried inside recipe or programming mode, or absent entirely. Owners who go looking for a P-setting on these boards and can't find it, or who see it flash briefly and revert, frequently assume the board is defective when it's simply a different control scheme by design.
Control Board Issues: When It's Neither the Auger Nor the Igniter
If pellets are confirmed dry and present, the auger turns freely, and a multimeter confirms the igniter reads close to 46 ohms with the board pushing voltage to it on startup, the remaining suspect is the control board or its RTD probe. Symptoms include a blank or unresponsive display, a temperature reading that climbs normally then spikes toward 500°F before throwing ErH, or — more rarely — an igniter that energizes even with the dial off.
Legacy controllers (fitting the PB340, PB440FB1, PB700FBW2, and PB1000XLW1 chassis) are a straightforward swap:
PID controllers built around part AC03P9 — used across Navigator, Pro Series, FB, Mahogany, NASCAR, Sportsman, and Onyx model lines — are a different board entirely and not interchangeable with the legacy unit:
Before replacing either board, a basic digital multimeter is worth owning if you don't already have one: it confirms whether the fault is the RTD (roughly 1,000 ohms at room temperature), the igniter, or the board itself, rather than guessing and buying the wrong part first.
Which Fix Should You Try First?
| Symptom | Most likely cause | Try first |
|---|---|---|
| Auger whines, no pellets dropping | Wet, swollen pellets packed in the tube | Empty hopper, clear jam, switch to dry pellets |
| Auger silent, motor doesn't turn | Failed motor or blown fuse | Test motor continuity; replace motor (70102) |
| Auger turns briefly then stops | Sheared shear pin | Replace the shear pin |
| No heat, fan and auger working | Dead igniter | Multimeter test (~46Ω); replace igniter (70112) |
| Igniter glows, pellets won't catch | Ash-choked fire pot or poor pellets | Vacuum fire pot and auger tube; fresh pellets |
| ±25°F swing on the display | Normal auger cycling | No action needed |
| 50–100°F swing or flame-outs on Smoke | Wrong P-setting for conditions | Reset to P4, adjust one step at a time, shelter from wind |
| Overheating past set point / ErH | Grease fire risk, dirty RTD | Deep-clean fire pot and grease tray, clean RTD |
| Blank display, unresponsive power button | Blown fuse, GFCI trip, or board fault | Check outlet and cord first, then the board |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is a ±25°F temperature swing on my Pit Boss normal?
Yes. Most Pit Boss controllers hold temperature by cycling the auger on and off rather than running continuously, and that produces roughly a ±25°F swing by design. Swings of 50°F or more, or a fire going out entirely, are the actual fault threshold.
Q: Why does my Pit Boss keep throwing Er2 on startup?
Er2 means the fire failed to establish during the startup cycle. Work through the diagnostic order: confirm pellets are present and dry, prime the auger and confirm it turns, check that the igniter is heating, and clean the fire pot of ash before assuming a part has failed.
Q: Can I use a third-party igniter or auger motor on my Pit Boss?
Yes, and many owners do, since OEM parts and third-party equivalents are similarly priced. Auger motors are largely interchangeable in quality. Igniters vary more — a mismatched or lower-quality third-party igniter can trip breakers at high heat, so if a replacement igniter causes repeated trips, don't assume it's a coincidence.
Q: Why did my igniter turn back on in the middle of a long cook?
On app-connected models, this is the auto-relight feature, not a failing part. If internal temperature drops below roughly 130°F, the igniter re-energizes automatically to help the fire recover — the flashing indicator reappearing mid-cook is expected behavior.
Q: What P-setting should I use for more smoke flavor?
Start at the default P4 and move one step at a time — going to P5 lengthens the pause between auger feeds, lowering temperature slightly and increasing smolder. Jumping several settings at once is the most common cause of flame-outs or overly bitter smoke, so adjust incrementally and give the grill time to respond before changing again.
Conclusion
Most Pit Boss problems sort themselves into a short list once you work the diagnostic order instead of guessing: rule out wet pellets and ash first, confirm the auger turns before blaming the motor, test the igniter with a multimeter before replacing it on a hunch, and treat the control board as the last suspect rather than the first. The parts themselves — a 70112 igniter, a 70102 motor, a shear pin, an RTD probe — are inexpensive enough that self-repair is almost always the faster and cheaper path over a service call.
Keeping the grill dry and covered, emptying the hopper before long idle periods, and cleaning the fire pot on a regular schedule prevents the majority of these failures before they start — the same maintenance habits covered in How to Clean a Pellet Grill: Complete Step-by-Step Guide. If you're weighing whether a stability issue is a Pit Boss quirk or a reason to look elsewhere, Traeger vs Pit Boss: Which Pellet Grill Brand Is Actually Better? covers that trade-off directly, and owners running a Traeger alongside a Pit Boss will find the failure modes and error codes largely mirror each other in Traeger Error Codes Explained and Traeger Auger Problems. For anyone still chasing a cold grill after working through every step above, Pellet Grill Not Heating Up? How to Fix It Fast walks the broader no-heat scenario from a different angle.
