i also contacted weber. i told them with a fresh battery that it worked intermittently, that i'd cleaned the outside of it, & that it works with a match. they then asked me if the battery was new, had i cleaned it, & did it work with a match. did they even read my email??!!
so it worked intermittently about 12 weeks ago. i had back surgery & was unable to grill as i have to move my cajun bandit smoker off of the grill to load charcoal & i'm not supposed to lift more than 10 pounds. now it's not working at all. when i'm able to i'll try following weber's instructions below before spending near 50.00 to replace it. for now i'll light it with a match. ALSO- i should mention that i keep this grill covered so it's fairly well protected.
weber's instructions. these were in an email. i cannot find this on there website.
Are the white and black wires attached?
The photo on the left is for models without a battery and the photo on the right is for models with a battery.
Has there been rain or humidity?
Humidity and/or rainfall can cause moisture to collect on the end of the electrode making it difficult for the igniter to create a spark. To dry out the igniter, light the grill with a match and allow it to heat for approximately 15-20 minutes. If the igniter works after being dried out, then the igniter does not need to be replaced.
Is the igniter dirty?
The igniter may simply be dirty from ashes that are swept out of the bowl with the cleaning system. Follow the instructions below to clean the burner tube.
Turn the gas to OFF
Remove the Char Bin™ storage container.
Remove orifice clip (2) and hose fitting (3) from the burner tube.
Look inside the burner with a flashlight.
Clean the inside of the burner with the wire matchlight holder (provided). Use the wire to clean the air shutter area, the venturi section, and the burner slots (4) on the inside of the bowl. Be careful when inserting the burner cleaning tool not to damage the igniter electrode (5).
Recheck with a flashlight to see that there are no obstructions.
Please let us know if there is anything else we can help you with. As always, we are happy to do so.
Awaiting your response.
Thank you,
Eshaan W
Weber Consumer Care Team
Weber LLC