Quick Answer
Common causes include a bridged hopper where pellets arch over the auger opening, sawdust and swollen damp pellets compacted in the auger tube, a foreign object such as a bag tie or wood chip, a failed auger motor, and a controller or power fault. Check first whether the auger shaft moves at all during a prime cycle — that single observation separates a jam from a motor failure.
Which symptom matches yours?
- Temperature falls mid-cook and the fire goes out
- The hopper still has pellets but none arrive in the firepot
- You hear the motor humming or straining but the shaft does not move
- You hear nothing at all from the auger during start-up
- Pellets in the hopper have swollen or turned to dust
- The problem started after the grill was left uncovered in rain
Diagnostic decision tree
Motor hums, auger does not move
→Mechanical jam in the auger tube — clear it before assuming motor failure.
Auger turns, pellets do not arrive
→Hopper bridging or an empty auger tube needing a prime.
No sound at all
→Power, controller or a failed motor.
Started after wet weather
→Swollen pellets compacted in the tube — full hopper empty-out required.
Intermittent feeding with rattling
→Foreign object or a worn motor gearbox.
Fixes, easiest first
1. Check for hopper bridging
AddressesPellets forming an arch above the auger so the screw turns in an empty pocket.
- Look into the hopper: a cone-shaped void directly above the auger opening is bridging.
- Break the bridge with a wooden spoon or a gloved hand, never with the grill running.
- Stir the hopper and top it up so the pellets settle evenly.
Expected resultPellets feed again on the next prime cycle.
When to stopIf bridging recurs constantly, the pellets are damp or dusty and should be replaced.
Unplug the grill before reaching into the hopper.
2. Empty the hopper and clear the auger tube
AddressesCompacted sawdust, swollen pellets or a foreign object jamming the screw.
- Unplug the grill and let it cool completely.
- Empty all pellets from the hopper — use the clean-out door if fitted, otherwise scoop and vacuum.
- Vacuum the fines from the hopper floor and around the auger opening.
- Inspect the visible portion of the auger for wood chips, bag ties, screws or clumped pellet dust and remove anything you find.
- If the screw is still locked, follow Traeger's documented auger-clearing procedure for your model, which involves removing the auger assembly rather than forcing it.
Expected resultThe auger turns freely and pellets feed on a prime cycle.
When to stopDo not force the auger with tools or run repeated prime cycles against a solid jam — that is how auger motors are burned out.
3. Prime the auger and confirm delivery
AddressesAn empty auger tube after a jam or once the hopper has run empty.
- Refill the hopper with fresh, dry pellets.
- Clean the firepot so it starts empty.
- Run the prime/auger routine until pellets fall into the firepot.
- Remove the primed pellets from the firepot before starting a normal cycle.
Expected resultA steady trickle of pellets during the prime.
When to stopIf nothing arrives after priming with a clear tube, the motor is the next suspect.
4. Diagnose the auger motor
AddressesA motor that hums without turning, or does nothing at all.
- With the tube confirmed clear, run a prime cycle and listen at the back of the hopper.
- A hum with no rotation, or a burning smell, indicates a failed or seizing motor.
- Silence with confirmed power and a responsive controller also points to a motor or wiring fault.
- Check the wiring connector at the motor for corrosion or a loose plug before ordering parts.
- Replace with the correct Traeger auger motor for the Pro 575 following the manufacturer's instructions, or arrange service.
Expected resultSmooth continuous rotation under load once the correct motor is fitted.
When to stopStop and replace if you smell burning insulation or the motor housing is hot to the touch.
Unplug the grill before touching any wiring or connector.
5. Prevent the next jam
AddressesThe moisture and dust cycle that causes most auger failures.
- Empty the hopper if the grill will sit unused for more than a week or two, especially outdoors.
- Store pellets sealed, indoors and off concrete floors.
- Vacuum hopper fines whenever you change pellet flavours.
- Use a fitted cover so rain cannot enter the hopper lid seam.
Expected resultConsistent feeding and fewer temperature stalls.
When to stopOngoing jams with dry, clean pellets suggest a worn auger or motor gearbox.
Traeger Pro 575: what makes this model different
- Feed system
- Single motor-driven auger screw feeding the firepot from a side hopper
- Controller behaviour
- D2 Direct Drive varies auger duty cycle to hold setpoint; it cannot detect a jam directly and will report a temperature fault instead
- Failure signature
- Falling temperature mid-cook with pellets still in the hopper
- Service parts
- Auger motor, auger screw, hopper wiring harness
- Primary cause of jams
- Moisture-swollen pellets and accumulated fines in the hopper base
When to stop troubleshooting
- The auger motor is hot, smells of burning insulation, or trips the outlet — unplug and stop.
- The screw will not move after the hopper is empty and the tube is clear; forcing it damages the gearbox.
- Wiring is chewed, corroded or has melted insulation.
- Water has pooled in the hopper or reached the controller housing.
- A jam clears but the grill still will not hold temperature — move to ignition and firepot diagnosis, or contact Traeger support.
Sources and references
- Traeger Support Center — pellet grill error codes and start-up faults — Traeger, Inc.
- Traeger owner's manuals and replacement parts — Traeger, Inc.
Procedures are summarised from the sources above and from the owner's manual for this model. Always follow the manual supplied with your grill where it differs.