SaferProducts incident

Failure type

Fire / ignition

Incident narrative

SaferProducts.gov consumer incident report 20240620-41E5D-2147338494. Severity: Incident, No Injury. Product: Char-Broil 463448021-73 (5-Burner Gas Grill). Incident: Issue Description: After coating the grill plates with peanut oil to cure them, I heated the grill to maximum temperature for about an hour. Once the grill had cooled, I noticed that the internal structure had warped. This warping was so severe that three of the metal covers (heat tents) designed to hang over the flame emitters could no longer stay suspended via normal installation of them. Instead when installed as intended they would drop down on the back side of the grill and rest directly on the flame emitters. Concerns: Unsuitability for High Temperature Use: The Char-Broil model 463448021-73 appears to be completely unsuited for high-temperature use. If a customer uses the grill at maximum temperature for between 45 minutes and 1.5 hours, the metal parts within the grill can irreparably warp. This deformation results in some of the heat tents no longer being able to stay suspended over the flame emitters, for where the heat tents are installed normally and fully inserted at the inside front of the grill. Safety Hazards: 1. Falling Heat Tents: The inability of the heat tents to remain suspended poses a significant safety hazard. If the heat tents fall during high-temperature use, they could land on top of the flame emitters, which can result in uneven heating, potential flare-ups, and increased risk of fire or injury without the grill owner being aware that this has occurred. 2. Potential for Undetected Damage: During prolonged high heat use, the heat tents might fall without the user noticing. This can create hazardous conditions that are not immediately apparent, fur