Gas grill won't ignite? Try these 6 fixes first.

Shake the tank. A full 20 lb tank feels heavy; an empty one almost weightless. Check the gauge if you have one, and make sure the regulator knob is fully open (counterclockwise).

Refill or swap an empty tank. If the tank has gas but nothing flows, the regulator's safety bypass is the likely culprit. That's the next rung.

A common cause after a tank swap is the regulator's safety bypass. Most consumer propane cylinders made since the early 2000s have an Overfill Prevention Device (OPD). If you open the tank valve too fast, the regulator limits gas flow to a trickle as a safety response.

1. Turn all burner knobs off.
2. Close the tank valve fully (clockwise).
3. Disconnect the regulator from the tank.
4. Open the grill lid.
5. Wait 30 seconds.
6. Reconnect and hand-tighten.
7. Open the tank valve slowly, about one full turn over 3 to 4 seconds.
8. Wait another 30 seconds before lighting.

This resolves it in most cases. When you relight, judge the recovery by heat, not by eyeballing the flame: a grate-level thermometer gives you the real number, and factory lid dials often read low. If flow is still weak after the reset, the regulator itself may be failing. See the parts section.

Find the battery compartment, usually on the side or front of the control panel. It takes one AA or AAA (varies by model). Pull the battery and check the terminals for corrosion (white or green crust), and confirm polarity: the flat negative end sits against the spring.

Install a fresh battery with correct polarity. If the contacts are corroded, scrub them with a pencil eraser first. A dead battery is one of the most common reasons an igniter won't spark.

• Two-minute fix

  Fresh AA / AAA batteries

  If the igniter clicks but nothing sparks, or it's dead silent, a dead battery is the most common cause. Grab the size your igniter takes (check the compartment), install it with the flat end against the spring, and try again.

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No battery compartment anywhere? You have a piezo igniter, a spring-loaded striker with no battery to swap. Skip to the electrode check.

With the gas off and the tank valve closed, find the electrode. It is a small ceramic-and-metal probe just above or beside the burner. Look at the metal tip: grease, carbon, or rust will kill the spark, and a cracked ceramic collar will bleed it to ground.

Wipe the tip with a dry cloth, or a cotton swab with a little rubbing alcohol for baked-on grease, then let it dry fully before testing.

If your model uses a metal collector box behind the tip, the spark gap is typically small (often around 1/8 to 1/4 inch). Check your model's spec before adjusting. Make only small adjustments with the gas off: forcing the electrode can crack the ceramic.

A cracked ceramic collar or a tip that won't come clean means a replacement electrode, and electrodes are model-specific. Weber Spirit owners can skip the guesswork in our Weber Spirit parts guide; every other grill, match the part to your brand and model before ordering.

Insects, mud daubers and spiders especially, nest inside burner tubes between cooks. Even a partial blockage stops gas from reaching the spark. With the gas off, pull the grates and heat tents and shine a flashlight through the burner ports; you should see light through the small holes.

The match test settles it: turn on one burner and hold a long lighter to the ports. If it lights with a match but not the igniter, your gas and burner are fine. The problem is the igniter system, not the gas path.

To clear a clog, turn the gas fully off and run a thin wire brush or stiff pipe cleaner through the ports and tube opening. Do not use water; it drives debris in. Do not use a toothpick that can snap off inside. Our burner tube cleaning guide walks the full job, including how to tell a clog from a tube that is rusted through.

• Unlocks a free fix

  Venturi / burner-tube cleaning brush

  A spider web or debris plug inside the burner tube blocks gas from reaching the spark. It's the most common non-obvious ignition failure. A long, thin brush clears it in a minute. No parts, no money beyond the brush.

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• 
  For the teardown

  Heat-resistant grill gloves

  Reaching the electrode and burner ports means pulling grates and heat tents out of a greasy firebox. These are rated to 932°F, so you can lift warm parts and keep rust and grease off your hands while you work the fix ladder.

  Check it on Amazon →

If the igniter is down, you can still cook safely. Open the lid fully first. Hold a lit long-handled lighter or match at the burner port, then turn on the gas. Never gas first, then flame. If it doesn't light in a few seconds, turn the gas off, wait at least a minute for it to clear, and try again. Never lean over the grill when lighting.