Known issue - WiFIRE + Android causes D2 controller to crash/sleep mode

[stempile]

Grill: Timberwood 850 Gen1
SW VER: T2.01.02 / CONFIG VER: 08.005
Android App: 3.1.2 and 3.1.1 (3.1.3 not available for my phone yet in Play Store)
Phone: Samsung S20+ SM-G986U, Android G986USQS3HWC3 (Android 13)

Other "sleep mode" forum posts pop up back to Mar 10, 2023 - LINK

Current Treager known issues - no current note of possible crash/sleep issue when running Android - LINK

5/7/2023 - Purchased and built a Timberline 850 Gen 1. After 7 hours of troubleshooting, unable to consistently run without the D2 grill controller crashing and going into sleep mode, I called Treager Customer Support this morning 5/9 @745am PST. Mentioned sleep mode issue, agent immediately said there is a known problem with D2+ WiFire running with Android, and that Treager is working very hard to resolve however no ETA at this time. I plan to return the grill, calling the dealer to share all of this info to help ensure other customers are not surprised. This experience has damaged my trust of the Treager technology, other forum posts shared ruined cooks given the grill controller crashed and shutdown randomly.

What I did to troubleshoot and research:
5/7/2023:
Samsung S20+ Treager App 3.1.2 / Grill run through several updates after joining wifi - SW VER: T2.01.02
Grill Seasoning - 20 min @ 350 - sleep mode started at 18 min
Reignited, got error ignite taking longer than usual
Grill Seasoning - 30 min @ 500 - sleep mode started at 23 min
---researched Treager Forum / Reddit ---
Samsung S20+ uninstalled Treager app 3.1.2, installed Treager App 3.1.1
Changed Android app setting for Treager App 3.1.1 to not be batter optimized
Grill Seasoning - 20 min @350 - no issue
Grill Seasoning - 30 min @500 - sleep mode started at 28min
---alternate attempt---
5/8/2023:
Samsung S20+ uninstalled Treager app 3.1.1
Borrowed iPhone on 14.6 iOS - installed latest Treager app
Grill Seasoning - 20 min @350 - no issue
Grill Seasoning - 30 min @500 - no issue
Reduced to 165 - 25 min - no issue
App initiated shutdown - no issue

By using an iPhone (I don't used one, had to borrow it) I isolated that yes the issue is related to Android, not grill hot rod, switch or controller (items that were replaced by other customers).

Frustrated Treager hasn't shared this, or made the dealer aware of this issue as a heads up. I plan to return my grill given this issue has been occurring based on this post for at least 1 month with no ETA, and this has happened previously on Android. This is not isolated to new grills, existing customers reporting same issue. I am concerned that this will happen again in the future as new hardware and firmware comes to the market.

My hunch is that with having different versions of the controller now in production supported by the same app, there may be reduced quality control/testing on legacy hardware or platform versions; Treager may only focus on the new hardware. Without Treager feedback, won't know. Android is the dominate platform, however it has a lot of different device manufactures and hardware combinations - which makes the need for extra testing and quality control very important and more challenging.

 

[RayClem]

I never found the Traeger app to be useful. The only thing it ever did for me was alert me when the level in the pellet hopper is getting low. I do not trust the temperature shown by the RTD probe and I do not trust the internal temperature probe.

I upgraded my router and never bothered connecting my Ironwood 885 to the new router. My grill works just fine without connecting to my Android phone. I startup and shutdown my grill manually. If you want accurate temperature data on your phone, get 3rd party thermometers that will connect to it.

 

[rjs23]

you may want to refer to this thread
https://www.traegerforum.com/threads/pro-575-shutting-down-when-connected-to-wifi.4327/#post-43444

 

[stempile]

you may want to refer to this thread
https://www.traegerforum.com/threads/pro-575-shutting-down-when-connected-to-wifi.4327/#post-43444

Thanks - been tracking a few, haven't seen a positive confirmation that it was resolved.

My frustration has been based on the threads, where Traeger wasn't being open about the issue with customers, dealers, or on the known issues list online. If the software is fixed (the referred to thread indicates only the App side, not the Grill side) and I had bought my grill a week later - I wouldn't have gone through all this frustration - wouldn't have known there has been an issue or that there could be any future issues.

I am concerned based on other forum posts this has happened on prior updates, that this will happen again in the future. I hope that now that a new controller in available, as well as the D2 - the D2 WiFIRE will continue to be supported fully.

 

[stempile]

App version 3.1.3

Completed full seasoning mode.
Ran super smoke.
Several temp changes via App.
Multiple alerts with proper alerts in Android.

Testing has indicated the bug in Android has been resolved, grill did not go to sleep mode as previously documented.

 

[stempile]

This past week I learned more about the ability to return my Traeger. I bought from a local dealer, not Costco, or Traeger online. Dealers don't have any options given how Traeger works with them from what I understand. My dealer wants to make sure I am happy so is willing to do something as an exchnage (not interested in other pellet grills than Traeger), however I am invested in the success of my dealer so don't want them to have to eat any costs where Trager wouldn't make them whole...

Bottom line, returning a seasoned but otherwise unused cooked on grill is not an option - i got the impression based on other posts it would be easier.

Based on this I plan to keep my grill, and I hope traeger addresses the grill side of the software as well as maintain better testing for Andoid releases in the future.

...if I only had bought my Grill one week later I wouldn't have had issues, timing is everything.

 

[Lbeberdick]

Grill: Timberwood 850 Gen1
SW VER: T2.01.02 / CONFIG VER: 08.005
Android App: 3.1.2 and 3.1.1 (3.1.3 not available for my phone yet in Play Store)
Phone: Samsung S20+ SM-G986U, Android G986USQS3HWC3 (Android 13)

Other "sleep mode" forum posts pop up back to Mar 10, 2023 - LINK

Current Treager known issues - no current note of possible crash/sleep issue when running Android - LINK

5/7/2023 - Purchased and built a Timberline 850 Gen 1. After 7 hours of troubleshooting, unable to consistently run without the D2 grill controller crashing and going into sleep mode, I called Treager Customer Support this morning 5/9 @745am PST. Mentioned sleep mode issue, agent immediately said there is a known problem with D2+ WiFire running with Android, and that Treager is working very hard to resolve however no ETA at this time. I plan to return the grill, calling the dealer to share all of this info to help ensure other customers are not surprised. This experience has damaged my trust of the Treager technology, other forum posts shared ruined cooks given the grill controller crashed and shutdown randomly.

What I did to troubleshoot and research:
5/7/2023:
Samsung S20+ Treager App 3.1.2 / Grill run through several updates after joining wifi - SW VER: T2.01.02
Grill Seasoning - 20 min @ 350 - sleep mode started at 18 min
Reignited, got error ignite taking longer than usual
Grill Seasoning - 30 min @ 500 - sleep mode started at 23 min
---researched Treager Forum / Reddit ---
Samsung S20+ uninstalled Treager app 3.1.2, installed Treager App 3.1.1
Changed Android app setting for Treager App 3.1.1 to not be batter optimized
Grill Seasoning - 20 min @350 - no issue
Grill Seasoning - 30 min @500 - sleep mode started at 28min
---alternate attempt---
5/8/2023:
Samsung S20+ uninstalled Treager app 3.1.1
Borrowed iPhone on 14.6 iOS - installed latest Treager app
Grill Seasoning - 20 min @350 - no issue
Grill Seasoning - 30 min @500 - no issue
Reduced to 165 - 25 min - no issue
App initiated shutdown - no issue

By using an iPhone (I don't used one, had to borrow it) I isolated that yes the issue is related to Android, not grill hot rod, switch or controller (items that were replaced by other customers).

Frustrated Treager hasn't shared this, or made the dealer aware of this issue as a heads up. I plan to return my grill given this issue has been occurring based on this post for at least 1 month with no ETA, and this has happened previously on Android. This is not isolated to new grills, existing customers reporting same issue. I am concerned that this will happen again in the future as new hardware and firmware comes to the market.

My hunch is that with having different versions of the controller now in production supported by the same app, there may be reduced quality control/testing on legacy hardware or platform versions; Treager may only focus on the new hardware. Without Treager feedback, won't know. Android is the dominate platform, however it has a lot of different device manufactures and hardware combinations - which makes the need for extra testing and quality control very important and more challenging.

Had my D2 grill for 2 years using Android. Only sleep mode issue was caused by a bad powers switch. You also need to make sure your burn pot isn't full of ash! However a full burn pot should produce a FLAME OUT error in the APP.