Weber-Stephen Products LLC Grill literally melted, and we were blamed. Weber used cell phone picture of one part to make their decision. Nationwide

We purchased a Weber grill from Home Depot on April 20, 2016. We used it regularly over the summer, then suddenly one night in September the regulator frosted over and the grill caught on fire. It burned so badly that parts of it melted, and the fire had to be put out with an extinguisher.

We contacted Weber immediately.  At the request of the customer service representative, we provided Weber with several photographs of the grill that were taken with a cell phone.  There was no mention at any point that the photos might be used for technical analysis.  If that were the case, we would have provided a better shot of the tank o-ring (the part they called into question) and with a better camera.  What would have made even more sense would have been to have a 3rd party examine the parts of the grill and the tank in person.

The customer service person said that the gasket was "out of round." We asked for a picture of a gasket that is "in round," but were denied.  So we showed a close-up of the photo of the o-ring to the manager at the Home Depot where we purchased the grill.  He said he couldn't see any defect.  He also said it was a poor judgment call on Weber's part to use a photo of that poor quality to make such a determination.  

How do we know that the regulator gasket or the regulator itself wasn't at fault?  We were never asked to provide photographs of them.  The tank had been used successfully many times and with another grill, and it is our opinion as we look at it in person that there is nothing wrong with the o-ring.  It is perfectly round and without blemish.

After being told that the grill was beyond repair, we were offered a new grill at a dealer discount.  This was a slap in the face - especially since I had sustained burns on my left hand from the fire.  To top it off, ithey couldn't even offer us the same color grill. They continued to insist that it wasn't a manufacturing defect even though they never asked for photographs of any of the other parts of the grill.

So we contacted the Better Business Bureau in IL.  That proved to be an even bigger disappointment.  They did absolutely nothing for us except allow us the opportunity to share more email exchanges through their system before closing our case.  In spite of all of the photographs that were sent to Weber showing the melted and burned out pieces, the individual who was involved in the exchange through the BBB was under the impression that we were still using the grill even though it had been deemed "too expensive to repair" by another representative.  He never asked for pictures of the regulator which is the part being called into question by us.

It is shocking to us that Weber was so careless and so determined to see that we were not properly compensated for the malfunction of their product.  We feel that since Weber determined that the grill was not worth repairing, then Weber should replace the entire grill free of charge.  Again, offering us a different colored grill at a 20% discount is a slap in the face.

We were hoping for resolution through the BBB; however they proved to be completely useless.