27/44 Cooking surface
Viking Indoor Char-Grill Assembly
The built-in grill section on some ranges: grate, flavour plates, drip pan and tray over one burner.
- Written by
- Hollis Yamada
- Works on
- Service technician — refrigeration and cooking
- Experience
- 21 years in the trade
- Published
What the section is
Some Viking ranges were built with a char-grill beside the burners; the 5 Series manual lists a 60-inch layout with six burners, a grill and a griddle. On those ranges the grill is a stack: a porcelain-coated cast-iron grate on top, slotted flavour plates that catch drippings and send smoke back up, a two-piece drip pan, then the burner with a drip tray under it. This page covers the indoor section only; in Issaquah, as anywhere, grease is what wears it out.
How it fails
Grease runs this part’s life. Fat that collects in the pans burns every time the grill heats, so the flare-ups grow and the smoke thickens. A grate scrubbed with steel wool loses its coating and rusts. The grill often sits beside the griddle plate, and on an older range the two can fail together, the case weighed in a 48-inch range with a dead griddle. Burner and ignition faults are handled as part of range repair.
Signs and thresholds
| What you notice | The line it crosses | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| Brief flare-ups as fat drips | Flames that settle once food is moved | Normal grilling; move the food and carry on. |
| Flames or heavy smoke that will not settle | Continues with the knob turned down | Turn it off; empty and wash the pans and tray before relighting. |
| Grate coating chipped, bare iron rusting | Rust spreading from the chips | Grate replaced; scouring it only strips more coating. |
| Burner lights weakly or only in part | Still weak with clean plates and pans in place | Burner and ignition checked on a visit. |
What you can do yourself
- Switch the hood fan on before lighting the grill, as Viking's manual asks.
- Once everything is cold, lift out the grate, the flavour plates, the two-piece drip pan and the tray beneath the burner, and clean each one.
- Scrub the grate with a soft brush or a non-scratch pad only; steel wool and harsh powders take the porcelain off.
- Stop there. Anything past this is a job for Viking Repair Issaquah — call (425) 920-9484.
When to call
Call when flames or smoke keep going after a full clean, when the burner will not light along its length, or when the grate is shedding coating.
Call (425) 920-9484Asked about the char-grill assembly
Is it normal for my Viking char-grill to flare up?
Some flare-up is normal: fat drips onto the flavour plates beneath the grate and catches. Viking's manual suggests searing on high, then turning down and sliding food aside until flames settle. Flames that persist point to grease in the pans. Viking Repair Issaquah can inspect the burner; call (425) 920-9484.
Can the char-grill parts go in the dishwasher?
On the 5 Series ranges Viking's manual lists the flavour plates, the drip pan and the drip tray as dishwasher safe, while the porcelain grate is soaked and scrubbed by hand. Check your own model's manual first. If a part is warped or rusted through, Viking Repair Issaquah orders the right one; call (425) 920-9484.
Why does my char-grill smoke so much?
Mostly grease that has built up in the drip pan or on the plates and burns each time the grill heats. Clean every layer once it is cold and run the hood fan while grilling. If smoke stays heavy after that, Viking Repair Issaquah checks the burner flame; call (425) 920-9484.
