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Hello @russell3
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your Matador BBQ.
If your Matador 5-burner BBQ is experiencing low gas flow and the last two burners are struggling to ignite — or causing a noticeable drop in temperature when they do — there are a few common culprits worth checking. The most frequent issue is a tripped or faulty gas regulator. This is the large valve fitting connected to the hose near the gas bottle, and it's designed to limit gas flow if it senses something unusual. Sometimes, even a quick twist of the bottle valve can accidentally trigger it. To reset the regulator, turn off all burner knobs and the gas bottle, disconnect the hose, wait a few minutes, then reconnect it. Open the bottle valve very slowly, and try lighting the burners one by one.
Another possibility is partially blocked burner tubes or injectors. These can get clogged with grease, rust flakes, or even spider webs, especially if the BBQ hasn’t been used for a while. Remove the grills and flame tamers, check the burner tubes — particularly the ones performing poorly — and clean them with a pipe cleaner or soft wire brush. Make sure they’re seated properly too, as misalignment can also cause flow issues.
It’s also a good idea to inspect the hose for any kinks or cracks. A damaged or kinked hose can restrict gas flow, leading to inconsistent performance. You can check for leaks by spraying the hose and connections with soapy water and looking for bubbles. If you’re using a smaller gas bottle, especially in cooler weather or when the bottle’s nearly empty, it might not be supplying enough pressure to run all five burners at full strength, which could explain the temperature drop when more burners are turned on.
Finally, if everything appears fine and you’re still having trouble, the issue could lie inside the BBQ itself, possibly in the valves or gas manifold. In that case, it may need to be looked at by a technician or replaced under warranty if it’s still covered.
Please make sure to turn off your gas bottle and disconnect the hose when you are performing any basic cleaning procedures on the burners. Please make sure to wear disposable gloves and goggles when using a steel brush on your BBQ.
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
