Welcome Dan, and sorry about your problem! What you're saying is unusual, and what the guys are saying here has covered it well. One thing I would suggest, before attempting another seasoning, is to remove the smoke box, open the door, and turn the dial to 250. See if the element gets hot. You can hold a temp probe near it (maybe 4-5" away, at the closest) and see what kind of temps you're seeing. Obviously, use extreme caution around an exposed 1200 w element, unless you want a trip to the emergency room!
I would troubleshoot the element first. If it is getting hot, try putting the smoke box back in, with wood near the middle, and see how it goes. If it continues to not heat properly, definitely call Steve.