Vizio Tells Owners Their TVs Are Un-Repairable

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So the backlight on your one year old $1,900 HDTV goes out...what do you do? If its a Vizio TV, there is nothing you can do...it is un-repairable . What the hell does that mean?

Late Thursday night, after this article was published, Vizio responded . The spokesperson did not honor our request for an explanation as to why Vizio calls a bad backlight(s) un-repairable (other companies repair sets with the same defect) nor did they provide us with the list of un-repairable Vizio TV models and their associated defects we requested. Instead they made a response regarding defective panels, although we never inquired about panel defects.
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If my back light goes out, I'll keep that in mind.

I'll also be keeping that in mind during my next television purchase...
 
Hmm, got a vizio 42" that's been running great for almost four years now (will be on black friday). Might have to craigslist it and get a new different brand tv on black friday.
 
This is why I like Samsung TVs and monitors.

I bought triple Samsung 24" LCDs for my main work rig. After a year (but still under warranty) the backlight on one starts to flicker.

I call Samsung tech support and some guy named Frank with a Brooklyn accent takes my call....you heard me right....not an Indian accent...or a Chinese accent...Frank from New York takes my call and he tells me that Samsung's call center is in New York.

Frank asks me for the model number / serial number and the nature of my call. I tell him what was wrong, he says "okay," doesn't ask me a bunch of retarded crap or ask me what I've "tried" to resolve the problem on my own....he just says "okay."

Frank then proceeds to tell me where the closest UPS stores are to me and which one I would prefer. The company OVERNIGHT SHIPS me a new monitor. UPS calls me the next day, I brought my broken LCD to the store, we exchanged monitors and that was that.

We had a Samsung TV one finicky HDMI port (one, not all), under warranty, same thing...they cross shipped the TV...and...wait for it....wait for it....they were out of the 42" 720P TVs so they sent us a NEW 46" 1080P TV.

Samsung now has a customer for life (unless they go all Vizio on me).

True story.
 
Anything is fixable, the question is would it be cost effective repair. It obviously isn't for Vizio.

As a consumer I would either ask for a new TV, or give me back my money. I don't care if you think it can't be fixed.

If anything, I'd drop the TV is front of BestBuys door with a large note stating that this piece of junk can't be repaired. You know, to show costumers how wonderful Vizio products can be. Plus, it makes me feel good.
 
Ashbringer said:
Anything is fixable, the question is would it be cost effective repair. It obviously isn't for Vizio.
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They are going to find out that is a bad idea. Backlights are rather cheap and easy to fix. It is either the tubes themselves or the inverter that is the problem. Neither is expensive or difficult to fix. So they are just pissing people off for no real reason.

I mean if the panel goes out, I can understand them not wanting to fix that. You can't repair the panel so you have to put a whole new one in and that is the majority of the cost in the unit. However the backlight? Easy fix.
 
LCD failures.... why I bought a flat-screen normal tV instead when i went shopping (plus the price was much better).... better colors / depths than almost all LCDs of its time.

I am thinking about upgrading on craigslist.... gonna get a Sony WEGA 30"+ HDTV when one pops up cheap.
 
I bet they find a way to replace that part for the TVs still under the 12 month warranty. Could you imagine if they didn't? (Well, this part went out, just throw this one in your trash and I'll bring you a new 50" next Tuesday, ok?)
 
Vizio labeling a 14 month old TV as "unrepairable" is a real eye opener. That basically tells me that they're boxing up ticking time bombs and pushing it out to unknowing consumers. It's a terrible way to do business. Vizio's screwed if this story gains traction.
 
The only bad thing I see (that other companies don't do) is they charged a HIGHER THAN RETAIL (supposedly) price for the new model the guy wants instead.

They should just buy it from walmart, or amazon and ship it to the damn guy.... wtf?

But yes, most companies (including Asus from my experience) in tech will send you a REFURBIShED ITEM instead of a brand new item as your "replacement to defect product"

Be warned, this article shows VIZIO gives subpar items back, while Samsung (which people pay more $$$ for) will give a better warranty if you actually follow through with one.
 
Dman2280 said:
LCD failures.... why I bought a flat-screen normal tV instead when i went shopping (plus the price was much better).... better colors / depths than almost all LCDs of its time.

I am thinking about upgrading on craigslist.... gonna get a Sony WEGA 30"+ HDTV when one pops up cheap.
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Just say no to CRT.
 
Me not planning on buying a Vizio TV just turned into "no way in hell I'm buying one" in 2.2 seconds after reading that article. Unfortunately, all those people buying these sets by the truckload at Walmart are going to find out for themselves.
 
PFFT, why? Because it's "old school" ???

I think the colors on my $100 CRT flatscreen TV can beat many cheap LCD TVs.
 
good article, but im surprised a number of you werent already aware that vizio tvs mostly utilize cheap components and are almost "designed to expire" just outside of their warranty coverage to keep their own costs under control. meanwhile their support takes the same barebones approach.

thats why i buy samsung. aside from their great build quality - steve already covered why...
 
Mr. Bluntman said:
Me not planning on buying a Vizio TV just turned into "no way in hell I'm buying one" in 2.2 seconds after reading that article. Unfortunately, all those people buying these sets by the truckload at Walmart are going to find out for themselves.
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I bought a 26" vizio the first year they ran at walmart in the holidays (it was $600 for a 720p 26" :O ) -- family uses it a lot, not problems with it after a few years so far.

Tons of others have said the same thing about Vizio... but as usual, RMAing stuff really sucks ass and I would like to avoid it because companies do this 99% of the time, they shaft you and give you something used that someone else has returned and they have fixed!

Asus did this with a motherboard I sent them YEARS ago, now they are supposedly ten times as worse now.... because they went mainstream and all you know
 
People are surprised the budget TV company is acting cheap?

I stick with Samsung and Panasonic , both have had there problems in the past but at least they honor warranties.
 
Awesome to note, ill keep an eye out if friends have this issue... free replacement or refund ftw
 
That happened to my buddy, his 2 year old vizio just turned off one day, stopped working. I'd never buy a vizio, seems like a real shit brand, I'd rather have a budget Westinghouse or RCA over that shit
 
Backlight or backlight invertors? Backlight invertors are dirt cheap and easy as hell to fix - well on laptops and LCD monitors anyways.
 
as long as they replace that shit and the tv has a long warranty i don't care, ionno how long the warranty is though but fuck tv's used to last 20 odd years if you don't give you atleast 8 waste of your money.
 
My parents were about to buy a big Vizio LCD TV back in March. Fortunately, mom had dad call me while they were in the check out line at Brandsmart. As soon as I heard the word Vizio I ordered them to get out of that line NOW!!! I had them look at some Samsungs and they bought a nice 50" model. All is well. :)
 
When I bought my Olevia 47" LCD, they went bankrupt about a month later. lol... 3 years later, it's still rockin.

... but there are many stories of woe. Buyer beware, you know you're taking a chance when you're paying less. Bottom line.
 
And if you buy an Olevia or Vizio at a price that would get you a 'name' brand, shame.
 
FTA said:
The un-repairable defects included black screens, dark spots and red and green lines. Vizio replaced defective in-warranty sets with refurbished units, which a number of owners complained also failed soon after the warranty period.
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Sounds just like Westinghouse. Any shitty brand.
 
Just bought a Vizio 32" 3D tv recently (Gears 3 looks pretty good in 3D). If the inverter or backlight itself goes bad, I can ask to see if a friend of my dad's could fix it. He fixed an inverter on my dad's LCD display and only charged him $30 for the time and parts.
 
This is why I own 4 Samsung HDTV's and would never even consider a Vizio.

I had an issue with a 46" LED LCD SAMSUNG that was delivered by tigerdirect, lots of light bleed in the corners. Samsung came out and replaced the screen and everything has been fine with that one. All my other LED LCDs are working like they should and look better than ANY model tv out there. Samsung Rocks
 
LCD repairs are cheap and simple as long as it's not the panel itself.

Vizio just wants you to buy a new tv instead of fixing it.
 
__hollywood|meow said:
good article, but im surprised a number of you werent already aware that vizio tvs mostly utilize cheap components and are almost "designed to expire" just outside of their warranty coverage to keep their own costs under control. meanwhile their support takes the same barebones approach.

thats why i buy samsung. aside from their great build quality - steve already covered why...
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theres a reason there are units that have a different sku, different model number, and all...just for a walmart shelf, even though it is identical per the specs......the manufacturers use cheap internal components to cut costs to satisfy the big stores demands for cheaper....which is why i would rather pay $50 more for the "same tv" anywhere else but never at walmart
 
Godmachine said:
I stick with Samsung and Panasonic , both have had there problems in the past but at least they honor warranties.
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Went through an ordeal with Panasonic. They took two month to ship an A board for an '08 50" plasma but hey at least I was able to order parts. The repair center guy said that with Westinghouse and Vizio you are basically SOL as parts are unavailable.
 
I've always said "Samsung". But then my bro swears to Vizio.. "Gotcha bitch!" lol
 
complete bullshit.

I see a nice market for some third party repair / service company.

And just as a curiosity what happens to walmart with all those service plan extensions they sell? .
 
Valset said:
complete bullshit.

I see a nice market for some third party repair / service company.

And just as a curiosity what happens to walmart with all those service plan extensions they sell? .
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so i can tell you my friend recently had a Visio hdtv that got taken out by lightning and even though walmart didnt have to, they actually made arrangements for a local repair shop to fix it and covered it 100%
 
Wow, I have to say... I've always considered getting a Vizio tv, but I guess not any more.
 
Steve said:
This is why I like Samsung TVs and monitors.

I bought triple Samsung 24" LCDs for my main work rig. After a year (but still under warranty) the backlight on one starts to flicker.

I call Samsung tech support and some guy named Frank with a Brooklyn accent takes my call....you heard me right....not an Indian accent...or a Chinese accent...Frank from New York takes my call and he tells me that Samsung's call center is in New York.

Frank asks me for the model number / serial number and the nature of my call. I tell him what was wrong, he says "okay," doesn't ask me a bunch of retarded crap or ask me what I've "tried" to resolve the problem on my own....he just says "okay."

Frank then proceeds to tell me where the closest UPS stores are to me and which one I would prefer. The company OVERNIGHT SHIPS me a new monitor. UPS calls me the next day, I brought my broken LCD to the store, we exchanged monitors and that was that.

We had a Samsung TV one finicky HDMI port (one, not all), under warranty, same thing...they cross shipped the TV...and...wait for it....wait for it....they were out of the 42" 720P TVs so they sent us a NEW 46" 1080P TV.

Samsung now has a customer for life (unless they go all Vizio on me).

True story.
Click to expand...

Yes they are a great company. My grandmother has a problem with her TV from them, and although I doubt she was able to give much more detail than "it won't turn on," they sent a tech over right away and he fixed the problem.
 
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