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unhappycustomer

The screen is going on my KDL 40W 4500 after just 2 years. Sony refuse to contribute to the cost and replacing it is only slightly more expensive than the repair cost. This was a best buy in Which? magazine.

I am now going out to buy a new TV. It will be my first non Sony for 20 years. I am now a non customer for any Sony product and will share my experience widely.

StartTheCar

Hi

It is always disappointing to read of any product failure, and with so many of you sharing similar experiences this is clearly something we need to address. However, while I fully understand your concerns at both the failure of your products and the consequent repair costs, I am not convinced by some of the comments and advice offered.

In an effort to clear up any confusion and in order to help each of you get your specific issues addressed, here are my observations:

Firstly, and this should really go without saying, do not try to repair any product yourself under any circumstances!

I appreciate the good intention of the post above and I also understand that there is plenty of similar threads on other forums regarding this “repair” However while it is true that some panel failures are due to the type of bad connection that carrspaints describes, and in theory putting some kind of extra padding or ‘cushion’ behind the affected connection may make the set work. It simply cannot be considered an effective, permanent, safe repair or indeed a 'catch all' and/or appropriate solution

In the words of a Sony BRAVIA specialist Engineer "when this connection is properly made, on a good LCD panel, the wires are bonded to the glass, so while you can push them back against the glass with this “padding” and it may work for a period of time, it is likely to fail due to oxidisation or repeated thermal cycling. Put simply, the only long-term solution is to replace the LCD panel".

This comes with a repair cost, which brings me on to my second point; what to do next.

If the product is still under guarantee, your first port of call should be your supplying retailer. After the Sony European guarantee period, and assuming you do not have an extended guarantee, I would always recommend contacting our Customer Information Centre (0844 8466 555).

Though I appreciate that some of you have done this already, but were not overly impressed with the reply, it remains the single most effective point of contact within Sony. Having said this, there are inevitable limitations, for example it is simply not realistic to expect my colleagues there to be able to effectively diagnose complex faults over the phone or to instantly recall every product and issue we have ever had. However, they have access to all of our service support departments as well as a very effective escalation process (should it be needed).

If you want to ensure your issue is dealt with a little quicker, I would recommend that you get a written estimate from a Sony authorised repair agent. This is usually the first thing we will ask for when looking to provide any level of assistance outside of the guarantee. Along with a copy of the receipt, an estimate allows us to make an informed decision.

It would be remiss of me to offer any guarantees on how my colleagues will address each of your issues. While they all appear very similar, on closer inspection they could differ greatly. I can however assure you that each case will be judged on its own merits.

In addition, I will speak to the Customer Service Manager and ask that his team keep an eye out for any escalations relating to these model numbers.

Any specific questions please feel free to PM me and I will do my best to get back to you as soon as I can.

Best regards
Lee

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tweety2b

Hi Malcolm,

I am sorry to hear that you have had a bad experience with our Service and Support team and of course it upsets me to hear you have lost confidence in our brand and our products.

I am sure that you have valid reasons why

Is there any way you can let me know your Case ID number from support so I can have a look at this myself and see if we can do something?

Thanks,

Nico

European Forum and Communities Manager

Nico Henderijckx
(ex-Sony employee - fanboy forever)

unhappycustomer

Hi Nico,

Thank you for responding. I didn't get a case id number.

The screen on my TV started with a black line and ghosting on startup and eventually cleared and came on correctly after up to an hour. I spoke with your very helpful service company in Farnborough who confimed that the screen was going. He also gave me an outline of the total costs and the phone number for Sony customer service which I called.

I explained the problem to the call centre who asked me when I bought the set (2 years and one month ago) and he told me that he could book a call. I told him that I was very unhappy about a screen going so quickly and asked him if Sony would help in any way with the costs. He said no. Quite frankly this response made me very angry. I wasn't expecting Sony to give me a new TV but I was expecting some assistance either with a cost of repair or some type of contribution towards a new replacement. To me a TV screen that failed in 2 years is not of satisfactory quality and my expection was that Sony would recognise this.

I resisted the temptation to buy a new TV today.

malcolm wicks

patters98

For something as expensive as a TV I wouldn't take what a call centre said as final. Write a proper letter sent by recorded delivery, state the proper consumer stuff such as that in your view the product falls very short of reasonable expectation, not fit for purpose etc. However, I think under UK consumer law that your case should be with the retailer and not Sony. Usually in this kind of scenario the retailer will give you the run-around until you've written several letters, but you should prevail. I think anyone can see that 2 years is not a resonable lifespan for a £500+ TV.

I bought mine from John Lewis (free 5 year guarantee on all TVs) to make sureI don't have to worry.

describbler

An interesting thread, as I have the same model TV, almost exactly the same age and what sounds like exactly the same problem. I thought I'd have a look here to see it was a known issue and don't very much like what I have read!

I'm going to contact the service centre tomorrow to get the fault investigated and I'll post the results here. Malcolm, perhaps you'd be kind enough to post again if you have any luck resolving the problem?

Good luck,

Stuart

describbler

An engineer from my local Sony service centre called yesterday. Apparently muttered something about 'looks as though it needs a new screen' (I wasn't there), and then took it away to the workshop to produce an estimate.

More in due course.

Stuart

describbler

Well, as feared, the diagnosis is that a new screen is required. Now in dialogue with the Sony Customer Service Centre.......

unhappycustomer

Stuart,

Thanks for the update. Have you been without a working TV since the engineer took it away?

I have not heard a peep from Sony since Nico first contacted me two weeks ago.

Patters98, yes of course I wish that I'd bought the TV from John Lewis because they understand all about customer service. I had assumed that Sony, a brand I'd long trusted, would too. No matter where the TV was purchased. That's why I'm so disapointed with them.

You described the long drawn out process that some Brands and Retailers have forced us to go through in the past. Times have changed. Retailers and Brands who continue to operate this way will feel the wrath of their customers. Either customers will never buy from them again and/or they might decide to use the power of the internet to spread the word.

The way I see things is either I (and Stuart) have very uncommon faulty screens or Sony have major problems with their screens. If it's a rare problem a good customer service response would be to apologise and resolve it quickly.

josharp82

Guess i've just joined the club

My 40W4500 is going the same route.

Ghosting and ocasional large dark patches on start up.

Bought it just over two years ago.

I'm going to give the dealer i bought it from (Comet) a call tomorrow.

Don't normally say this but thank god for extended warranties, guess

i'll find out if they're worth the paper they're printed on.

describbler

Fortunately I do have another TV. Although smaller it is adequate whilst awaiting resolution of this problem.

I have written to Sony enclosing proof of purchase and repair estimate. Hopefully I will hear back fairly soon (although one does have to allow for the vagaries of Christmas post, I suppose).

josharp82, hard luck. Good Luck with Comet - and let us know how you get on!

Stuart

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Do all Sony LCD screens only last 2 years?

Do all Sony LCD screens only last 2 years?