Do all Sony LCD screens only last 2 years?

[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.

[Talland]

I have the same problem with the same model 40W4500, puchased 3 years ago at £1000.00 plus.  The lines started to appear, i contacted Sony and having an extended warranty I was hoping it wouldn't be a problem.  The television was collected by an authorised repair shop, on collection i was told i required a new screen and it would take no longer the a week to repair.  Two weeks late i rang the shop to be told the part was no longer available and i was offered a 40EX503 as a replacement television, i looked on SONY on line and this model is temporary unavailable and could no longer be available at your local dealer.  When i rang the repair shop and told them this i was told it would be all SONY would offer.  I am going to ring CIC tomorrow as i am not prepared to accept this as a replacement as it is already more or less obselete as well as being a cheaper model to the one i purchased, if this model fails after 3 years again i will have wasted money, i expect the replacement to be the current version not one already of old specification.  I chose SONY as i beleived i was buying an exeptional brand. Why do SONY provide a 5 year extended warranty and then do not have the spare parts to repair? Obviously under trading standards they are selling items not fit for purpose.  You would not expect a £1000.00 television to last only 2/ 3 year.  What is also interesting is at the same time i purchased the tv i bought a SONY home cinema kit, this has also failed at the same time as the TV and again SONY do not have the spare parts to repair it, as i did not have an extended warranty on this i have had to purchase a new one.  I certainly would not recommend SONY products to anyone now.  I will let you know what the outcome is to my complaint.

[mildenhalldet4]

No Nico, I was lucky, mine broke in just under 3 years. Mine was replaced with an out of date model due to parts not being stocked.(If I had not got a 5 year Guarentee from the Sony centre, I would be stuck. I was basically told by Sony to take the old replacement model or leave it. It was also intimated that a £1200 Tv is a thow away item.Sony staff must be highly paid because I expect anything costing that much money to last far longer than 3 years.

Like you, I have been a long standing Sony customer and all my TVs for over 30 years have been Sony.

When the replacement breaks, I too will look elsewhere.

[pvit1402]

I had also bought a Sony tv less than 3 years ago. I got online deal at that time, and bought the newest Sony tv with their 4 colour LED full backlight, the KDL 46X4500.  In the past few months I started noticing some horizontal lines, like stuck pixels on the left part and right middle part of the screen. At that time I called the Sony Customer Centre which wasn't helpful at all, and when I told them that there are thousands of people with the same problem of the same tv that I have they denied it completely. They said that forums and private chats can't be taken seriously and the only thing they can do is to give my number to a authorized Sony repair centre. I spoke to them about the problem and they said it is probably the LCD screen and needs to be completely replaced. With work, lcd screen and delivery the cost of it would be almost 1200 pounds. They adviced me it is best if I just get a new TV. Incredible, isn't it? I had the tv only 2,5 years before the first issues with the screen started to show and I paid about 2000 pounds for that telly at that time. I have always regarded Sony TVs as the best on the market but after this experience I am switching to some other company. So however wants to buy any Sony product, don't. You better off with some other brand.

Here are some pictures of how my TV looks now at the moment. Have a look and laugh.

[Weybeach]

My kdl 40w4500 screen started failing after approx 18m. In february I contacted Cairo customer service number and was told as it was outside of 12month warranty I was on my own - very annoyed as this was an expensive bit of kit to fail so soon. No suggestion of any goodwill or route forward so I feel quite understandably I chose to avoid risking another sony tv failure and  to go with a new samsung as my £1400 with sony was down the drain.

Then heard in May that sony now acknowledge there was a problem yet still very disappointed with service - firstly told I'd get a replacement panel, then that was cancelled and offered a new tv, then that was cancelled and offered a replacement panel again. Even then I'm effectively left with a tv i dont need once it is repaired. Tried to get some form of credit note rather than a repaired tvthat  I now dont need but sony are not budging.

I estimate I've spent approx £10,000 with them over the  last 20 years but I will now be taking custom elsewhere. I advise anyone who does buy sony to get a rock solid 5 year warranty or risk being treated very harshly with no apparent sense of mutual loyalty or customer consideration.

[deckardnexus6]

Like so many on this forum I am exhausted trying to get Sony to deal fairly with this issue. There are many of us not just here in the UK but worldwide who have reported this very same problem. It is not acceptable to pay £1500 for a TV that lasts just 2 years.

There is something we can do as consumers to demonstrate just how unacceptable this issue is. That is to report our complaints to the BBC Watchdog (consumer rights) Television programme. The link to their website and contact form is below. If enough people contact them and raise this issue then Sony might just take notice.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/gotastory/

[unhappycustomer]

I started this topic just over a year ago and it's really disappointing to see the dozens of messages that have been added by other unfortunate customers of Sony. One of several subsequent actions that I took was to write to Which who had this TV as one of their best buys when it first came out. (Their latest message to me is at the bottom of this message.)

If you are able to join the Which forum the scale of the disaster that Sony has on their hands with TV's will become even clearer.  Sony as a company are in a big mess with product problems. Add their strategy of denying that any problems exist and its a small step to questioning if Sony will survival as a viable company. Like everyone else I only want to buy from companies that have a future. Inevitably companies who treat customers badly will cease to exist.

MESSAGE FROM Which

Many thanks for coming back to us.

We have been in close contact with Sony on this issue, pressing them for clarity on the cause of the problems which affected these sets and how they plan on resolving this with affected customers.  Please see our Conversation post here:- http://conversation.which.co.uk/technology/sony-bravia-lcd-tv-recall-overheating/comment-page-1/#res...

We are collecting customer comments to take to Sony, who we have engaged with repeatedly about the causes of and offered solutions to this problem.

In the meantime, I wish to thank you for contacting us on this issue and if possible add your voice to this forum; where some other members have reported similar problems.  It all adds weight to our efforts to press Sony on this matter.

I hope the above helps and if you need me again just email.

Regards,

Ann Bartlett
Service Support Adviser
Which?

[Chris_20a]

I’ve only just discovered this thread after posting my own similar problems on a separate thread.  It’s actually some comfort to realise I am not alone in my difficulties with Sony - in fact I even feel lucky I’ve managed to get a panel replacement that actually works, despite the motion judder problems it now has.

This all makes me more determined than ever to avoid Sony in future.

[phmawds37]

Nope my Sony Bravia Lcd has lasted 21 months and cost me £600 quid, the red light flashes 5 times, how can this be after a short period of time, my other Tv a Panasonic Plasma is still going strong after 4 years, simple answer next Tv will be another Panasonic.

Phil

[nok12rs]

Whoa!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here I am at last planning a serious technology upgrade from my old Vieja LCD to maybe (research still ongoing) a HX923.

Now this (for me) will be a major investment so forgive my uninformed panic but can I look forward to these kind of hassles in a couple of years?

I fear that the only authoritative answer can be: "You pays your money and takes your chance".

Rhetorical question: Why is the technology, seemingly, always in advance of the built quality and usability resilience?

Thank God the home electronics industry don't build jet liners........or do they?

[65hx923_cust11]

I just bought a new HX923 and the screen was faulty from day zero. I did not have to wait 24 months. I have always bought sony but I am sorry to say that I would not recomend Sony at all. Their products are defective and their customer service is extremily poor. Avoid getting into Sony's trap once they get your money they will do nothing to help you.

I strongly recomend to avoid Sony Centres they are going into administration faster than your TV can come into your door. For that matter avoid Sony at all cost. If you go for it try to use a retailer with excellent return, refund policy. Sony TV's is like a Russian Roulette. If you are lucky you will get a good one but that seems very unlikely at the present.