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.

[DavidJ0]

I'm just starting out on this with my KDL-40W4500.  It's a couple of months out of its 2 year warranty and lo and behold the screen is exhibiting the so-called tconn fault as described on a number of forums. I've just contacted the authorised Sony repair centre to get a written quote with a view to starting an action. Even over the phone, the engineer said that the LCD almost certainly needs replacing based on what I described.

What to do? Clearly a £1000 TV which goes wrong like this after 2 years is not of saleable quality if, as appears to be the case, it's a common problem. There's a likely case under the Sale of Goods Act but the onus is on us to prove it's a manufacturing issue at the Small Claims Court and the summons needs to be sent to the retailer rather than Sony.

I've been a dedicated buyer of Sony equipment for 20 years or more. I'm going to make contact with Sony to give them a chance to make good on this but by the sound of it they're likely to tell me to get stuffed if reports elsewhere are to be believed.  If so then I'll be hugely disappointed with Sony.  By disappointed, I mean I'll not only stop recommending their products but I'll actively discourage friends, family, and colleagues from Sony products.

[manningr83]

Sony Bravia KDL-40V3000 purchased from Sony Store Welwyn Garden City April 2008.

I’m experiencing the same vertical shadow running top to bottom on the  far right of the panel with an area showing issues with uniformity.  Especially visible on light blue / green / grey backgounds but not  visible on solid white.

Sony was running a deal at the time to provide a 5 year warranty however  unlike John Lewis it’s provided by a third party company, Domestic and  General.

In small print the on the receipt it states that for the 5 year warranty  to be valid it must be registered within 30 days of the purchase by the  customer! (D&G Terms) I failed to notice this until now.

I visited the Sony Store on Saturday and they raised this with D&G  as a special case. Unfortunately the manager could not guarantee that  they would accept the late registration and the decision would come  through on Monday (18th April) as to whether I’m covered.

As i’m sure the (free) 5 year cover was included in the original  inflated price I can’t see why this would be an issue but I’m not  expecting it to be good news! The Welwyn Garden Sony Store has been very  helpful and I just hope that should this all go wrong with D&G they  will honour the warranty themselves as this is clearly a manufacturer  defect.

It seems a shame that I might need to go down the route of the sale of goods act.

I hope everyone else experiencing the issues has now been successful in resolving them through replacement or repair.

[Boughtafewsonys]

A while back I got a sensible settlement of my my 2008 40W4500 lcd panel / tconn failure from the retailer/manufacturer.

Many of you have similar issues with this model and fault.

This TV was bought from a shop in the UK WITHOUT an extended warranty

Highly relevant, I suspect, here, is that there would appear to have been a manufacturing/ part problem with this TV.

What you need to do;

- on awareness of a problem, contact the retailer AND Sony UK; this dialogue must mention the sale of goods act and failure of the product to perform as expected. You should also say you are aware of other cases.

- Whilst the retailer is answerable under law, clearly Sony UK are aware of problems with manufacturing of these TVs, in certain time periods.

- Initially you want an inspection, NOT a repair. Get an engineers report, this could be from the retailers, manufacturers or an independent repair firm; pay out £70 or so for this.

- state you are not willing to pay for any repair

- Get in writing from the engineer what the fault is, NEVER agree to pay for a repair. Mention you want the documentation as you will take legal action if the matter is not resolved.

-Research any failure on the internet ( you have , you are here) but it helps because you should mention in all communication with retailer/manufacturer that your case IS NOT ISOLATED.

- keep refusing to pay for any repair. Both manufacturer and retailer tried repeatedly to get me to pay for a repair; don't give in

- inform Sony that you have an engineers report of the fault on your TV and you want it repaired under goodwill

top tips

- good documentation wins cases; have you got your receipt?

- don't get pushed around; you want a written report on the fault, not a repair

- understand the sale of goods act; it is your friend

- keep records of all contact; who , when, what discussed

- Sony clearly understand they have issues with certain TVs, focus on that; your tv is not a one off failure

- take pictures and videos of your problem

- use the retailers repair service and phone for frequent updates on your case

Message was edited by: Boughtafewsonys

[sjpoll]

Same issue with ghosting and dark bands on the screen here too with a KDL40W4500.  I have a written quote from the local Sony repair agent saying it requires a new LCD panel costing £420.  This is a TV retailing at about £1600 a little over 2 years ago.

[gowzy84]

Hi All,

Wow cannot believe the amount of posts on this issue not just here but all over the net. I again appear to have developed the same fault as alot of people here with my KDL46X3000, which as alot of people have already said from a major company like Sony Europe to not announce a fault like this is very bad, especially when their counter parts in the US & AUS have. I mean i like alot of people here thought i would pay the extra money which comes with a Sony product because i thought it would last when i could have brought 2 Samsung 46-inch TV's instead just incase i ever needed a spare!

This rolled in with the PS3 hacking saga this week(but at least Sony did announce something on this in the end), i think its fair to say the public will definitely think twice now when making that important decision about what TV to be sitting in front of in the evening and i dont think Sony will be top of everyones list anymore as why should we pay that premium.

Have logged the issue with the Sony Customer Information Centre as directed by StartTheCar, which i must say is the only pleasing thing ive seen from a representative at Sony at present as at least StartTheCar has given us a set of instructions to follow to get our issues on the radar. Have the TV booked in with the Sony authorised repair shop next week so that i can get the written detail of the fault which i can then sent to Sony along with my receipt. Then no doubt i will be PM'ing you StartTheCar with my case number if no one from Sony gets back to me.

StartTheCar, you mentioned you was going to speak with the Customer Services Manager, have you had any feed back from them?..Are the number of cases increasing enough to reach the managements radar at Sony?

Regards

Dan

[jusuare27]

I have the same problem with my KDL40W4500 adquired on November 2008. I live in Spain, but this issue has not been reported on the spanish chat. I have contacted Sony Spain and they told me that it´s a known manufacturing fault and so the repair is free. I only have to pay the technical service´s travelling expenses (35 euros). They took my TV away today, I hope there will be no extra charges or something.

I´m not buying any sony product again. My PS3 broke down too after 2.5 years (the known problem of the yelow light). No reliability at all.

Regards.

Message was edited by: jusuare27

Message was edited by: jusuare27

[jusuare27]

Sony has given me a new TV. It does appear that there were no KDL-40W4500 panels to spare. I´m a lucky man...

[unhappycustomer]

Hello Startthecar.

Does the last message mean Sony have accepted that there is problem with these particular models of TV and will provide us all with new TV's?

[ollie101]

What tv did they offer you i want to be cheeky and request what i think is a reasnable exchange i dont want to have to be given a basic range EX503. I went into the sony store and he said like for like the NX713 is what they should offer because they are the same tv in terms of performance to time, but he did say that in terms of current tecnology the EX503 is the same but he wouldnt except that. I just want my illuminated SONY logo on my next TV !

[apuk2004]

I have been given an EX503 but what is the warranty on the replacement? is it 12 months?