The always reliable ConsumerAffairs.com has been taking in an unusual number of complaints on those flat screen TVs that everyone must have including Vizio, Sony, Samsung, Philips and Mitsubishi. But the Samsung appears to be having more than its fair share of complaints with 110 postings in the last month the group writes.
Mary of Arlington, Texas writes that “We bought a 52 inch Samsung LCD in 9/2007. It needs a new front panel, probably $1200 to $1,500” she says. Another person says they purchased a 40 inch Samsung about two years ago and now it takes about 20 to 50 clicks before the TV will come on. Another person writes that their 62 inch TV by Samsung clicks off sporadically.
Samsung appears unwilling to help. We believe that a television that costs several hundred dollars should last more than 18 months. It is not unusual for standard tube sets to still be going strong after 20 years of use. When a repairman came to fix the Samsung, one consumer reports that a he replaced two insufficient 10V capacitors with two 25V ones and the television works.
Vizio Problems
Last year, ConsumerAffairs.com received many complaints about the Vizio flat screens that reportedly had the “black screen of death” meaning their screen would suddenly go dark. A repairman from Pikeville Ky. said the screens are cheaply made and the problem in flat screen TVs stems from a power supply failure.
“Most of these sets have three power supplies,” he said. “The main power supply usually holds up but what happens, one of the screen power supplies fails. When that happens the screen goes dark and repairs can be costly, assuming a service provider can get the parts.
“It used to be you could buy a TV set and it would last 20 years,” said repairman Ray Hall. “It’s not like that with these flat screens.”
Consumers essentially form a pact with the companies from who they buy products. The consumer pays money. In exchange, they expect the product to work as advertised, and to be safe. Two years on a flat screen is unacceptable and if enough consumers complain and some they decide to take legal action with a product liability attorney, often that is the only way to get the attention of the manufacturer of defective products. It’s unfortunate, but it is true. #
Source Articles: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/01/samsung_tvs.html
