X3000, X3500 and W4500 screen faults.

[mattclarkie1]

Sony are aware that the models X3000, X3500 and W4500 suffer from manufacturing faults with the screen that causes them to break at approximately 2years old. Despite this,Sony will not acknowledge existence of the fault when contacted about faulty units. The fault causes distortion most often to the left side of the screen for a minimum of 10minutes after turning the TV on, and the problem can be so extreme that units are not watchable for an hour or more after switching on.

Sony US have acknowledged the fault http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/news-item.pl?news_id=378&mdl=KDL46XBR4 but Sony UK does not.

There are many threads with proof of the fault, and many repair centres are well aware of the fault, but Sony UK does not acknowledge the Internet (and phone calls) as proof that a fault exists.

Here are some examples of my 46X3500 exhibiting the fault.

When will Sony UK admit the fault exists?

Message was edited by: mattclarkie1

[sonyjim77]

I have exactly the same fault on my 2 year old Kdl-40w4500. Currently awaiting a new screen ordered by the engineer sent by John Lewis who guaranteed it for 5 years.

Edited to add pictures.

Message was edited by: sonyjim77

[lazarus5]

Yep, Same fault here.

I bought  KDL 40W4500 In November 2008 and problem started to appear round about October 2010. Finally checked out on internet and found lots of forums with same issue. Luckily I took an extended warranty out with Comet. Contacted them last week and engineer said it was due to a faulty componant that produces the picture NOT the screen, BUT it it moulded to the screen so the whole screen has to be replaced.

He has ordered the part, takes about 1 to 2 weeks and they come and fit it in your home. Which is good I thought.

So come on Sony the Comet engineer knew of it so why don't you own up and admit you've made a faulty batch of these TV's. It's not good for PR if you don't.

[niellwa]

I have a 46 inch x3000 which I paid rather a lot of money for in 2008. This problem started a few weeks back and has been getting steadily worse.

I have been  a Sony fan for over 30 years and this is the first time one of their products has let me down.

If Sony refuse to acknowledge it's a manufacturing fault then they are going to have to prepare themselves for some pretty rough publicity.

[jeffcuk72]

Ditto, exactly the same fault as so many others have.

I created a facebook group called "Sony KDL X3500 LCD Fault & Rip Off" - register to it and put some pics and discussion on if you want.

My X3000 got to a point where the issue was permanent so I've actually just brought a replacement TV, a PANASONIC.  As god is my witness I will never be buying Sony again.  I think I may send my send my old one to a Sony repair centre and get them to fix it but refuse to pay, ultimately then can keep it as its no use to me.

[DFFisher]

Me too.

Just registered to this Sony Forum solely to note that I have the same problem with my TV.

My KDL-40X3500 has been ghosting' when I switch it on for about 3 months now and it is getting steadily worse.

I haven't contacted Sony yet and didn't take out an extended guarantee. I payed 2-grand for my X3500 back in '08 and can't afford to just go out and replace it.

I bought it based on a 5-star recomended What HiFi review. Has anyone contacted What HiFi, or other similar mag? Obviously there is no doubt that this is an inherant fault and Sony should recognize it and sort accordingly. We need to get as much public attention about this as we can, there must be hundreds/thousands of customers who have this problem.

I've always bought Sony like most others in this discussion and this has certainly put doubt in my mind that I would by any Sony product again... (a digital camera and a video camera have developed their own imaging faults over the years too - with only costly repairs offered by Sony in response). Never thought I'd say it but Samsung is really starting to appeal!

[markdunsire]

Identical problem here too - exactly the same symptoms!

My father (75 years of age) treated himself two years ago to the KDL-46X3000- at significant cost!.  It was his treat after many years of hard work.

Just two years later it has the exact same fault as described above.  I am most dis-heartened to hear that Sony have no interest in sorting this out.

I have read with interest that they have acknowledged the issue in the US and have offered a screen replacement up to 2012, but fail to acknowledge this in the UK.

Can anybody suggest what to do?  Is there anybody in Sony that will listen?  Is it worth contacting the "WHICH?" consumer mag to see if they want to investigate and run a story on this?

I feel that Sony have done the dirty on my father and I don't want to let this drop.

Any advice would be very welcome.

[Desertman]

Add me to the list as well - KDL40w4500 with exactly the same problem.

It appears that Sony in Australia acknowledge the problem and say that a new screen is required - they are prepared to pay for the screeen but I'm up for the labour - 22% of the TV cost -  a bit rich me thinks!

This does not seem to be an isolated issue eaither - I have counted 65 member of the AV forum with exactly the same problem.

After haveing owned quite a few Sony products I must say I'm disappointed and when next I require a new product, Sony will be at the bottom of my list!

Cheers,

Franz

[Boughtafewsonys]

I have a uk 40w4500 bought in October 08 which has just developed the three horizontal lines, etc fault

really pee'd as it cost £1k or thereabouts; Sony attitude to the fault is shocking and I've been really loyal to them as a customer

Comet, the seller, expect me to contribute £300 to the repair.

no chance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Big problem here will be Japan; Sony UK will just be a puppet and Japanese firms are notoriously bad about admitting failure ( for example Nissan's denial behaviour with the gearbox fault on its 'perfect'  R35 GTR)

I remember thinking when I bought the TV ; " I don't need an extended warranty, it's a Sony!" How wrong.

Happy to support, or co-fund, a class action

Or alternatively how about some direct action?

[carrspaints]

Almost all of the screen faults described in this thread are REPAIRABLE. Sony and almost all tv repair shops will tell you the screen will need to be replaced. The screen should be replaced, but since Sony seem reluctant to acknowledge that some of their sourced screens are junk and break down after a year or twos use, you have two choices. Repair it, or chuck it & buy new. The 1st option will cost you nothing more than 30-45 minutes of your time.

The fault on all of these models (V, W & X series, e.g. KDL40X****, KDL46X****, KDL40W4***, KDL46W4*** etc) is with sleeves that connect the screen to screen boards. When facing the tv, the fault is almost always with the sleeve on the extreme left, or extreme right. Basically these sleeves are very thin plastic sheets that contain minute circuitry that connects the screen to the matrix boards. With the screens being subjected to significant heat over the months/years, the bond between the sleeve and the screen breaks down, which results in a bad contact.

The fix is fairly simple. You need to remove the frame that surrounds the screen (usually an aluminium frame held in place with some small but longish screws.) When the frame is removed, you will see the long retangular boards at the top of the tv, two of them, one on the left side of the screen, one on the right. You will also see the sleeves that connect these boards to the screen.

With the tv on and showing a picture (which should be distorted, dark, shadowed, with horizontal lines etc), lightly press the sleeve on the extreme left of the screen. Press the sleeve towards the frame, or downwards. You will note the picture miraculously works!!!

So the cure? You need to put some padding between the frame and the sleeve so that when the frame is screwed back into position, the padding presses down on the sleeve and corrects the issue with the bad contact. Job done, it is that simple! The hardest part is taking the tv apart, but that should only take 20 minutes. 10 minutes to use some padding, 10 minutes to put the tv back together again.

To clarify, the fault is almost always with the 1st or last sleeve, i.e. extreme left or right. It is usually the left sleeve that creates the problem.

Try this, it works. Alternatively, stick your tv on ebay so I can buy it, fix it and make some pocket money.