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DO NOT BUY A VIZIO TV, unless you want to throw away your hard earned cash! I purchased a Vizio TV, Model # E55i-A0, in November, 2013. 9 months later, it is broken, beyond repair.

On a Saturday night, my husband and I just finished watching a movie on DVD, when I changed the channel to Netflix, and "Poof", a large black and white splotch, in the top right third of our Vizio TV, appeared out of nowhere! I actually thought Netflix was pixelating, so turned the Vizio off and on again. But it was still there when I turned the Vizio on, but now, vertical colored lines were running down the length of the Vizio TV, and the picture began twitching wildly.

I called Vizio on Monday, because, after all, it's under Warranty. Vizio requested I send in photos of the Vizio TV, via an Email link, so they could look at them, stating, Vizio would get back to me in 72 hours.

During my wait, I Googled โ€œ Vizio and Cracked screenโ€, and was horrified to find there are hundreds, if not thousands of complaints, of Vizio TV screens spontaneously cracking! Then, Vizio refusing to cover the damaged TVs, accusing the customers of causing the damage, by dropping them or hitting them with something. At that point, I became very concerned, since the description of these customerโ€™s experience with their Vizio TVs, sounded like what happened to my Vizio TV.

I work for the State of Ohio, so prior to hearing back from Vizio, the IT experts for all State government facilities were at my facility, setting up our new infrastructure. Now, these guys are the quintessential experts on technical electronics, so I brought up my situation with the lead guy, and the info on Vizioโ€™s position with the complaints I found, online.

The IT expert stated, he has heard of iHD TV screens spontaneously cracking, and itโ€™s caused by one of two things: overheating in an area of the screen where some video component (sorry, I canโ€™t remember the name of the component) is located, or from poor quality control, during Vizioโ€™s assembly process, when the bezel is misaligned and the weight of the TV will eventually crack the inner screen somewhere along the top edge, and had it been externally caused damage, there would have been some kind of damage visible to the outer screen cover. He also said, just the fact there are so many complaints, that Vizio has to know about the problem, but given the expense and scope of this particular problem, it would cost Vizio way too much, if Vizio were to take responsibility for all those cracked Vizio TVs.

The next day, Vizio called me. Vizio said they have determined I must have hit the screen with something, and Vizio doesnโ€™t cover customer inflicted damage under the Vizio warranty! I was expecting this answer but tried to argue my case to the Vizio rep that we were just watching TV and hadnโ€™t gone anywhere near the Vizio when it happened. I also told Vizio that I had found hundreds of the same complaints on the internet, and reiterated what IT expert told me. The Vizio rep simply said, โ€œPeople are liars. But, hey, have a nice day!โ€, and hung up on me.

I will never buy another Vizio product again. Iโ€™m filing a complaint with the Ohio Attorney General, the Better Business Bureau, Angieโ€™s List, and anywhere else I can. I will also be filing a suit in my local small claims court, to try and recoup my losses. In the end, even if I donโ€™t recoup my losses, I will at least cost Vizio more than the $700 I paid for my TV, in lost revenue.

Vizio is a terribly dishonest company to do this to their customers. Do yourself a favor and pay a little extra for a different brand and do not buy a Vizio television.

Reason of review: Damaged or defective.

Monetary Loss: $700.

Preferred solution: Full refund.

Location: Mentor, Ohio

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Guest

Same thing happened to me TV under warranty and after showing pictures to video they determined I had a cracked screen after I asked them to put that in writing they refused so I sent them another picture of my TV on the wall and their final statement was the screen has separated from the trim cause by an outside force. I have also complain to the Better Business Bureau and will keep you updated on the outcome

Anderson Day

I have post a review of my Vizio TV - "Will never buy another Vizio product." Mine also spontaneously fractured at only 3 weeks old. I am planning to sue Vizio and I would very much like feedback from everyone have the same issue.

I believe Vizio is using deceptive practices to avoid honoring their warranty by using the "damage to the TV is not covered" - when they know their screens can spontaneously fracture from the inside. Please check out my review and communicate if you want to provide information.

Guest

Just had same happen picture even looks same

Guest

For Vizio TVs in the last year-and-a-half one smoking like *** the second one all full of white splotches the third one they delivered with a cracked screen this is the fourth one sitting in my living room ain't been here a half-hour guys left screen cracked just like that no touching no nothing 70-inch E Series waiting for the people to call me back but I got a feeling they're going to screw me and if they do I will be calling the new sources any of them that'll listen to me only paid $1,400 for the TV but I will spend thousands to get it right

Guest

This is BS my son just came home turned his TV and pop. The screen cracked.

He is having the same problem. No help whatsoever.

Guest

Purchased a Vizio 70 inch 4k uhd from Sams club, shipped by Seko( box showed no damage), I unpacked it, plugged it in and top of screen(middle) has a spider web, lightning looking, cracked screen, I'm in the process of returning, wish me luck!

Guest

LOL, thank you for making me and my peers laugh. Guess what we do?

Fix tvs all day everyday with an average of 20 years experience and you are proof of what we deal with on a regular basis and not only that...you posted a picture too!

I like the one guy that said he was on vacation for two weeks and when he got back it was like that. I asked who else has a key to his house and he said, only his son in college 30 miles away..then stuttered, who was on spring break while he was gone.

Or while standing in the living room and the guy bald face lying to me when his daughter walks in and says "no Daddy, I did it with the broom when I was sweeping".

As far as your expert friend he is either the quintessential government employee (please don't make me expound on that) or you didn't show him the picture because if he had 5 minutes of training or experience he would withdraw his observation. You see, what he "heard" about was plasma tvs and even when they do fail from minor defects in the glass they do not LOOK like someone threw the remote at the tv.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-958622

One of my friends kids banged the TV with their toy hammer, and the same thing happened. They also bare-faced lied to the TV company.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-958622

Honestly, nothing like that happened. No college son visiting, no children throwing around toys...

My son is out of college, married with his own home. No grand-kids, yet. Why would I make that up? I'm a nurse and make $36 an hour, so was able to replace the thing without too much financial inconvenience.

Though, had it been my elderly mother, she wouldn't have been able to do so. $800 is a lot of money to many people. I've moved on though, spending a little extra and purchasing a Samsung TV that hasn't given me any problems. I would have spent that before, but couldn't see the difference between the picture quality, as I've had many off brand tube TVs in the past without any problems.

I've learned the lesson that Flat screens are not the same and will never buy, or recommend Vizio to anyone.

Say what you want. They are total ***!

Guest

You can file ALL the complaints you like, but the Vizio rep was 100% correct. This is without a doubt a NON-Manufacturer Defect.

there is nothing in that TV that will cause this kind of Damage. That TV has been struck by something. I work for one of vizio's competitors doing the same job the rep that calls you does. I get "OOOH we were sitting there and it just happened " 10 times a day.

It's Always a lie.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-952784

These panels are built pretty much similar the watch LCD panels. They are multi-layered.

Get a cheap LCD watch and try flexing it; you will discover that is possible to damage the layers towards the back i.e crack with no visible damage to the front layer. That is what is happening with these TV panels; force is being applied at the front and it is being transmitted to the rear layers causing them to crack.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-952784

You're full of ***.

Guest

See that central point in the middle right below the white area? That is known as an "impact point".

Definitely not a manufacturing defect.

That is where someone in your household hit or threw something at the screen and broke the glass behind the plastic screen shield. Consumer-caused damage like this is obvious to people that repair these things.

Not even a nice try.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-947392

I went to the UPS store today to pickup my Vizio Smart TV. I brought it home

I looked at the box.

There was no noticeable damage on the box. The box the TV was in was in excellent shape.

I opened the box and took the accessories that was in the styrofoam out along with the styrofoam. I removed the white thin cover and took the body of the TV out. I screwed in the legs.

To my dismay there was an impact point in the lower middle part of the screen. It looked like lightning going up right and left of the TV. That was in transit and probably from handling from package service employees. Truthfully it is hard to say who is at fault.

Why do manufacturers put a thin White cover over an expensive television? That is a recipe for disaster every time. They must be held accountable. It is not the customers fault!

I am really upset. I was anticipating seeing some good HD on it!!

Guest

The same problem just occurred to our 60 inch TV that is less than a year old, they also stated that "we" damaged it! We never did anything other than turn it on. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER PRODUCT AND IM ALSO FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE BBB!!!!

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