Compiled by Steve Linke  IntroductionBetween 2002 and 2007, Sony Electronics Inc. manufactured numerous large-screen TV models based on rear-projection liquid crystal microdisplay technologies, including conventional liquid crystal display (LCD) and liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS, called SXRD by Sony). Before 2002, Sony focused on rear-projection cathode ray tube (CRT) technology, and since 2007, they have focused on direct-view (flat-panel) LCD technology.Unfortunately, the rear-projection LCD and SXRD models have been plagued by the development of colored visual anomalies that become evident and worsen during usage. In fact, every model they produced between 2003 and 2007 has been the subject of a warranty extension, a class-action lawsuit, or both (see below). In addition, there are many reports of similar problems with the very limited number of 2002 TVs sold by Sony. This represents a total of about 3.5 million TVs for which Sony generated approximately $8 billion in revenue. Sony rear-projection LCD TVs sold and revenue (data derived from Sony Investor Relations information and news articles on DisplaySearch.com):
The visual anomalies include blue blobs, blue haze, blue star pattern, green blobs, green haze, yellow stains, purple or pink blotches that resemble fingerprints, stationary scribble (also known as squiggly, random line pattern, or road-mapping), and others. These anomalies largely appear to be linked to latent defects in a central module called the "optical block" (also known as a "light engine"), which is very expensive to replace: ~$1,000-$1,500 total for diagnosis, part, labor, and taxes. This cost is often close to the cost of a comparable brand new TV at current prices. Unfortunately, the problems tend only to become evident after the express warranty has expired (typically after 1-4 years, depending on the frequency and conditions of usage). Given their high failure rates, Sony has slowly rolled out extended warranties to cover replacement of the optical blocks for all of their 2003-2007 models, except the 2005 Grand WEGA models. However, Sony does not actively inform their customers of the extended coverage (e.g., by informing all registered owners), and the time windows of the extended coverage are relatively brief. In addition, the replacement optical blocks appear to suffer from the same latent defects as the originals, so they fail with the same problem--typically after all express warranties have expired. This leaves customers who originally spent thousands of dollars on a TV with a large repair cost that, theoretically, could recur approximately every 1-4 years. At least three class-action lawsuits have been filed against Sony over these TVs. One has already been settled, and two are pending. The Complaint in the most recent lawsuit includes statements by former Sony employees that Sony knowingly continued to manufacture and sell the rear-projection LCD TVs even after becoming aware of widespread defects in the optical blocks, and that they knowingly caused optical blocks to be replaced with refurbished parts that contained the same defects as the originals. This web site is intended to inform consumers about the widespread problems with Sony rear-projection liquid crystal microdisplay TVs and to suggest approaches to resolve the problems. Links(examples of online forums where Sony optical block problems have been discussed extensively)eCoustics - Sony Projection LCD TV Problems (recommended for future discussion) AVS - Sony Grand Wega III Owners Agoraquest - Large Bluish Discoloration ConsumerAffairs.com - Sony TVs Get Satisfaction - Sony Grand Wega Optical Block Issue (currently being censored) Get Satisfaction - Sony Grand Wega Blue Blob (currently being censored) The "Break it Down Blog" - Sony Green Haze/Blob SXRD Problem blog
Summary of Sony warranty extensions and class action lawsuits |
| TV family and models | Sony warranty extension alert | Alert date (plus link to form) | Expiration date of warranty extension | Class action lawsuit status and other notes | |
| 2003 Grand WEGA models | Blue discolorations | 12/11/2007 | 6/30/2008 | ||
| KF-42WE610 | " | " | " | ||
| KF-50WE610 | " | " | " | ||
| " | " | " | ||
| KDF-60XBR950 | " | " | " | ||
| KDF-70XBR950 | " | " | " | ||
| 2004 Grand WEGA models | Blue discolorations | 6/23/2007 | 12/31/2008 | ||
| " | " | " | ||
| KF-50WE620 | " | " | " | ||
| KDF-42WE655 | " | " | " | ||
| KDF-50WE655 | " | " | " | ||
| KDF-55WF655 | " | " | " | ||
| KDF-60WF655 | " | " | " | | |
| KDF-55XS955 | " | " | " | | |
| KDF-60XS955 | " | " | " | ||
| 2004 QUALIA (KDS-70Q006) | Any optical block issue | 10/22/2008 | 6/30/2010 | ||
| 2005 Grand WEGA models | Various discolorations | N/A** | N/A** | Pending | |
| KDF-E42A10 | " | " | " | " | |
| KDF-E50A10 | " | " | " | " | |
| KDF-E55A20 | " | " | " | " | |
| KDF-E60A20 | " | " | " | " | |
| 2005 SXRD models | Any optical block issue | 3/24/2007 | 6/30/2009*** | Settled | |
| KDS-R50XBR1 | " | " | " | " | |
| KDS-R60XBR1 | " | " | " | " | |
| 2006 Grand WEGA models | Any optical block issue | 12/28/2008 | 6/30/2010 | ||
| KDF-42E2000 | " | " | " | ||
| KDF-46E2000 | " | " | " | ||
| KDF-50E2000/KDF-50X30* | " | " | " | ||
| KDF-55E2000 | " | " | " | ||
| 2006 SXRD models | Any optical block issue | 10/21/2008 | 6/30/2010 | Pending | |
| KDS-50A2000 | " | " | " | " | |
| KDS-55A2000 | " | " | " | " | |
| KDS-60A2000 | " | " | " | " | |
| KDS-R60XBR2 | " | " | " | " | |
| KDS-R70XBR2 | " | " | " | " | |
| 2007 SXRD models | |||||
| KDS-50A2020/KDS-50AL120* | Any optical block issue | 10/23/2009 | 6/30/2010 | ||
| KDS-55A2020/KDS-55AL120* | " | " | " | ||
| KDS-60A2020/KDS-60AL120* | " | " | " | ||
| KDS-50A3000 | Any optical block issue | 10/23/2009 | 6/30/2011 | ||
| KDS-55A3000 | " | " | " | ||
| KDS-60A3000 | " | " | " | ||
| 2007 BRAVIA 3LCD models | Any optical block issue | 10/23/2009 | 6/30/2011 | ||
| KDF-37H1000 | " | " | " | ||
| KDF-46E3000 | " | " | " | ||
| KDF-50E3000 | " | " | " |
**The 2005 Grand WEGA models are unique in that they are the only models between 2003 and 2007 that have not had a Sony warranty extension. However, there is a pending class-action lawsuit.
***The expiration date of the extended warranty was originally 10/31/2008, but, based in part on the settlement of a class action lawsuit, on 11/12/2007, Sony extended the expiration date to 6/30/2009.
Optical block warranty extensions for stationary scribble issue:
| TV family and models | Sony warranty extension alert | Alert date (link to form) | Expiration date (link to KnowledgeBase article) |
| 2003 Grand WEGA models | Scribble | 5/18/2006 | 9/30/2007 |
| KF-42WE610 | " | " | " |
| KF-50WE610 | " | " | " |
| KF-60WE610 | " | " | " |
| KDF-60XBR950 | " | " | " |
| KDF-70XBR950 | " | " | " |
| 2004 Grand WEGA models | Scribble | 5/18/2006 | 9/30/2007 |
| KF-42WE620 | " | " | " |
| KF-50WE620 | " | " | " |
| KDF-42WE655 | " | " | " |
| KDF-50WE655 | " | " | " |
| KDF-55WF655 | " | " | " |
| KDF-60WF655 | " | " | " |
| KDF-55XS955 | " | " | " |
| KDF-60XS955 | " | " | " |
Optical block warranty extensions for warped lamp door issue:
| TV family and models | Sony warranty extension alert | Alert date (link to form) | Expiration date |
| 2003 Grand WEGA models | Warped lamp door | 4/17/2008 | 3/31/2010* |
| KF-42WE610 | " | " | |
| KF-50WE610 | " | " | |
| KF-60WE610 | " | " | |
| KDF-60XBR950 | " | " | |
| KDF-70XBR950 | " | " | |
| 2004 Grand WEGA models | Warped lamp door | 4/17/2008 | 3/31/2010* |
| KF-42WE620 | " | " | |
| KF-50WE620 | " | " | |
| KDF-42WE655 | " | " | |
| KDF-50WE655 | " | " |
Information from anonymous former Sony employees
The
following excerpts are from a Complaint for a class action lawsuit
pending against Sony for their 2005 Grand WEGA models. The full
Complaint can be accessed on the Sony A10/A20 Rear Projection Television Class Action Litigation web site.
...As stated by a former Sony technician (“Confidential Source #1”) from the Sony plant located in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, with respect to the defect in the design of the Optical Block contained in the Televisions: “Every single television that left the plant was bad and they knew it.”
Another former Sony technician who worked at the same Mount Pleasant plant (“Confidential Source #2”) noted that the Optical Block Defect at Sony was a “huge” problem, and that despite its knowledge of the Defect, Sony did not re-engineer its optical blocks, but instead replaced consumers’ optical blocks with refurbished ones and charged $700 in each instance for refurbished optical blocks to be used to replace those that had failed.
Confidential Source #2 stated, based on his own knowledge, that “the opt[ical] blocks were a big, big problem.” This former technician was interested in purchasing a television through Sony’s employee discount program, but was explicitly warned not to purchase any of the Wega models for at least two years until Sony fixed and re-engineered the Optical Blocks. “I was told not to buy anything for at least two years because everything being sold at that time was refurbished merchandise. Everything going out was stuff that was sent back to the plant, torn down, opt[ical] blocks replaced by nonqualified people like myself. . . . We were pulling the backs off of those televisions and pulling out the opt[ical] blocks and jamming new ones in. We then put them back in the box and taped it up like new.”
Sony rear-projection liquid crystal microdisplay TV technology
(also see Pictures 1-12 below under the Optical block pictures section)Light produced by a high-intensity projection lamp enters the optical block and is split into three paths (one each for blue, green, and red) by a series of lenses, mirrors, and beam splitters. Each color has an LCD assembly with color and polarizing filters and an LCD microdisplay panel (<1" across). On Sony's Grand WEGA models, the light is transmitted through each LCD panel, and, on their SXRD (Silicon X-tal Reflective Display) models, the light is reflected off the panel. Finally, the three separately colored images are combined with a special prism into the final full-color image, which is then projected/enlarged onto the back of the screen by a projection lens.
However, the high-intensity projection lamp is directly adjacent to the optical block, and it creates a lot of heat. In addition, it creates a wide range of wavelengths of intense light, much of which is converted to heat inside the optical block as it is filtered. Also, the optical blocks are not sealed, so dust tends to accumulate on the internal parts. There are multiple cooling fans in the TVs, but the optical blocks seem to be under-ventilated, and the internal parts do not appear to properly tolerate the heat and/or light. Long-term exposure to heat, light, and dust apparently cause progressive deterioration of optical block parts over time, eventually leading to the visual anomalies. Based on a reading of LCD projection patents from Sony and its competitors, it is clear that inventors/engineers have been aware for many years that over-heated parts and dust contamination are top concerns with the technology, yet proper measures apparently were not taken to combat these problems.
For additional technical details about microdisplay technology, see this Sony SXRD white paper, which compares conventional transmissive LCD and digital light processing (DLP) with SXRD technology. Also, see this HowStuffWorks article.Optical block and related problems by TV model
Grand WEGA blue blobs, blue haze, blue stain, blue band, and blue star pattern (yellow or green haze or stain in some cases for 2005+ models)
Examples (originally from Sony's web site):
The precise cause(s) of the colored visual anomalies on the Grand WEGA models have not been made public by Sony. They tend to start as diffuse blobs, haze, stains, or bands, and once they become evident, they tend to move around and spread across the entire screen over the course of a few weeks to months. They likely tend to be bluish in color, because the LCD assembly (the LCD panel itself, as well as adjacent filters and associated parts) that produces "blue" is subject to high heat levels and/or is particularly sensitive to certain wavelengths of light produced by the projection lamp and/or dust. One speculative, but plausible, theory is that the filter(s) associated with the blue LCD must absorb the highest energy wavelengths of light (red through green), converting them into heat, which then directly damages the filter(s) and/or is conducted to associated parts and damages them. In any case, the parts are subjected to slow degradation due to heat and/or light, which may be further exacerbated by exposure to dust and the "burning" of dust onto the over-heated parts.
The blue haze can be transiently more intense in areas with brighter static images (resembling burn-in), and some who have dismantled their optical blocks have
reported that the orange-colored filter/plate associated with the blue LCD panel shows visible signs of degradation, and that swapping this filter eliminates the haze. These observations provide further evidence that light exposure (or the conversion of certain wavelengths of light into heat) is at least one factor in the development of the blue anomalies. The LCD assemblies for red and green are likely virtually identical to the blue one (other than the color of the associated filters), but they probably undergo slower degradation.
The blue star pattern is probably a more severe case of degradation that likely represents "stuck pixels" (permanently activated) due to direct damage to the blue LCD panel that arises from chronic over-heating. The pixels can appear blue or white. Similar to the blobs and haze, the star pattern tends to expand over time to more and more pixels. Another, perhaps rarer, visual anomaly is a static ring or circle of color in the middle of the TV, which may have a somewhat different cause than the blobs or haze.
All of these anomalies tend to appear after about 6,000 to 10,000 hours of usage. This can take approximately 1 to 5 years, depending on the daily usage of the TV. It is also possible that leaving the TV on for prolonged periods can accelerate the degradation.
While the 2003 and 2004 Grand WEGA models tend to have primarily blue visual anomalies, as described above, there is some evidence that the 2005 and 2006 Grand WEGA models may also exhibit anomalies in the yellow, orange, or brown spectrum, in some cases.
2005-2007 SXRD green or yellow blobs, haze, or stains or other discolorations
Image of a yellow stain by Mightyp on AVS Forum:
The visual anomalies on the 2005-2007 SXRD (LCoS) models tend to be green blobs, which appear almost immediately upon initiation of usage, or yellow stains or other green anomalies, which develop over a longer period of time.
An Opinion and Order from a class-action lawsuit on the 2005 models provides unique insight into the alleged causes of the visual anomalies. For the 2005 models, Sony claimed that, by October of 2005, they identified and fixed the cause of most of the green blobs ("temperature fluctuations at the calibration stage of the assembly line"), and that this only affected the first ~7,000 TVs to be manufactured. Sony also claimed that other minor causes of green visual anomalies were both identified and fixed by January of 2006. Sony further claimed that the yellow stain problem was caused by a "microscopic material" in one of the liquid crystal panels, disrupting its uniformity over time due to prolonged exposure to UV light produced by the projection lamp, and that they fixed this problem by September of 2006 by reducing both the amount of the microscopic material and the amount of UV light exposure.
However, owners of 2007 SXRD models (manufactured after September of 2006) have reported similar yellow stains, so Sony's claims of resolution of the problem in that lawsuit do not seem to be accurate. Unfortunately, the Opinion and Order from a class-action lawsuit on the 2005 models also limited the warranty extension to 6/30/2009 under the apparent false premises that the problems had been fixed in the TVs produced later in the 2005 model year, and that virtually all of the defective TVs that were subject to the problems would have exhibited them by that expiration date. However, some owners have experienced the problem after the expiration date.
2003-2004 Grand WEGA stationary scribble/squiggly/random line pattern/road-mapping
Examples (originally from Sony's web site):
On top of the high risk for blue anomalies described above, some 2003-2004 Grand WEGA models are also susceptible to developing an opaque, non-moving pattern on the screen, which is particularly evident on white or light backgrounds. This is referred to variously as stationary scribble, squiggly, random line, or road-mapping, and tends to be a solid color such as yellow, purple, or blue, but it varies depending on the specific color of the image on the screen. The problem tends to grow worse over time. Evidence indicates that this problem arises due to defective materials in specific lots of mirror, beam-splitter, filter, and/or LCD panels that were installed in the optical blocks, which are particularly sensitive to "fracture" type damage arising from hot-cold (on-off) cycling. There is some evidence that leaving the TV on for an extended period (e.g., several days) can, at least temporarily, resolve or reduce this issue, perhaps by causing the defective part to heat up and resolve the fractures, but this is not a complete or permanent fix.
Sample photos of the problem on Sony's web site.
2003-2004 Grand WEGA warped lamp access door
Photo by dep3523 posted on an Agoraquest forum:
Sony also has an extended warranty for damage to parts surrounding the projection lamps on all 2003 Grand WEGA models and the "WE" versions of the 2004 Grand WEGA models. Although this is technically not an optical block problem, it plagues the same set of models and clearly arises from the same cause--excessive heat from the projection lamp. The heat from the lamp can cause the lamp access door, as well as other parts, including the main chassis, to become warped, cracked, and/or scorched. The lamp access door can be seen on the front of the TV after removing the lower front panel according to the lamp replacement instructions in the TV's user manual.
A repair kit is apparently provided by Sony to repair technicians, which reportedly includes a replacement lamp access door and three replacement fans (presumably for enhanced cooling). Unfortunately, beginning around October of 2009, Sony began telling at least some customers that they were out of the repair kits, effectively forcing them to pay for a replacement TV. This is disturbing since the warranty extension does not expire until March 2010. It also seems at odds with laws in some states that require replacement parts to be available for a certain period of time (e.g., seven years in California).
If you experienced this problem and feel that it could have been a safety issue leading to injury and/or property damage, you can file a Consumer Product Incident Report with the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
For further examples of photos, see this post by Adam Secunda in the eCoustics forum, and the post by "dep3523" in this Agoraquest thread.
Purple or pink blotches that resemble fingerprints
Photo by Eric Lavergne (orijonl) posted on an eCoustics forum:
AVS forum report with pictures.
eCoustics forum report with pictures
Repair/replacement options
Repair by Sony under their manufacturer "express" warranty or warranty extension program
First level support options at Sony:
- Sony Customer Information Service Center (toll-free telephone support): 1.800.222.7669
- Sony Customer Information Service Center ("Priority Service"): 239.768.7547
- Sony seems to be pushing the usage of this toll number to Fort Myers, Florida, but I have no idea whether customers really obtain "priority service," as compared to the toll-free number, or whether it is primarily a cost-cutting measure by having customers foot the bill for the sometimes lengthy support calls.
- The primary purpose of the following email/chat options seems to be for technical support only, so once your situation turns into a dispute, they will probably refer you to Customer Service telephone support (above). The SonyListens email may be an exception to this:
The Sony Customer Information Service Center will most likely insist that you obtain a diagnosis/evaluation by a Sony-Authorized Service Center. Local technicians typically charge between $60 and $100 for an in-home visit. This fee may be covered by Sony, if they confirm that the problem is with the optical block, and your TV is still covered by an express warranty.
Although the repair costs are fully covered by the warranty, keep in mind that there is direct evidence from many customers that the replacement optical blocks have the same part numbers and fail after approximately the same amount of usage as the originals. In addition, despite claims by some Sony employees and Sony-authorized technicians, other Sony employees have acknowledged that the replacement optical blocks are only refurbished to the original specifications with same parts--not re-engineered to remove the defects. Thus, it is very likely that your problem will recur, and that it will no longer be covered by Sony's expres warranty. I encourage you to ask Sony for this information.
It is possible that when you communicate again with Sony Customer Service, they will offer you a discount on a TV in the Sony online store through their "Special Consideration Program" in lieu of having the optical block replaced free of charge in your current TV. Be cautious, however, because when you add up potential shipping and handling and sales tax charges, as well as the premium price typically charged at the Sony online store, the value of the offer relative to buying the same new TV at another Sony-authorized dealer, such as Amazon, OneCall, Vanns, etc., may be minimal or non-existent. In addition, you will have to give up legal rights for further compensation, if you accept the offer. This can be balanced with the fact that you will likely get to keep your current TV, and you could attempt a self-replacement of the optical block, although the lifespan of the replacement is likely similar to your original.
Repair through extended express warranty programs
If you are outside of the time period of Sony's original warranty and voluntary warranty extension (if applicable), you may purchased an extended warranty that covers optical block problems. Another possibility worth noting is that, if the TV was purchased with a gold or platinum (or similar) credit card, it is possible that the credit card's extended warranty program may double the manufacturer warranty to two years. In either case, you should contact the extended warranty program to get instructions on how to handle the repair. As stated in the section above, keep in mind that any repair will likely fail after a similar time period as the original.If all "express" warranties have expired, Sony will likely still offer an "accommodation" or "special consideration"
Call the Sony Customer Information Service Center:
1-800-222-7669. They will
most likely refer you to Sony Customer Relations, which will then require that you have your problem diagnosed by a
Sony-Authorized Service Center. Local technicians typically charge
between
about $60 and $100 for an
in-home diagnostic visit, but you are taking the risk that Sony will not make an acceptable offer. It may be useful to suggest emailing digital
photos of your problem to them to get a quick preliminary diagnosis,
although they will probably not agree to this.Once the optical block issue is confirmed by the technician, Sony may offer to do nothing, to defray part of the repair cost, or to provide a "discount" on a new TV from their online store through their Special Consideration Program. Sony now seems to be emphasizing "discounts" on direct-view LCD TVs, probably because they are trying to put their defective rear-projection LCD TVs behind them. Be cautious, though, for the same reasons enumerated above under the first repair option (the value of the offers relative to buying the same new TV at another Sony-authorized dealer is likely to be minimal or non-existent, and you will have to give up legal rights for further compensation).
Also be cautious about the discount on the repair option. Typically, repair estimates are between about $1,000 and $1,500 (including part, labor, and taxes). The replacement part you receive will very likely be a refurbished part for $800-$900. You can have your optical block refurbished for about $300. Therefore, repair discount offers less than $500-$600 do not necessarily have much value. Typically, the offers are for a $400-$600 discount. More importantly, as stated in the sections above, any repair will likely fail after a similar time period as the original. Thus, discounted repair is not a good option due to the cost, unless there is proof that the replacement has been re-engineered and tested to remove the original defects. I encourage you to ask Sony for this information.
Appeal to Sony
If you are not satisfied with Sony's offer after speaking with Customer Relations, you can write an appeal to the Sony Executive Review Committee, and, perhaps, send a copy to Sony's Chief Executive Officer by regular mail. Provide them with your model and serial numbers, a copy of your receipt, your case number from phone support, your contact information, a description of your problem, and how you would like to be compensated. If you plan to file a small claims lawsuit should Sony's new offer be unacceptable, this appeal letter can serve as your "demand letter" for that purpose: Sony Electronics
Attn: Executive Review Committee
12451 Gateway Blvd
Fort Myers, FL 33913
Sir Howard Stringer
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Sony Corporation
550 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Mediation
If you do not get a response to your appeal from Sony within ~30 days, or if you are dissatisfied with the response, another option is to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to engage them as a mediator. Unfortunately, you are unlikely to achieve anything beyond Sony's previous offer with this approach. Sony will likely respond to your complaint by re-stating the same offer they provided previously, and the BBB will then just close your case by stating that Sony made an effort even though the TV was out of warranty. The BBB approach may have some merit, if Sony has not offered anything.
Lawsuits
If you are still dissatisfied or choose to skip mediation, you could contact a law firm to initiate a class-action lawsuit, or you could file your own civil lawsuit.
Class-action lawsuit
A class-action lawsuit is one where a large group of consumers is represented in a single case--typically in federal court so that the result will apply nationwide. This is a serious undertaking, and the lawyer/law firm must be both capable and willing to do it. One law firm has been involved in three class-action lawsuits on Sony optical blocks: 2005 SXRD models (settled), 2006 SXRD models (pending), and 2005 Grand WEGA models (pending). You can contact that law firm or any other with your problem. The advantage of this approach is that you have to put little effort into it. The disadvantages are that it is up to the lawyer/law firm as to if, how, and when the case proceeds.
Small-claims or other civil lawsuit
Note: Statutory and common/case law varies by state, so the following
information is provided for informational purposes only. It should not be relied upon as legal advice.
You can also hire your own attorney and have them file an individual civil lawsuit in state court. Although it is possible to recover attorney fees, if you win the lawsuit, the amounts at stake may not justify this. An alternative is to file a small claims lawsuit, which usually requires paying a relatively small fee (which also is typically recoverable if you win the case), filling out some relatively simple forms, and then preparing your own case for informal presentation to a judge. See this site for additional general guidance from each State on small claims lawsuits.
A good bet for a legal argument is to claim that Sony breached the "implied warranty of merchantability" on the TV due to the fact that the optical block contained "latent defects" at the time of your original purchase, yet Sony refuses to repair your TV or replace it free of charge.
Federal law requires that consumer goods, such as expensive
electronics, must be sold in a condition in which they can be used for
their intended purpose (be "merchantable"). Defects(s) that exist in a
product at the time of original sale (in this case, "latent defects" in
the optical block and/or parts that insufficiently cool the optical
block) can cause that product to be considered non-merchantable. Information from this web site or elsewhere potentially can be used to establish that the latent defects existed at the time of purchase, rendering the time limit on the express warranty (one to two years) irrelevant.
In
some states, the implied warranty of merchantability expires at the
same time as the express warranty. However, in other states, it extends
beyond that point. In those states, the consumer typically must inform the manufacturer of the problem within four years
of purchase. So, just because the latent defect(s) were not
discoverable by the consumer until after the express warranty had
expired (due to slow degradation of optical block parts over time) does
not prevent invoking the implied warranty. This is one of the main
strategies of the class-action lawsuits against Sony. The
following states may fall into the longer implied warranty category,
although you will need to look up the specific laws: Alabama,
California, Connecticut, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Vermont, Washington, West
Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
For example, in California, the implied warranty of merchantability is covered by the Song-Beverly Act (California Civil Code starting at Section 1790), which was further clarified by a 6/15/2009 Opinion from the 4th District Court of Appeals in Mexia vs. Rinker Boat Company, Inc. In this case, a consumer purchased a boat with a motor, but a few years later it was established that the motor had a latent defect at the time of the original sale that caused it to immediately begin corroding. Although the corrosion did not become evident to the purchaser until well after the one-year express warranty had expired, the court ruled that the seller was responsible to make the boat/motor merchantable under California's "implied warranty of merchantability" law, because the latent defect that led to the corrosion existed at the time of the original sale. This situation seems analogous to the latent defect in Sony optical blocks that degrade over time and often become evident to the purchaser only after any express warranties have expired.
So, you can argue strongly that you paid a large amount of money for a TV that was defective out of the box, and that you want them to fully cover the repair with parts that eliminate the latent defect(s) in order to make the TV merchantable, or to fully cover the cost of replacing the TV with a new merchantable TV of equivalent size and features. For those who have already had the optical block replaced once, and the problem recurs, an excellent argument can be made that the TV was not made merchantable after you informed the manufacturer of the problem the first time, so they are still responsible to fully cover a repair or replacement that provides you with a merchantable TV. You can also read the Class Action Complaints available on the web sites (above) for ideas on how to approach your case.
Sony makes much more favorable offers after they are served with small claims lawsuit papers. For example, the optical block in my KDF-55WF655 was replaced under Sony's warranty extension in July of 2007, but it failed again 25 months later. In September/October 2009 Sony Customer Relations initially offered me $400 off the repair, and then they offered $600 off the repair after I submitted written appeals. However, I filed a small claims lawsuit against them, and, on the day of the trial, they offered a free repair. However, because it is not possible to repair the TVs due to the defective nature of the optical block, I proceeded with the trial (the judge's decision is pending). In another small claims case that went to trial (in California), the judge ended up awarding a customer a monetary sum, which Sony never offers. The relief you receive may depend on the
specific TV
(e.g., age), the state in which you live, and the strength of your
case.
Self-repair
If you do not get a cost-free repair, it is possible to do a self-repair by replacing the optical block with a refurbished version. It is also interesting to note that, even if you accept a discount on a new TV, Sony likely will not collect your old
TV, so the self-repair of your old TV may still be an option. Self-repairs
should probably be reserved for experienced technicians, so attempting
them yourself is done at your own risk. It
could result in damage to your TV, and, although unlikely, injury to
yourself. If you are experienced with working with electronics, though, it
should be possible to execute repairs. See the Optical block replacement/cleaning page for details about optical block cleaning/replacement. Unfortunately, as stated above, the refurbished optical blocks will undoubtedly fail just like the originals, so this is a relatively costly and complex temporary fix.
Sony's response to the problems (secret reimbursement and unadvertised warranty extension programs)
When the first out-of-warranty reports of issues come in on a specific model or family of models, Sony initially does not cover them. As reports increase, Sony starts offering partial coverage on an individual basis to persistent customers (secret reimbursements). For example, they might offer to cover half of the repair cost, or the cost of the part but not the labor. Alternatively, they might offer a small discount off a new TV in the Sony online store. As even more reports accumulate, Sony eventually issues warranty extension alerts for replacement of the optical blocks. In cases where warranty extensions have expired, Sony often goes back to offering partial coverage in response to appeals by persistent customers, as described above (e.g., pay for part of the repair). When Sony is deciding to extend coverage of the optical blocks, they are probably balancing the cost of the massive repair bills to fix everybody's TV with the cost of losing customer loyalty.
Many customers have expressed frustration that, even though they
registered their TV purchase with Sony, and, as a result, received
other communications from Sony, they never received notice of the extended
warranties on their optical blocks or other parts. Many customers have also expressed
frustration that, during initial calls to Sony support, the support
personnel claim that they are unaware of optical block issues with Sony
TVs. In class-action lawsuits, Sony has faced criticism over these alleged "secret recalls."
In December of 2007 Sony announced that they would stop production of
rear-projection TVs in favor of flat-panel LCD
and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TVs: MSNBC news story. In the Summer of 2008, Sony
started offering discounts on new direct-view LCD flat panel TVs in
lieu of repairing defective TV's under their previously announced
coverage extensions, but the value of these offers is highly variable.
Expected lifespan of a rear-projection LCD TV
Some customers have reported that Sony justifies their compensation offers by citing a seven-year expected lifespan of the TVs. However, this seems unconscionably short for devices that originally cost ~$2,000-6,000+, and for a type of device that has typically lasted for decades with older technologies. The seven-year figure likely arises from a California law (Civil Code Section 1793.03) that requires manufacturers of any electronic or appliance product that retails for $100 or more to maintain functional parts for repair for a minimum of seven years. However, this does not mean that the expected lifespan of the product is only seven years. This web site estimates that LCD displays should last an average of 60,000 hours, which would be over 20 years assuming a heavy 8 hours of usage per day. Probably a more reasonable figure is 15 years.
Additional pictures of blue visual anomalies
(pictures of blue anomalies from my KDF-55WF655 in July of 2007--original optical block)
The following photographs were taken with a Sony CyberShot camera of my KDF-55WF655 TV on the DVD input using a wide-screen DVD with a solid 75% black/25% white background. At the time, my optical block had been in use for ~28 months, and the service menu indicated that it had been operating for ~6,000 hours.
A zoomed version of this first photo was used as an example in Sony's warranty extension announcement (see the upper-right photo in the collage of four above). Note that the blue haze is largely restricted to the 4:3 viewing area, even though the current source is wide-screen, suggesting some sort of burn-in.
In the next picture, a 4:3 program that was letter-boxed was being viewed for quite awhile. The blue line appeared at the lower border of the letterbox. It remained there when the aspect was changed to the zoom setting and when the wide-screen DVD was played. Over time, the blue line diffused away, but the general blue haze remained.
In the following photo, the blue color has turned into a number of random squiggly lines that resemble areas of high contrast in a paused frame of a TV program recorded on a digital video recorder. It remained there when the aspect was changed to the zoom setting and when the wide-screen DVD was played. Over time, the intense blue lines diffused away, but the general blue haze remained.
Many other posted pictures of the problem show an uneven hazy border of blue at the bottom or other edges of the screen. Others show bright blue blobs that tend to be in the corners. See the eCoustics Sony Projection LCD TV Problems message board thread for many more examples.
Optical block pictures
(pictures of the optical block from my KDF-55WF655, or a KDF-55XS955 courtesy of Bob Scott when noted)Picture
1. "Front" view of the entire optical block. The optical block is in the
center bottom of the TV case near the front. If you could see through the front of
your TV, this is what you would see (the lamp housing is accessible through a door on the front of the TV). There is a
centrifugal fan under the "fan housing" on the upper left that has ports that
lead from the LCD panel area on the right (behind the projection lens) and to
the lamp area in the front-left. There is another centrifugal fan on
the lower right (behind and below the cylindrical plastic protrusion with the
white air filter around its perimeter that is just to the right of the
projection lens). This fan appears to blow air up through LCD panel area. There is a black metal "LCD panel cover" that covers
the innards, but it is open on the sides, so dust can move
freely into it.
Picture
2. Left view of the optical block. The open side of the black "LCD panel
cover" can be seen here, which opens near the "LCD fan port" air input.
The other side of the LCD panel cover is also open.
Picture 3. Top view of optical block with the LCD panel cover removed. The ribbon cables leading to the three LCD panels (blue, green, and red) are now visible.
Picture 4. Close-up view of the LCD innards.
Picture
5. Extreme close-up of LCD innards. Note the lettering on the ribbon
cables leading to the LCDs. The third one is labeled "RL".
Picture
6 (KDF-55XS955). Optical block with the lamp housing (on the left), the LCD panel cover and housing (on top), and the LCD panel/prism/projection lens/air filter module (on the right) removed. Note that the
centrifugal fan on the lower-right is now visible.
Picture 7 (KDF-55XS955).
LCD panel/prism/projection lens/air filter module that was removed from the
optical block (see Picture 6). Note that the blue LCD panel has been
removed from its holder.
Picture 8
(KDF-55XS955). Blue LCD panel that was removed from the LCD module (see
Picture 7). Note the opaque circular damaged region on the left side,
presumably caused by heat, light, and/or dust.
Picture
9. Fan and lamp housing removed from the optical block (top view of
left side). The centrifugal fan pulls air from beneath the circular
opening and directs it onto the lamp through the port built into its
housing. The lamp would be on the right in the metal clips. The "LCD
fan port" air input connects with the area under the circular opening,
although this area is not air tight--there is an open slot around the
base that could also allow air in.
Picture 10. Fan removed from optical block. Note the dust build-up in the fins.
There were also dust balls accumulated under the lamp housing. Presumably, the fan blows out the "lamp fan
port" built into the housing directly onto the lamp to cool it. There appear to be perforations at the top and
bottom of the lamp itself that are aligned with the port, presumably to enhance cooling. The other centrifugal fan on the other side of the optical block presumably cools the LCD panel area by blowing air into it. Also note that there are two other, larger
fans in at least some models. On the KDF-55WF655, one is oriented horizontally straight back from the lamp,
directing air out the back of the TV. This fan presumably clears hot air coming off the lamp after the optical block fan blows
it through. The other fan is on the far right as you face the TV,
oriented vertically over the chassis unit that contains all of the audio and
video connections (left side when facing the back). The air seems to be
deflected off the case and out the back of the TV by this fan.
Picture
11. LCD fan port from the LCD side. This shows the "LCD fan port"
opening on the side of the housing that contains the LCD innards. This
opening leads to the area under the circular opening on which the
optical block fan sits. This may serve both as a source of air to cool
the lamp (by directly blowing the air onto it) and a way to cool the
LCD innards (presumably by pulling some of the heated air that rises
out of the LCD panel area under the metal "LCD panel cover" (not
pictured here). The effectiveness of
this LCD cooling system is questionble, given the plastic ridges shown in this
picture. It is also a concern that the whole thing is open to dust.
Picture
12. Inside case of TV under display area. The optical block inserts to
the left, and the lamp portion sits on the right. The metal area by
"lamp access" is where the lamp assembly can be accessed from the front
of the TV for lamp replacement. Note the "burn" marks on the plastic
case where the lamp shines through its housing.
(C) 2009 Steve Linke