Faulty 2013 LG LCD TV - Worth Fixing? ACL?

Hi all, I have a 2013 model 42" LG LED TV that was purchased January 2014. It recently began playing up, (no picture, LG logo flashing when turned on and then TV going black). I called LG support and they basically fobbed me off saying that it's out of warranty and to try taking it to their authorised local repair centre for a quote/assessment if I want to get it fixed. I called the repair place and described the issue and the bloke basically just said don't bother, buy a new TV. I thought that was a bit weird because the TV is not THAT old. ( I have an older almost identical LG model that is still going strong). I then decided to take the TV to a third party repair centre for a free quote. They quoted $230 to have the power supply board and back light assembly replaced ($170 parts and $60 labour), with a three month warranty.

Would it be worth getting the TV fixed for the quoted price from the third party repair centre, or should I just be buying a new one? Does anyone have any idea of how much longer the TV might last with these two parts replaced? Are there any other parts that are likely to fail on a TV of this age? Additionally, would I have any options under ACL? I purchased the TV in January 2014 so it's right on the 5 year mark. It wasn't a top of the line model, nor a super cheap model when purchased, more mid range. I would expect a TV like this to last longer than 5 years, especially when I have an older one almost identical to this that is still working well.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be great.

Cheers.

EDIT: LG support have agreed to review my case and see what options they can offer under ACL.

Comments

            • +3

              @HighAndDry: Not like $800 is cheap. It'd actually be in LG's interests to guarantee their products for longer. And especially since his other LG TV still works this is clearly a fault with he TV.

              • -1

                @Savas: Or he got lucky with the other TV.

              • +3

                @Savas: Guaranteeing their products to last longer would just lead to higher costs for the consumer

                • @Scope: Or does it allow LG to make even more billions of dollars?

              • +1

                @Savas: I saw someone driving around an XF Falcon the other day - and it still worked well and looked good. Why did I ever get rid of mine - apparently the fact that someone still has a working one is evidence that all others died prematurely.

  • +5

    Time to get a new TV - A $230 fix with 3 months warranty isn't worth it when TVs are quite cheap these days.

    • +1

      Yep I agree Bobbified.

      Factor in the cost of the repair, on a similar spec TV to the one you’re repairing, and you could likely end up with a 450-550 gap, with a bigger TV that has a longer warranty and may last longer than the repair anyway.

      I wouldn’t personally be spending a third to a quarter of the cost of a whole new unit on a repair, unfortunately I doubt it’s worth it.

      That being said, if money is tight, which it is for a whole lot of folks, including yours truly then all in all it’s probably not huge a quote, but I’d definitely be looking for at least another one or two quotes, if you can.

      But if it were me, I’d save up a bit more and aim for a newer unit.

  • +4

    5 years seems more than reasonable.

  • +4

    So your $800 TV thats 5 years old died, yeah no ACL claims…. Either pay for the repair or buy a new TV

  • +1

    I wish my 10 year old TV would die! If only I spent $800 on it,I could have a newer and better TV now.

    $800 for 5 years is reasonable for me. If you want something to last for 15 plus years you have to pay for it.

    • +5

      My 65inch Panasonic plasma bought in 2008 still going strong. My mate had the 65 inch pioneer plasma still going strong aswell. I wanted it to die so I can convince the wife to buy an Oled. In the end I still bought the oled and gave the old TV to parents.

      • +2

        You'll probably find that your parents will get another 10 years out of that TV as they were the BEST two to get at the time I believe they were made in Japan too back then !

      • My pioneer is almost 13 years old now and still going strong

      • +1

        Those were very expensive and high quality TVs, not surprised they’re still going strong.

  • Even if it was a super expensive TV I would say 5 years is pushing it.

    I think the JB Hi minimum voluntary warranty gives a reasonable enough expectation for how long a product should be warrantied for. ACL may say otherwise but its a guide none the less. So according to that guide you would get 24 months for a $1000 TV and up to 3.5 years for a tv over $4,000.

    Treat yourself, buy an OLED

  • You could buy the PSU online if you have the part number and replace it yourself. I have done that for my dads TV because he refused to buy a new one lol

  • +5

    Update: After finding the original tax invoice, the TV was actually purchased In February 2014. It started playing up the first week of January 2019, definitely inside 5 years. Just. I decided I would give LG support another crack, this time I tried the live chat support. They were actually quite helpful, much better than the phone support. I mentioned ACL and they have agreed to review my case and see what options they can offer under ACL. They said they would get back to me within the next week. So now I will wait and see what happens.

    • +2

      In one week's time: "Sorry, your TV is five years old, we don't warrant goods that old".

      • +1

        They already know how old it is mate. They have a copy of the tax invoice and the serial number.

    • -1

      What's the difference between inside and outside of 5 years? Still well out of warranty?

      Out of interest, if LG ask you what life span you expected from the product under the ACL, what is going to be your answer?

  • +4

    I have a Sony 50" LCD TV that was purchased in December 2013 from one of the boxing deal from ozbargain. Still going strong and i would expect it to last 10 years as that is what last generation TV usually last. And i paid about $800 for it

  • +3

    On a mid-range television I'd expect around 10 years life with typical use. I'd feel pretty cut if my TV failed after only 5 years. But given that the warranty is typically only 24 months and repairing them is almost never worth it, I'd seethe quietly and buy a new one. Probably not from the same manufacturer though.

    On a brighter note the tech in TV is changing really quickly right now. Mid-range TVs from 5 years ago are now looking pretty ancient compared to mid-range TVs today. You can get WiFi, 4k, HDR, BT2020, whereas 5 years ago those were all high-end features on much more expensive TVs. I'd still fume silently over having to spend $1000 again but at least you're getting a decent upgrade.

    From what I can see all the TVs are pretty shoddily built these days. I think that customers were upgrading them far more often so the manufacturers downgraded the quality to match. There's not much point building a TV like a tank when it's just going to wind up in the tip anyway. So maybe the expected lifetime really is 5 years now and not the 10 years it used to be.

    • Then why don't manufacturers offer a 5 year warranty?

  • -6

    NO!!!

    Reason: 2013 (5 years old) model is ancient when it comes to technology items.

    It wasn't a top of the line model, nor a super cheap model when purchased

    Therefore IMHO, it is now wayyyy below the worst model available today. Main thing a 5yo TV would probably be lacking is smart tv functions, and of course 4k and HDR and OLED etc.

    Maybe ask 3rd party repairer if they would buy it from you, see what they offer. I would not expect their repair to last as long or give equal quality picture, as original parts, and you could probably buy that same tv (with original parts) for less than quoted price of repair.

    • +1

      So many troll points, but my favourite was replacing the power supply will lead to a degradation of the picture quality. Bravo good sir.

    • +1

      This TV actually is a Smart TV. It has Wi-Fi and apps which were still working fine.

  • Buy a new one. My parents just had their 5 year old samsung stop working in the middle of watching something. Only a 3 year warranty. We're advised by retailers tv's are only built to last 3-5 years now.
    I recently updated from an 18yo plasma, nothing wrong with it except was so old didn't have HDMI ports so couldn't plug much into it.
    They just don't make tv's as good as they used to that last well beyond the warranty

  • +5

    Had a similar issue with an LG TV I purchased which cost around $1k and died after about 5 years (first the HDMI ports stopped working, then the TV just wouldn't turn on and the red LED light would just pulsate on and off).

    Fixed the issue myself by removing the motherboard from the TV casing and putting it in the oven on a pizza box @ 190-200 degrees Celsius for about 10 minutes, turned out absolutely delicious!

    No, but really, it did fix the issue (for at least a couple more years). The thinking is that the solder on the motherboard becomes cracked after so much continual use and heating it up rebinds it together. Might be worth a try if you can't get it serviced.

    • Nicely done

    • Did this yesterday to an LG 42LX6500 and it seems to do the trick. It is like new again. I ended up baking it at 195 deg c for just over 12 min and let it cool down for 10 min. The oven did smell a bit toxic though. I wouldn't bake anything else until after cleaning the oven properly.
      Followed the method mentioned in the below link:
      https://zedic.com/lg-42dl550-fix-repair/

  • +1

    I've bought three Samsungs.

    50" plasma when I moved out of home 12 years ago that I sold to my brother. He's still using it.

    A 10yo 32"lcd (the best quality) that I gave to my parents that is still going strong.

    I have my led lcd 40" which is the worst quality of them all but now 8 years old. Still going strong too. I want to upgrade but I'm scared too

    • All my Samsung LCDs have been good. First one I bought over 10 years ago, a 32inch 720p model, it still going strong at my sisters place.

      Had a 42 inch for 3 years that I left installed on the wall when I sold the unit. Unsurprisingly no trouble at that age.

      My 60 inch model was about $2000 and I had it for five years, sold last year for $500 still working perfectly.

  • OP let us know the outcome of the LG case review.

    • +1

      Will do.

  • Can buy a 40" TV for a song these days and with warranty.
    Latest technology, better picture, Much lower power consumption.

    No brainer if you ask me

  • -2

    Never buy LG or Samsung bro. Always buy Japanese made.

    • +3

      So. Which tv is still made in Japan? Just asking.

      • I'm sure he's meaning Japanese designed rather than made.

      • +2

        List and discussion may help here from member msjb -

        The Television Brand You Buy Is Not Always What It Seems

        Chinese manufactured - AKAI, Bauhn (Aldi), Blaupunkt, Changhong, Hisense, Hitachi, Jaeger, JVC, Kogan, LG, Linden, Palsonic, Phillips, Polaroid, Samsung, Seiki, Sharp, Soniq, TCL, TEAC, Toshiba, Viano
        Czech Republic –Bang & Olufsen (LED range only)
        South Korea - Bang & Olufsen – (OLED range only), LG and Samsung
        Japan - Panasonic and SONY
        Malaysia - Panasonic and SONY
        Germany - Lowe

        • The Panasonic and Sony TVs made in Japan are most likely for the Japanese population. Its much more expensive to buy a Sony or Panasonic Japan in Japan (100-110v, different region for TV, electronics tax) than it is in Australia. They are trusted brands here, and you will get 10 years life out of them. The Sony and Panasonic TVs available in Australia are all made in SE asia. Japan designs the TVs and provides the parts, they're assembled and manufactured in SE asia.

          IMO paying for quality (brand televisions) isn't worth it anymore, as the technology is changing every 3-4 years, and other off-market brands are making televisions for this disposable market. Younger generations are buying a new television every 3-5 years while the senior generations are getting 10 years out of a product.

          Thanks for the list Baysew

          • +1

            @DarthAntz: Well thanks really has to go to msjb for compiling list.

    • Yeah, I think you're right. If I do have to buy a new one, I think I'll go for Sony next. I actually still have an old Sharp 32" LCD from 2005/06. It's still working perfectly to this day.

      • My parents had a Panasonic plasma that failed after only 5 years. Common failure when googled. It certainly made me not want to buy another Panasonic TV. I ended up buying a Sony LCD for them as a replacement. Picture quality is good, but the software is very clunky. Terrible user interface design and… it does not record to HDD. I didn't even think I had to ask about that. I just assumed that in 2019 every TV has this feature. Even the cheapies can do this, but this was a Sony. Just crazy. I wouldn't buy another Sony seeing how little effort they seem to put into UI.

        Personally have the LG B7 and am extremely happy with it (picture is amazing and UI is also very good) but I can understand if you feel a bit anti LG after this experience.

    • +1

      I bought a Toshiba TV back in 2010 and failed within 3 years…

  • +3

    Hope LG does you right.
    Don't understand how so many people think it's unreasonable for your TV to last more then 5 years.

    Not everyone needs the latest and greatest updated regularly. Then if you start to look at all the other issues that go along with our consumer heavy society (constant replacing of tech) with things such as landfill etc kind of shit to realise people honestly don't care about the environment or future generations. There's only a finite a amount of resources to keep this up.

    OP said this is a smart TV with WiFi, so what's there to upgrade to for the OP? A 4k TV that doesn't really have a lot of content readily available or an OLED that has a better picture quality? But then if you're looking at OLED that's a whole other price bracket so the OP is basically spending $1k again for a TV that is going to do the same as what his 5 year old one does.

    Why should companies get away with charging X amount and their CEO's and what not making $$$ for nothing.

    OP hope LG takes care of you, did you contact the retailer at all? After having dealt with consumer affairs and my Microsoft Surface Pro issues I've learnt that in the future if I ever have issues with a product to deal directly with the retailer as they are the one you hold a contract with. I went through 3 replacement dealing directly with Microsoft support before contacting consumer affairs, and they (honestly were kind of a disappointment) but I learnt that they are only interested in following the money and dealing with the initial retailer. And because I didn't have my original device I feat it would be kind of shit to rock up to Harvey Norman and say yeah I've had three replacements from Microsoft what can you do now to fix this.

      • +2

        Sounds like you have been brainwashed.

    • With technology i sometimes wish it would last up to 5years before dieing so i buy a new one. With how fast technology is advancing, generally people want updated things. Theres certain electronics that i want to last long and i spend accordingly, ie. German bosch washing machines, miele kitchen appliances, mitsubishi refridgerator/split system. For things like microwaves and Tv i tend to buy LG/Samsung for the best value.

    • +3

      Cheers iTaco, completely agree with everything you've said. I haven't contacted the retailer actually. For whatever reason, I just though I'd go to LG support first when it happened. I am hopeful that I will get an acceptable outcome from them.

    • +1

      I don't think people think it is unreasonable for your TV to last more than 5 years. The question is how long should the manufacturer guarantee your TV to last. To me 5 years is really about max I think is reasonable for warranty unless you are paying a high premium as you are getting into a timeframe where to provide a longer warranty you really have to start jacking up the price.

    • +2

      I think it depends on what you think is reasonable.

      I wouldn't really expect a TV to last more than 5 years for most people - that seems very reasonable, even for many electronic devices. Even more so when the item is fairly generic and middle of the line device. If it was a $20,000 top of the line model then maybe I'd expect 10 years or something, but for something as simple as this, 5 years seems really generous.

      The company isn't getting away with anything, if anything, it feels like the consumer is starting to expect way too much from the company here. I honestly would think this customer is a bit of a cheapass/trying to abuse our laws and in turn making it harder for the average consumer to get a reasonable claim through.

    • TV's aren't built to last 10 years.

      Especially not budget models.

      I agree that not everyone needs the latest and greatest, but people need to have realistic expectations regarding the useful life of their purchases.

    • i'm surprised by the negative reactions as well - i still think a tv (of any price) should last 5-10 years, but up to 5 years is where i expect the consumer guarantee to cover. it's entirely irrelevant what the manufacturers warranty length is. Personally, i expect my tv to last up to a point where it is so far out of date that i want to replace it. After 5 years with current LEDs there's no way it's at the throwaway stage for me. I can appreciate a good picture, but there's a certain point where it's good enough. Saying TVs are built to last 2-3 years is completely ridiculous and a blight on a society that doesn't adequately tax waste and environmental damage.

      I had my aldi tv go last year after 4 years - raised the consumer guarantee and they offered a refund of around $200 on a $799 purchase and accepted a life span of 5 years as the basis. Got a new hisense for $1000 that is much better and very happy, but i do hope it lasts over 5 years even though it is "cheap".

  • +5

    You sure a toddler didn't throw a water bottle at it? They would be responsible for it.

  • -1

    Nope, its lasted pretty much as long as i would expect for a $1000 TV. Get a $4000 one next time and you may have a leg to stand on.

    Just make sure you get it through a good deal on OZbargain. ;)

  • +1

    TV possibly worth fixing, but I'd be prioritising your ACL if you want to be able to walk without pain.

  • For the environment's sake, please fix it!

    It failed in January - the hottest month, so most likely a $1 capacitor is gone either in the PSU or LCD power converter. Ask for a repair quote elsewhere or just examine the capacitors yourself, they often will look swollen when faulty.

    • -1

      Repairing a 5 year old 42" TV isn't economical. A new 50" (different brand) or a refurbish one is about ~$500.

      • +2

        This is Ozbargain, and DIY repair IS economical :-)

        • DIY changing a LCD digitizer or a HDD is one thing. Troubleshooting an LCD TV, desolder and soldering components requires a higher level of technical skills.

          • +1

            @whooah1979: OK, OP - what is the model number of your LG? Let's look up eg https://elektrotanya.com/ for the service manual and other TV fault databases for a solution. This can be a common fault actually.

    • A repairer is not going to replace a cap unless it's on a main board which costs hundreds of dollars. Repairs of electronic equipment are basically just taking out the fault item [board] and putting a new one in.

  • -1

    i bought mcdonalds fries and in the 10 minutes it took me to drive home they got cold

    just looking for the general concensus of how long fries should stay hot for

    worth going back? acl?

    • +2

      Definitely worth going back. I reckon they should have lasted 30 minutes at least. Were they near an aircon vent by any chance?

    • Move closer to Macca's

  • +1

    Personally, I’d just buy a new one, surely you’ve seen the super cheap deals on recently. My work was in a similar position, super tight ass and got his money back and it was years outside warranty.

  • If OP manage to get it repair or replace, i foresee alot of people going to do the same thing.

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWoz_-3OHIM

    Theres a few videos on youtube about common repair jobs, even where to order the parts for the fix. These flatscreen TVs are disposable tech, I wouldnt expect a long life out of them.

  • Got my LG 47" LCD TV in 2010 (1st gen of those LED back-light thing) for a bargain price because that was a demo in Myer. The staff said it was demo for a bit over a year when I bought it.
    Still going good, except the remote controller replaced 2 years ago.
    So IMO 10 years expectation is not unreasonable.

    • My parents have had a Sony Bravia LCD running for nearly 15 years with no issues. I would not, however, suggest 15 years was a reasonable expectation of a TV's life.

  • +1

    I had an LG panel replacement after more than 5 years after invoking ACL.

    They deal with people talking about ACL all the time. Notice that their wording specifies the TV is out of manufacturer’s warranty but they’ll “look into” what can be done under ACL? If they could deny your claim they would do so straight away.

  • My old LG recently died, and after a bit of searching online for some DIY repair tips, I ended up taking the main board out and literally baking it in my oven at 200deg for 20mins.

    Put it back together and it's working well again, apparently this remelts dried up solder joints

    • The joints aren't "dried up" per se, it just means there's a poor connection which in your case was fixed by reflowing the solder.

      Of course, if you've got a busted capacitor or an issue with a chip then reflowing won't do anything.

      • +1

        “Dry joint” is what you call a poor solder connection. @trapper was using the right terminology.

        • Yes, "dry joint" is the terminology. "Dried up" suggests that the joint should be wet or something.

          • @Pantagonist: “Wetting the joint” with solder is also the correct terminology.

            • @[Deactivated]: Yep, but baking the main board in an oven isn't an example of "wetting solder", particularly if no extra flux is added before baking it.

              • @Pantagonist: I mean, if it re-melts the solder, the molten solder would be wet wouldn't it?

                • +1

                  @HighAndDry: No, it would be molten, not wet.

                  Improperly wetted solder will look dull and gray, and even porous, like a sponge, or solder that is pock-marked on the surface, and also with poor adhesion of the solder to the components. This can result from many different conditions:

                  from no flux at all, like when trying to reflow solder that has already cooled and been cleaned (with isopropyl alcohol 99%, or through a board wash), once or repeatedly, without adding additional flux (or desoldering with solder wick or vacuum and re-soldering)

                  https://www.quora.com/What-is-wetting-as-used-in-soldering-p…

                  So baking a board without adding flux means that the solder has not been properly wetted.

                  • @Pantagonist: I was more making a tongue in cheek remark, but that was actually pretty educational, thanks!

      • Yeah I did inspect all the caps and other components first to rule out any obvious issues, everything looked good.

  • +1

    I’ve currently got a problem with my 3 year old Sony.
    The latest android update fried the motherboard. It is out of warranty, and Sony ARE going to fix it, but it had to go through a heap of internal review/approval.
    It’s been a few weeks since ive logged the problem, and I am still waiting for someone to come out and look at it.

    This is on a premium model 75” TV, not a bargain LG 42”.

    I think you are being unreasonable to think an entry level electronic product should last more than 5 years.
    Serious question, how long should a phone last?

  • +1

    HI Welcome to the forum

  • My gut says a $1000 TV is not going to covered by statutory warranty for 5 years, but it's probably worth a phone call.

  • -1

    $1000 5 years ago did not buy a very good tv. I would be interested to know what model you purchased.

    Considering you bought a budget TV, how many years did you actually expect to get out of it?

    I think the time you got out of it is more than reasonable and to be honest, I'm fairly shocked that you feel entitled to compensation.

    Had it been a $6000 high-end television, then maybe it would be a different story.

  • -1

    Anytime anyone ever complains about the "Australia Tax" re-read this post and understand why you are paying an inflated price for whatever it is your feel is overpriced in Oz compared the identical item overseas.

  • Take it to an unauthorised repairer. Authorised ones are overpriced. Preferably in a low socio suburb where ppl actually bother repairing stuff

  • +1

    https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2774426

    Nearly identical and they were offered a second hand, presumably refurbed TV.

  • Lots of talk here about getting warranty claims passed due to ACL past the manufacturers expiry date. I have an ASUS laptop here that's 5 months out of warranty and has developed a seemingly common fault whereby the screen doesn't light up when on battery (works fine on power). Fixes range from a faulty screen to a faulty motherboard connector. Might get onto ASUS and see what they reckon in that case?

  • +3

    Update 2: For anyone still interested, LG got back to me and said they believe that the TV has been of 'acceptable quality for a reasonable period of time' and that the ACL consumer guarantees no longer apply in this case. I disagree with this, but I have decided that I can't be bothered trying to take it up with the retailer or appealing/complaining to Fair Trading QLD, etc. I will take this as an opportunity to upgrade to a bigger/better TV. One thing is for sure though, I will definitely not be buying another LG TV (or any other LG product for that matter) in the future. Thanks to everyone who made constructive comments/suggestions on this topic.

    • +1

      Great idea. After my eventual win against Domayne and LG, I decided to NEVER again have an LG product in my home.
      It's the only way of protest I have but I also have advised my friends and family to stay clear of LG product.
      I have a very good Samsung 55 inch LED Smart TV that has now lasted more than three years without any sign of a problem.
      Good luck.

      • Cheers Ian! I will also remember to go to the retailer first, as you and some others suggested, if I have another situation like this in the future.

  • I just read your post because I also had screen issue on my LG LCD TV model 47LM6410.
    My issue is the TV screen has around 17cm grey stripe on the right side which caused viewing unpleasant.

    I was planning to contact LG for support but I couldn't find my original tax invoice.
    After reading your updates, it doesn't look like I am going to get any much supports/helps if I were to proceed.

    Any thoughts?

    • How old is the TV?

      I doubt you will get anywhere with them, especially if you are unable to find the original tax invoice. I would suggest voting with your wallet and looking at a different brand when purchasing a new TV.

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