Home audio & video: Sony 52" LCDTV strong acrid smell out of the box!
Sony 52" LCDTV strong acrid smell out of the box!
by Imshaken - 3/31/08 6:08 AMFriday morning a 52" Sony Bravia LCD TV (KDL 52XBR4) was delivered to our home. Upon opening the box and pulling the plastic cover off the set a strong pungent acrid smell came off the set and filled the living room. Prior to ever having plugged it in. This smell is similar, although not identical to a burnt transformer smell.
That day and night we left the set on, and windows open in the living room. Since it's March and we live in Minnesota it's cold! It went down to 25 degrees F, and the furnace constantly cycled. Saturday the smell was no better. We left the set on and windows open. Sunday, the smell was, perhaps, slightly weaker, hard to tell actually. We moved the set to a small room in the basement, opened the window and turned a fan on blowing out the window to suck the smell out. This helps.
The glands in my wife's throat actually started swelling. That stopped within an hour of placing the set in the basement.
I called Sony Friday afternoon. They gave me the number of tech reps in the area. The first available appointment is Wednesday.
I'm curious if this odor is toxic, and if it has health implications.
If this is a burn in issue, then perhaps sony should consider creating a burn in step prior to shipping. In the future I will seriously hesitate prior to purchasing Sony. I would have gone for the Samsung model if I had known about this issue in advance. That said, the picture is everything CNET said it was.
Return it
by albeach55 - 3/31/08 7:16 AM In reply to: Sony 52" LCDTV strong acrid smell out of the box! by ImshakenThere is nothing normal about what you have described. You should have returned the set immediately if it is causing health issues for your family.
safety first
by THE COMPUTER HEALER - 3/31/08 7:32 AM In reply to: Sony 52" LCDTV strong acrid smell out of the box! by Imshakenremove that tv out of living areas. i agree with albeach55, i've dropped and broken a few lcd's and it was nothing as vivid as what your describing.if it was shiped from a retailer have them come pick it up. take pictures and if you can video record for your records, just in case they're health implications.
this is the first issue i've ever heard with a sony bravia.
i can tell you that its not "burn in". although some lcd's were able to leave shadow burns, "burn in" is a
non toxic or smelling problems that plagues plasma tv sets. i hope all is well with your wife, good luck.
return it
by bevillan - 3/31/08 8:40 AM In reply to: Sony 52" LCDTV strong acrid smell out of the box! by ImshakenDefinitely don't turn it on anymore and return it. Hopefully you weren't exposed to anything toxic.
Here's what happened.
by Imshaken - 4/5/08 4:32 AM In reply to: return it by bevillanThank you all for your advice. I wanted to wait for a resolution before I responded. Here's what happened.
Tuesday we got a call from a TV repair guy to come and do a "safety check" of the set. I thought he was from the tech service who was scheduled for Wednesday but he was not. Probably a bad choice for safety check for smell because this fellow was a VERY heavy smoker and admitted his "sniffer isn't so good". Truthfully, while he was in the room I couldn't smell the set at all, just the cigarette smoke emanating from his clothes. (not kidding)
Anyway, when he was in the process of removing the back of the set he finally got a good whiff of our complaint. No fire or burning inside. Anyway, he spoke to his supervisor telling him he had never smelled a set like this one. Sony called us later while we were gone (naturally) and left a message. The smell is normal. Call them if there's any other problem.
It's now Saturday, 8 days after we first got the set. After nearly a week of being in an isolated bedroom in the basement with no return air duct, with the set on, with a fan blowing directly into the back of the set, with the window open, through two snow storms I might add... the set finally smells acceptable enough to move into a living space.
I purchased the set online from Abe's of Maine. Abe's is upfront about a no return policy so I could not return it, and had to deal with Sony. (this, apparently is the downside of buying online.) I had vowed to dispute the sale on my credit card if I couldn't use the set within a week. A week ended yesterday, however, it was obvious on Thursday that the smell was becoming less intense, and on Friday it was almost reasonable. Last night my sister and son couldn't smell it at all other than a "new" smell. I suppose at this point my wife and I are sensitized because we still smell it.
Tomorrow it goes into the den. Thanks again for your good advice. The upshot is, despite the beautiful picture quality I would hesitate before buying a Sony again unless I could return the set.
MY 52XBR4 also has this issue.
by the_bhagwan - 4/11/08 7:57 AM In reply to: Here's what happened. by ImshakenMY 52XBR4 also has this issue.
I Bought it yesterday. April 10th. 2008
The weather is good here in Seattle for a few days so I'll open the windows and let it air out.
Good to hear it goes away eventually, thanks.
Makes me feel better about spending that money on something that smells like burning electronics.
I bought it locally after returnning two Toshiba sets. (one I didnt like and the other defective). The Toshibas didn't smell at all. I Do have to say that except for the smell I like the Sony much better than the Toshibas.
A week later its still bad when I turn it on for a while.
by the_bhagwan - 4/16/08 9:08 PM In reply to: MY 52XBR4 also has this issue. by the_bhagwanA week later its still bad when I turn it on for a while.
Smells like burning electronics.
Im afraid that if I exchange this one then the replacement will be the same
It's not only Sony
by jucaso - 4/17/08 6:37 PM In reply to: Sony 52" LCDTV strong acrid smell out of the box! by ImshakenI just received my brand new Samsung 46' LCD. I proceeded to open the box and I almost fainted. The smell of burnt plastic hit me on the face so hard that I choked for a second. What I'm trying to say is that the smell is not unique to Sony. I placed mine in the Family Room, opened all the windows and aired the unit for a while albeit did not help. I called Electronics Export (bought it on line) and asked if this was a frequent complaint, they never heard of any thing like this.
My biggest concerned is that the smell could be toxic to our health.
I'm reluctant to call for service since according to this thread it has been said to be normal. I hate for a technician to mess with a brand new unit if I can help it.
Has anyone been able to get a clear answer on the reason for the smell? Has the smell finally gone away for anyone of you, and if yes what did you do?
Thanks.
manufacturers should have a burn-in process at the plant
by Imshaken - 4/19/08 11:08 AM In reply to: It's not only Sony by jucaso<Has anyone been able to get a clear answer on the reason for the smell?> I never got a straight answer.
<Has the smell finally gone away for anyone of you, and if yes what did you do?>
I swear I can still smell my set a little bit. However, my wife, son-in-law, daughter, son, and sister can not smell the set anymore. So I'm either extremely sensitized or imagining it.
What I did was place the set in a room that did not have ventilation to other rooms. I opened the outside window, and placed the back of the set within two feet of the window, turned the set on, with no signal or antennae attached so the set image was black. (saving the CCFL tube) Then we placed a fan so it was blowing into the back of the set. I left it this way for a week to ten days. After that the smell was still there, but diminished enough that we decided to bring it in so we could actually start to finally use the damned thing. (It smelled like hell so I figure the set is "damned"). :o))
If this is "normal" then Sony's standards for creating acceptable criteria are questionable. In the future I will avoid purchasing Sony. Their once good name no longer exists for my family.
I believe the chemicals unleashed into the air in my home, and everyone elses home is toxic. Perhaps there's a lawyer out there who might be interested in a class action lawsuit to get manufacturers to understand that poisoning customers isn't good for profits. Since that is apparently the only thing that is truly important to Sony.
Good luck!
New Sony Odor
by Steve_R - 4/23/08 8:25 PM In reply to: manufacturers should have a burn-in process at the plant by ImshakenI had the same problem and it is fine now. Here is a response I
received from Sony:
"Thank you for contacting Sony Support.
We are really sorry for the confusion. However, new televisions may produce an unusual smell or odor when first turned on. Due to the manufacturing process of components, televisions and other electronic products can have parts with plastic coatings that may produce a smell after the product is first turned on and warms up. The smell will usually dissipate within a few hours of use and does not return. This is normal and occurs with many electronic products.
NOTE: If the smell continues to linger even after the television has been turned off, ensure there is sufficient ventilation in the room and the odor will dissipate.
However, if you wish to discuss this issue further, please contact our telephone support staff who will be happy to provide further diagnosis and assistance at: (800) 222-7669 or (239) 768-7669 Intl.
Thank you for choosing Sony."
15 days now and its still bad.
by the_bhagwan - 4/24/08 2:45 PM In reply to: manufacturers should have a burn-in process at the plant by Imshaken15 days now and its still bad. Mostly only after it's warmed up for a while. I can tell you that I'm not enjoying ownership of this $3000 TV one bit. And from feedback I've read here, Sony doesnt appear to care. I've visited a couple of showrooms full of TV since. And with 40 or 50 TVs going I don't smell them at all. I think I'm going to take this back to the store. It must be part of a defective batch of Sony TVs.
Replacing your set?
by Imshaken - 4/25/08 2:10 PM In reply to: 15 days now and its still bad. by the_bhagwanTry to have them pull the top of the TV box off at the store and plug it in. Ours reaked the moment the plastic/fiber bag was removed no plug in required.
This way you might be able to avoid a repeat of what you're going through now. Good luck!
already replaced it
by the_bhagwan - 4/25/08 4:48 PM In reply to: Replacing your set? by ImshakenThanks for the suggestion. However I already swapped it this afternoon without doing that. My original one also reeked the moment the bag was removed but this one didn’t seem quite as bad. It does have that characteristic smell though. My wife says it’s not as bad too. But maybe we’re just desensitized to that particular smell after living with it for a couple weeks. I have to say that the store (Video Only in Federal Way, WA) has been awesome by being so understanding and not arguing about my concern. At this point I realize that this is just an issue with all these Sony TVs (albeit not quite as bad on this latest one). I’ll open windows for a few weeks if necessary. I hope the store sends the old one back to Sony like they said they were going to do. Sony needs feedback so they can fix this.
same issue here! purchsed at Sears
by disimilar1 - 12/7/08 12:47 PM In reply to: Sony 52" LCDTV strong acrid smell out of the box! by Imshakenbought 8 days ago. have windows to room open 24 hours. smell does not go away. very toxic.
Sony Bravia KDS-46V5100
by sealover9267 - 9/9/09 4:01 PM In reply to: same issue here! purchsed at Sears by disimilar1I have the same problem like all of you, except I just got my Sony now in August 29, 09. I bought this TV last week of August, it was delivered to me on the 29th,today is Sept.9, I still today cant be in the room this tv is in and on for more than short time with windows open, this thing still smell awfull. I called Sony suport and they gave me a # to call for service if this smell does not go away. But in reading these posts I like some one else in this forum sees the same problem. I can still return this tv, but what if I get another tv and have the same problem with new tv, the smell, also I dont like any tecks messing with my new tv.I been keeping this tv powered on for appr. 5 to 6 hours per day every day with windows open in the whole house. The smell sems to be getting a litlle better/less but I cant belive that sony just keeps doing this, I would think that if their tvs emitt toxic odors they shoud be the ones dealing with the smell problem from their tvs, not their costumers. I,m gone run this for anothr week or so and see if the smell goes away, if not its gone have to go back to BB. I have lots of sony products in my house, and had sony tvs also in the past with no problems, but I cant belive that Sony doesent admitt that there is a problem with their lcd tvs and fix it. This will probably be my last Sony TV Sony, I have a 40" Samsung and there were no fumes coming from the Samsung tv when it was new, and it did not burn my lungs from toxic fumes like the Sony tv did. Someone mentione Class Action suit, if there is one count me in.
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