“He’s dead!”
Proclaims Voldemort after he kills Harry Potter in the Forbidden Forest…
Then, my Vizio TV started to fizzle out and die too.
But, just like Harry Potter, my TV rose from the dead.
No, it’s not witchcraft. Just pure science.
Here. Let me tell you how.
Keep reading to discover:
- 9 instant ways to fix a Vizio TV that won’t turn on.
- An in-depth guide to replacing the dead capacitors powering your TV.
- How to know when a broken power cord is the reason for your TV’s power issues.
- And so much more…
Why won’t my Vizio TV turn on?
Your Vizio TV won’t turn on because of a muted screen, dead remote, or broken power cord. Dead capacitors on your power board are also known to cause this issue. If not those, then your backlight array might be dead.
Vizio TV won’t turn on: 9 ways to fix it
#1: Perform a power cycle
Have you ever had a device suddenly not work?
If so, what’s the first thing that you did?
Personally, I restart my device.
Always did, even when I was a kid.
But sometimes, I wonder:
Why does it only work sometimes?
Then I got my answer:
A simple restart doesn’t always work…
On the other hand, a power cycle just might do the trick.
To do this for Vizio TVs, you must:
- Unplug the power cord from your TV.
- Hold the physical Power button on your TV for 5 seconds.
- Don’t do anything for 30 seconds.
- Reconnect the power cord.
This method ensures no excess charge on your Vizio once it’s closed.
Meaning that it could fully shut down and get rid of glitches on your system.
#2: Unmute your screen
See that little light at the bottom of your screen?
That’s called a Standby Light.
It’s a standard part of every Vizio TV.
Now, when you say that your TV doesn’t turn on…
Does the light still open? Or is it entirely off?
If it’s the former, you’re in luck. Why?
Because it’s unlikely that any hardware parts of your TV is broken.
So, that means it’s a software issue.
And the first thing you should try?
Unmuting your TV screen.
“Wait, I can mute my display?”
Yes. You can.
To know for sure, open your TV and try to listen. Is there sound still coming from it?
If so, that means you accidentally muted your screen.
Simply press the Mute button on your remote for 10 seconds to get your display back.
Easy, right?
#3: Do a factory reset
Do you know there’s a way to fix most of your TV’s problems?
Provided that they’re a software issue.
What is it, you ask?
A factory reset.
This type of reset deletes all data and preferences on your TV.
While that may sound a bit extreme…
It’s a necessary process when you’re TV can’t function properly anymore.
Now, if your Standby Light is off, skip this step as you won’t be able to do this…
If you do, then proceed to:
- First, check if you can access the Menu. If you can, then…
- Head to System.
- Under Reset & Admin, go to Clear Memory.
- Select “CLEAR MEMORY/FACTORY DEFAULTS” or “Reset TV to Factory Defaults.”
- Press OK to confirm reset.
- Enter your PIN code. By default, this should be 0000.
- Wait for the reset to finish.
However, what if you don’t have access to your remote?
What can you do then?
Simple. Use the buttons at the back of your TV.
You just have to:
- Press and hold the Volume Down and Input button at the same time.
- When a message appears on your TV, hold the Input button for 10 seconds.
After that, there should be a different message on your screen saying:
“Memory is being cleared. The display will reset shortly.”
Once your Vizio is finished restarting, your TV should be fully reset.
#4: Check your remote
Are you trying to open your TV using a remote?
If so, stop.
Why?
Because it may be the reason why your Vizio TV won’t turn on.
What do I mean by that, exactly?
Simple. When was the last time you changed your remote’s battery?
Try swapping them first to ensure that dead batteries aren’t the reason your TV won’t open.
Is it still not working? Darn it.
Now, try to power your TV on using the physical buttons on the Vizio itself.
Did it turn on?
Then, the problem isn’t your remote, nor is it the TV…
There might simply be interference that’s blocking the signals from your remote.
You see, your remote sends a signal called Infrared (IR).
Since IR is a thin signal, everyday objects can interfere with it. Like:
- Concrete.
- Other remotes.
- Bluetooth signals.
- Fluorescent lights.
And, you know what else can block IR? Other IR signals.
That’s why you should also turn off Vizio’s CEC.
HDMI-CEC is a handy feature that allows you to use 1 remote control for all devices on your TV.
The problem?
Your TV could receive IR signals from anywhere with this feature enabled…
Which can then make your own remote’s signal weaker.
To disable CEC, follow these 4 easy steps:
- Press Menu on your remote.
- Go to System or Settings.
- Select CEC.
- Set CEC to Off.
#5: Fix your power cord
Now, we’re getting to the hardware side of repair…
To not overwhelm you, let’s start with the easy part.
And that’s to check your power cord for any exposed wire.
Not only is this causing your TV not to turn on…
But it’s also a serious health hazard that you need to fix.
Don’t worry. I’ll walk you through it so you can repair this properly.
First, invest in electricity-neutralizing safety gloves.
Got one? Then, bust out your toolkit and:
- Look for the exposed part of the cord.
- From the middle, measure and mark 1-inch on both sides.
- Cut the wire into 2 from the middle of the exposed part.
- Unsheath the cords using the measurement.
- Repeat steps #2 to #4 for the smaller wires inside.
- Partner and connect the smaller wires over a heat shrink tubing.
- Bind the tubing using a heat gun.
- Repeat #6 and #7 for the main cord.
And you’re done.
You may also be interested in: Vizio TV Blinking On And Off: 11 Ways To Fix It ASAP
#6: Replace the capacitors
Power cord? Fixed.
Vizio TV? Still won’t turn on.
That sucks.
Now, what should you do?
Replace the capacitors.
The capacitors of your TV are located on the power board.
Their purpose is to store the electricity on your Vizio before distributing them.
So, in a way, they’re like little batteries…
Only, they don’t run out of juice.
Here’s the trouble:
Age isn’t kind to capacitors.
Once you see capacitors:
- Leaking.
- Swollen.
- Lifting themselves off the chassis.
That means that they’re dead and need to be replaced.
How?
Step 1: Buy the correct capacitor
Some good news:
Capacitors are cheap.
But, you need to consider 1 thing:
Is it compatible with your TV?
There are 3 factors that you need to bear in mind before going to the hardware store:
- Voltage.
- Capacitance.
- Physical size.
Once you find capacitors that meet all of these criteria, proceed to…
Step 2: Open the back of your TV
TV repair starts with 1 thing…
And that’s knowing how to open the back of your TV carefully.
If you don’t know how…
Here. Let me guide you:
- Loosen and remove the screws at the back of your TV.
- Unbind the sides of your TV using a prying blade.
- Remove the cover.
- For safety, temporarily remove all the ribbon cables.
Step 3: Remove the old capacitors
Next, locate the bad capacitors.
See them? Good.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Unscrew the power board from the chassis.
- Flip the power board.
- Remove the lead holding the dead capacitors using a desoldering gun.
- Pull the old capacitors.
Step 4: Solder the replacement
And now, for the last part:
Placing the replacements.
How can you do that?
Simple. Just trust me and do the following:
- Insert the lead of the replacement capacitors into the hole where the old ones were.
- Flip the power board.
- Bend the lead.
- Cut the excess lead.
- Solder the new capacitors in.
- Secure the power board into the chassis.
This should solve all your capacitor problems.
Now, I understand if these instructions confuse you.
After all, some of us are visual learners. And that’s okay.
So, here’s a video that you can watch along with the written instructions:
#7: Change your power board
When replacing the capacitors didn’t work…
Why not replace the entire power board?
I mean…
It’s the hardware responsible for powering your TV, after all.
And replacing the power board isn’t too hard.
You just have to:
- Open the back of your TV.
- Remove the power board.
- Flip the power board and check the model number.
- Look for a replacement board online with the same model.
- Once you have one, place the replacement where the old one was.
- Screw it in.
You’re good to go.
#8: Replace the backlight array
Remember when I said it’s unlikely any hardware parts are broken if the Standby Light is still turning on?
The backlight array is the exception.
“What are backlights?”
Think of them as tiny flashlights illuminating your screen.
They’re responsible for how bright or dark your display is.
Now, how can you know if this is your problem?
Take a flashlight and open your TV.
Point that flashlight towards your screen and look really, really closely.
Do you see the faintest traces of your TV’s display?
If so, broken backlights. If not, at least you made your kids laugh by shining a flashlight towards a dead TV with your eyes squinting hard.
To replace your backlights, follow these instructions:
- Open the back of your TV.
- Detach all ribbon cables.
- Flip your TV and place it on a smooth surface.
- Unscrew the bezels on the sides of your screen.
- Remove the screen carefully using suction cups.
- Set aside the white deflector sheets over your backlights.
- Detach the cables connected to your backlights.
- Remove the backlights.
- Place the new backlights and put tape over them for protection.
- Put everything back together.
#9: Call Vizio
You can’t fix everything with a DIY solution.
Sometimes, you need to get in touch with professionals.
In this case, you can contact Vizio and request a personalized consultation here.