LG 42" Plasma and CURRYS attitude

[MrRee]

Bought a LG 42" Plasma from CURRYS 24th March 2007.

In the summer I noticed a Bright Green Flashing Pixel at about the 2 o'clock position and towards the central area of the screen, it was holiday time and we were away for the summer.

On my return I contacted the 'Tech Guys' about the problem - the TV was now 23 weeks old.

The 'Tech Guy' on the end of the phone was pleasant and assured me that it needed a replacement PCB, this would cure the problem and they could send someone out in 7 days as they have the part. I tried to tell him that it was a faulty panel (I am an Electronics Engineer), but he assured me that the PCB would fix it. I said ok.

2 Engineers turn up with a replacement PCB, as they said they would, took one look at the TV and said, "Its the panel Sir" ...... "but, the pixel is right on the borderline of the area we can replace" ..... "not sure what to do, could send it into the workshops, but it will be away for up to 28 days and then it may come back as it is, I would advise against that" ...... "I would take it back to the shop where you bought it, or contact the Manager, he may help you" - off they go.

Rang the shop Manager ...... he took my details and said he would ring back, he did saying, "Sorry Sir, it would appear as if the TV is within Manufacturers Tolerances, I'm not going to offer anything - yes, it has a fault, but we don't think it is unacceptable"

Letter to MD of CURRYS.

Another 2 Engineers come out to have a look, they hold a picture of a rectangle within a rectangle - "as it is a Green flashing pixel, Sir, and is the most annoying pixel fault you have have - we only require that ONE SINGLE Pixel falls within this area" pointing to the inner rectangle drawing.

He looks at the pixel position and back at his sheet of paper and back at the flashing green pixel again ...... "It looks like it is right on the borderline Sir, not sure what to do" - "If I measure from the panel edge then the pixel falls within the unacceptable area, if I measure from the visible edge it just falls outside - one position and you get a new TV, the other you don't get anything!" ..... "I cannot make a judgement, I'll ring the workshops".

He rings the workshops, who amazingly, also do NOT know where to take the measurement from!! - So? Why have a measurement if no-one knows how to use it!

In desperation he says, "I can get it taken into the workshops and you can hope that they will think it is within the replacement area - but, it may be away for 28 days and after that time it may return not fixed ... and Sir, may be scratched and chipped after being thrown about the workshop - I will offer you that option because it's all I can do"

I declined to lose the TV for 28 days with no guarantee that the fault would be fixed.

Another letter to CURRYS rejecting the TV, response was ..... 'We offered to take the TV in for assessment and you refused, there is nothing else we can do'

No repair has been carried out - just 4 Engineers looking at it.

What CAN I do?

Thanks for reading this far, you deserve a medal - if you can help, please give me some guidance.

[H.A.K87]

Im assuming that you have expired the 30 days
By law the Shop must take mack the TV withing the 30 even if there is no fualt.
I think you should have taken it to the shop straight away.
I know for a fact that people send back LCD's for just one dead pixel, and get a new one.
I do not know what you can do now, but im sure someone with more knowledge than me can advise you on how to claim that your TV was damaged within the 30 days and claimed to return it or requested a replacement.
anyway most electrical goods come with a 12 months guarantee, which means you still can pursue to replace the TV given the fact that you still hold the receipt and papers.
It might be difficult with currys but you have to push for it, i have managed to get goods replaced within its 12 months guarantee from other shops but was paid in lifetime vouchers .
Remember keep pushing.

[patdavies]

Originally Posted by H.A.K87

By law the Shop must take mack the TV withing the 30 even if there is no fualt.

I should be grateful if you would quote the source of this new consumer law please.

I do not know what you can do now, but im sure someone with more knowledge than me can advise you on how to claim that your TV was damaged within the 30 days and claimed to return it or requested a replacement.

I don't know where you are getting 30 days from? Curry's have a 28 day return policy, but that is additional to any rights in law.

What applies here is the Sale of Goods Act. This entitles you to repair/replacement or refund (at the retailers choice) for faulty goods. Up to 6 months from the date of purchase, SoGA (ie the law) maintains that the fault was there at the time of purchase - unless the retailer can prove otherwise. Afetr 6 months, this burden of proof reverses.

anyway most electrical goods come with a 12 months guarantee, which means you still can pursue to replace the TV given the fact that you still hold the receipt and papers.

Any manufacturer warranty is additional to your statutory rights. Most allow replacement or repair. However, you should be wary of dealing directly with the manufacturer; if they replace the item, you may lose your SoGA rights against the retailer as the item in your possession after replacement is not the one you purchased.

[blitz]

A dead/flashing pixel does not indicate a fault, there are some standards tvs have to meet. Engineers are trying to indicate if it comes under that standard or not.

[demon_x_slash]

Originally Posted by H.A.K87

someone with more knowledge than me can advise you on how to claim that your TV was damaged within the 30 days

Apart from the arbitrary, plucked-out-of-nowhere 30 days, what you are suggesting seems to be to commit fraud, and will get you kicked off this website.

[callumsgran]

Originally Posted by H.A.K87

Im assuming that you have expired the 30 days
By law the Shop must take mack the TV withing the 30 even if there is no fualt.
I think you should have taken it to the shop straight away.
I know for a fact that people send back LCD's for just one dead pixel, and get a new one.
I do not know what you can do now, but im sure someone with more knowledge than me can advise you on how to claim that your TV was damaged within the 30 days and claimed to return it or requested a replacement.
anyway most electrical goods come with a 12 months guarantee, which means you still can pursue to replace the TV given the fact that you still hold the receipt and papers.
It might be difficult with currys but you have to push for it, i have managed to get goods replaced within its 12 months guarantee from other shops but was paid in lifetime vouchers .
Remember keep pushing.

I do wish people would not comment on something they know sod all about!!!

[gwyther]

Hi

Someone correct me if i am wrong but under the Sale of Goods dont they have to provide you with a replacement while yours is being fixed???

And does the Sale of Goods Act apply if you bought it on credit ???

PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG

[callumsgran]

Originally Posted by gwyther

Hi

Someone correct me if i am wrong but under the Sale of Goods dont they have to provide you with a replacement while yours is being fixed???

And does the Sale of Goods Act apply if you bought it on credit ???

PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG

LOL i shouldnt really comment on this after my previous post as i dont know the definitive answer
The sale of goods act applies however you pay as i understand it, cash or credit
I dont think 'they' have any legal obligation to provide a replacement, i believe its discretionary
Although some repairers will provide you with a replacement set if requested, but it may not be of the same spec as your original
HTH

[MrRee]

Originally Posted by blitz

A dead/flashing pixel does not indicate a fault, there are some standards tvs have to meet. Engineers are trying to indicate if it comes under that standard or not.

Thank you all for your inputs, I appreciate every attempt to help me.

I would like to know where it says that a Flashing Bright Green Pixel does not indicate a fault? Surely, it would come under minor defect (although it's major to me, the customer!) under the SoG Act? What about appearance and finish? The appearance of the picture is affected? as is the finish?

What CURRYS seem to be arguing, and their Engineers say this, that the pixel is a fraction outside of an area and is therefore acceptable - amazingly, if the pixel was 5mm further towards the centre of the screen then it would be replaced with a new TV - as it would be a clear cut case!! ....... The 4 Engineers all said that they couldn't live with it, but they have to tell me that I have to! They were genuinely upset that they couldn't help me.

They said it is annoying that, on their report, they have a very small area to write a conclusion. They would like more space to fully explain that is is an exceptional case. A dead black pixel is one thing - a Flashing Bright Green Pixel is quite another ........ it's like a lighthouse!

[callumsgran]

I wouldnt accept it, i would take it back and get a refund

[patdavies]

There is a standard for dead pixels and if a dead pixels is outside the area then they probably will not do anything as the set is within the manufacturer's spec.

However, you have a flashing pixel, which is a whole different ball-game (as the eye is naturally drawn to this).

A flashing pixel anywhere on the screen detracts for the use and enjoyment of the TV and is a fault.

[gwyther]

Hi

Can someone explain the difference between the Sale of Goods Act and the Supply of Goods Act ??

[MrRee]

Originally Posted by callumsgran

I wouldnt accept it, i would take it back and get a refund

I agree - but CURRYS will not offer me a refund ..... I can honestly say that I thought really bad customer service like this died many decades ago!

[gyzmo]

Originally Posted by gwyther

Hi

Can someone explain the difference between the Sale of Goods Act and the Supply of Goods Act ??

The answer really is in the title. The first applies where there is a money consideration (where you have used cash). The second applies for other situations where you "buy" the item but not for cash. This would be, for example, where a free gift is given on a purchase, tokens are used or part exchanges.

It is there to cover that which is not covered by SoGA, but here is other legislation covering hire purchases and the like.

[MrRee]

Just had an e-mail from CURRYS ...... I asked them what the Manufacturing Spec was for a Plasma TV from LG.

This is the answer:-

"Please see the table below which sets out acceptable levels of

pixel failure according to Intrenational Standard shown.

However, I understand that the colour and screen position of
has some bearing on the issue. I hope that you find this table useful

If you require any further assistance may I suggest that you contact
LG direct on telephone number 08706075544 or our own Tech Guys
on 08706070793.

If you require any further assistance please do not hesitate
to email us.

Kind regards

Currys Support





Standards for TFT Pixel Failures To regulate the acceptability of defects and to protect the customer, DSGi follows the International Standard (ISO 13406-2) that regulates the manufacture of these products. The table below shows the allowable number of malfunctioning pixels that are acceptable within this stringent standard. Depending on the native resolution of the TFT the total number of allowable malfunctioning pixels changes, however the number of malfunctioning pixels per million pixels remains the same at 2 malfunctioning pixels per million visible pixels.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Can this International Standard be used to over-ride my Statutory Rights?

[MrRee]

Someone, somewhere, at sometime, must have taken a Small Claim through the Courts with regards to a faulty Pixel ..... surely?

How would I find such a case and how it was resolved? Please tell me I'm not going to be the first! Ha Ha .......... I don't mind, I love Courts - been plenty of times.