Samsung Plasma Television – Screen Cracked – Warranty Denied
I purchased a 63” Samsung Plasma Television model #PN63C550 from the hhgregg Madison Tennessee location on February 5, 2011 of last year.
The television has worked flawlessly until January 17, 2011. I used the television on January 16th and didn't notice any issues. I returned the next morning to find the screen was cracked. Since I was the last person to use the television and there had been no one else in the room that it is kept, I was perplexed as to what could have caused this issue.
I returned to hhgregg and asked the manager on duty if he was aware of any issues where the screen on a Samsung plasma could crack without being touched. He told me he was aware of an issue with some Samsung's overheating which resulted in a cracked screen. He advised me to contact Samsung and informed me they would send a technician to my home that could determine if the crack was a result of this failure.
My wife Priscilla contacted Samsung on January 20, 2011 and filed a warranty claim. We were instructed to take pictures of all sides of the television and email them to Samsung. A few weeks later, Samsung informed us they would not cover the cracked screen because the television was no longer under warranty. My wife informed them the television was under warranty when the failure happened and when the issue was first reported to Samsung. The Samsung representative requested a copy of the purchase receipt proving the item was under warranty. The hhgregg receipt was promptly sent.
A week later, we heard from Samsung a second time. This time they were stating they would not cover the television because they had determined the cause of the failure was physical damage.
I returned back to the hhgregg store to speak to the manager. The manager gave me a number to hhgregg's vendor support and insisted that hhgregg would make Samsung live up the their warranty. I called hhgregg vendor support the following day. Samsung responded that once they had made a decision regarding a failure, they would not review it a second time. When asked if they would at least send a technician to my home to verify the crack was internal and not a result of physical damage, they stated they would send a technician at my expense, but there would be no reason to do so. They would not review my claim since they had already made a decision.
I spoke to someone at hhgregg's corporate office on February 29th and was told they were filing to have Samsung replace the television. I was told I would hear from someone by phone within 24 – 48 hours. So far, I have not been contacted by anyone.
In the meantime, I've researched this issue on line. At the website Cnet forums alone, there are 9,940 posts with the words “samsung cracked screen”. One particular thread on this forum is 17 pages long and is full of stories very similar in nature to mine. The Better Business Bureau shows 2,697 complaints with Samsung. The overwhelming majority are for warranty and product issues. It's very clear to me there is a manufacturing defect with their plasma screens.
Get Your Television Replaced Even If Denied By Samsung
My plans are to take hhgregg and Samsung to small claims court to recoup the cost of my television. The problem is I really have no proof that what others write on the internet is true. I doubt very seriously a judge would allow me to submit forum posts by anonymous users as evidence.
However, if all of us that have experienced this problem would join together and provide each other with a notarized affidavit stating our case, I believe that would be allowed as evidence. Matter of fact, if our group were to grow large enough, there may be no need to use the court system at all. There is a good possibility Samsung will take care of these problems once we join together.
Share Your Notarized Affidavit and Get Access To The Entire List
I will be positing my affidavit later this week. It will not be the signed or notarized copy. I will provide that copy and a copy of all other affidavits in my possession to anyone that will submit a copy of their affidavit to me and agree that I can share their affidavit with the rest of the group.
If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. Let's get this ball rolling!
Samsung Plasma Cracked Screen - Warranty Denied Says:
[…] Samsung Plasma Television – Screen Cracked – Warranty Denied […]
This is a bit disconcerting, Brent. I bought a 51″ Samsung 3D Plasma about 6 months ago. While I have had no problems with it (yet), I have noticed an unusually high heat field in front of the TV.
Since it does produce so much heat, it would not be unusual or surprising that the heat may crack the glass.
I just hope and pray that never happens to my TV.
@Eugene – Good luck! It looks like people have been reporting these problems since 2009. Hopefully, they have addressed this issue in the tv you purchased 6 months ago. As of today, they’ve offered to pay for the part if I will pay for the labor. The labor is $420. That’s not a bad option, but at this point, it’s more about the principal of the thing. I’m writing a letter to hhgregg and sending my affidavit. I’m hoping they will force this issue with Samsung.
I really don’t like Samsung anymore.
Have you experienced this problem too Joseph?
I had the same exact issue with Samsung and got the same runaround along with the same excuses. If you need me to fill out on affidavit or anything, please let me know what i can do to help …
thanks !
Yes I had and the promise to give me a free screen but i had to pay for labor. I had no choice but to accept their offer. They should’ve replaced it for free though. I only had the tv for 3 months when it broke.
@Kim – If you would fill out an affidavit and have it notarized, not only would it help me, it will help every single person going through this problem. If you would take the time to do it, I’d really appreciate it. It’s really the only way we can force them to take notice and do something about it. I placed mine online at the link below. If you would like the signed version, just let me know and I’ll send it to the gmail account you listed when leaving your comment.
http://www.brentcrouch.com/Upload/Samsung-Affidavit.pdf
@Joseph – What size screen and how much did they get you for in labor? Mine is a 63″ and they wanted $450. Considering that this television should be under warranty, it is really unacceptable but I can see why you took that offer.
@Brent – Thanks for posting this. I have the exact same issue! I thought Samsung was a reputable company. Why are they not standing behind their product. This is crap! Count me in. I will send in my affidavit. Maybe we should contact the law firm that just settled a case with Samsung over product issues?
Shawn, let me know if you need any help preparing your affidavit. The most important part is to make sure you detail exactly how the failure occurred. Many people have reported the failure occurred while they were watching tv. Be sure that you mention you did not do anything to damage the set provided that is accurate.
I have to admit, I can see why Samsung has some issues with this one. If someone dropped their television, bumped the glass, threw a WI remote at it, obviously those things shouldn’t be covered. The problem is they clearly can’t tell the difference between a product failure and physical damage. I know for a fact my issue was from a product failure, yet they insist it was physical damage. I believe this is the same with many of the other stories I have read.
Brent – Mine was a 43″ plasma tv. Didn’t do anything except just watch movie. I took cared of it like a baby due to it being a wedding gift for my my wife and I. But nope 3 months later it cracked. Took it to a tv repair shop and they said it was cracked from the inside. When I took to the shop that samsung recommend for repair they said it was an impact that cause the crack. Really dumb I think and it costed me 250 for the labor.
@Brent, just wanted to see what’s new and to let you know I have finished my affidavit. I just have to get it notarized.
Hi Brent,
I have the exact same issue. I also have a cracked 63′ inch tv that cracked WHILE watching tv. I also sent in the pictures and was denied stating it was physical damage. This tv was so expensive and I have been a huge fan of Samsung. But all of this is making me think twice! Please give me your email address and I will send you an my affidavit.
Renay
Hi Renay,
I’m sorry that happened to you. My email address is brent AT brentcrouch.com
I kept pressing until they agreed to supply the part at no charge. I paid $425 in labor for the repair.
Brent
Hi Dawn, Brent
I saw your posts on Cnet, did not know they shut you down.
I have a 58″ and my colleague has the 64
same identical run around as you.
note my comment regarding glass forensics
I would love to get an expert opinion on how this happens on the inner layer of glass,
These tv’s clearly have some form of manufacturing defect, that they are so easily broken.
after mine cracked, I picked it up and the cracks all spread. clearly shows that there is a problem with the thickness of the glass or the way it is mounted
yes Im interested. Under what cause of action are you taking them to small claims? Breach of warranty, or breach of the implied warranties? That is that the product is not fit for its intended purposes, not merchantable, etc.
ill glady put the affidavit together, but Im not sure how this will help. Did your tv crack with a star burst type crack? They say that is indicative of an impact. I have checked on some glass forensics, and found that this is the case. However, I don’t understand how the can happen, when there is no damage to the exterior glass. Is that what happened to you?
Have you heard of anyone interested in a class action lawsuit with them?
Troy LaMontagne
Brent,
I am currently dealing with this same issue, we have had our 50″ Samsung Plasma TV for 1 year and 6 months this was a replacement TV because the 1st one only lasted 8 months. We notices a small crack but could not figure out where it came from but did not think much about it because the TV was still working and it was very small in the lower left hand corner. About 6 weeks later our TV stopped working, we had no picture, I called Samsung and they 1st denied our claim because the TV was out of warranty, after explaining the problems we have had with our Samsung television from day 1 we were offered an extension on the warranty. Today the repair company came out and stated that they would not be able to fix the TV and it would not be covered under warranty. I am astonished that the company is so unwilling to stand behind their product.
Thank you,
Drew
It happened to me to, post it on there facebook over and over then corporate will contact and fix it. It works.
I bought my Samsung in February 2012 and it hasn’t been a year and my tv was overheating prior to the crack. I notified them immediately. A technician came to the house and took pictures and didnt follow up. I called today and told me my request was denied because it was physically damaged which is ridiculous because its clear to see that the crack is coming from the inside not out. My tv still has the sticker labels it came with! I’m waiting on the call to dispute.
my 59d800 which was never used, developed the internal crack also, I got Amazon to take back the TV after 8 months, yet i’m still persuing this issue on principle alone. You don’t pay $2,000 for a TV and treat it like a child, and then one day you wake up and it’s broken. Samsung is standing on a very slippery slope and stands to alienate a lot of the consumers that can afford their highend pieces of junk.
I would love to know how many of the cracked screen TV’s were ‘wall-mounted’ when the crack just appeared, nobody has mentioned this so far.
I’m not trying to defend Samsung by any means, but if say it only happened to wall-mounted TV’s and not to stand alone TV’s, it opens up a whole new can of worms. Can anybody here confirm their TV was NOT wall-mounted?
We have a 54″ Samsung Plasma bought in 2009 and bought a 5 year warranty. We left to go camping just a week ago, tv working fine before we left and when we came home it had sound but no picture, and a crack under the glass and the insurance we bought said it was us and there is no way it was us! We have 2 1/2 years left on insurance and no tv. I will write up a letter and get it notarized.
@Alexander – My tv was wall mounted. It was mounted for 11 months before this occurred. What are your suspicions concerning the television being wall mounted?
Sorry guys, I haven’t checked this blog for a while. As Keith mentioned above, if you will start writing on Samsung’s facebook wall, keep calling them on a daily basis, and declare an outright cyber war on them, you will get results.
In my situation, they finally agreed to give me the part for free provided I pay the technician $400 to install it. In my situation, it was better than losing a day of work to go to small claims court.
OK I did the Facebook thing several times and it worked. They had a Guy from there risk management team call me. They replaced the screen but it was faulty so they sent me a new 2012 Model. Be persistent and don’t back down. It works took about 3 weeks. It was a cracked screen issue due to overheating.
@Alexander, If you research all of the complaints on this you will see that many like mine were not wall mounted. Our TV sat on a stand for about 9 months untouched when it cracked.
The overheating sounds plausible. For those that don’t know, a plasma television actually has two glass screens separated by a gas. If the gas get’s too hot, maybe it could expand enough to put enough pressure on the glass to crack it. It sounds reasonable considering most of us are reporting it was the internal glass that cracked and not the outer glass.