Vizio TV Keeps Turning Off After a Few Seconds? (Possible Causes & Fixes)

Emily Carr
by Emily Carr

There’s nothing worse than when your Vizio TV keeps turning off after a few seconds in the middle of Monday Night Football. It’s time to get to the bottom of this before you lose your cool.

A Vizio TV that turns itself off usually has issues with overheating, a broken mainboard, a damaged power supply, or incorrect settings on the Vizio TV. Setting that can cause your Vizio TV to turn off on its own includes Auto-Off enabled or incorrect CEC settings. You may have problems with the power cable or the electrical outlet.

Keep reading to learn more about Vizio Inc.’s mission to make affordable technology, why your Vizio TV keeps turning off, and how to fix the problem.

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A Background on Vizio Inc.

In order to understand why a Vizio TV keeps turning off after a few seconds, let’s dive into the company itself.

Vizio TVs were created by Vizio Inc., an American, privately-held company that designs, markets, manufactures, and sells consumer electronics. The goal for them is to create innovative products at affordable prices. They have been in business since 2002.

Their TVs are “smart” TVs with internet connectivity so that you can watch live TV or stream digital content via built-in apps. They pride themselves on being a budget-friendly business; however, sometimes, their televisions turn off unexpectedly.

Why does this happen? Follow along to find out.

Why Does My Vizio TV Keep Turning Off After a Few Seconds?

There are a few reasons why your Vizio TV might keep turning off after only a few seconds of being on.

The Reasons:

  • ‘Sleep Timer’ is enabled
  • Power cord is unplugged
  • Faulty Power button/ remote control
  • Broken outlet
  • Other device interference
  • Damaged wiring
  • Power outage
  • Overheating 

We’ll get into the details below.

‘Sleep Timer’ Is Enabled

The ‘Sleep Timer’ is a setting on Vizio TVs that may be causing them to turn off after a few seconds.

The way it works is that the TV will turn itself off after a selected amount of time. You can set it to automatically turn off in 30, 60, 90, 120, or 180 minutes; however, this setting can trigger premature powering down.

The Solution

All you need to do is turn the feature off.

To do this:

  • Go to the TV ‘Menu.’
  • Select ‘Timers.’
  • Scroll down to ‘Sleep Timer’ and toggle it to ‘Off.’

Additionally, while you’re in this menu, take a look at the ‘Auto Power Off’ feature. Make sure that is off, too, as it could be contributing to the problem.

Power Cord Is Unplugged

The second thing you should do if your Vizio TV keeps turning off after only a few seconds is look at the power cord. Make sure it has not been unplugged or knocked out of place.

This is an obvious one but often goes overlooked because most people jump to assume all issues are electrical. If anything on the back of your TV, like the HDMI cord, is loose, your TV may be powering off without explanation.

The Solution

The fix is simple.

Check all of the connections on the back of your TV and make sure everything is screwed in, tight, and flush with no gaps. Additionally, check the outlets to make sure the plug-ins are secure.

If everything looks OK, your TV may have a faulty power cord that needs to be replaced. You can easily find one for under $10 on Amazon Opt for a longer cord if your TV keeps unplugging!

Faulty Power Button/Remote Control

Another reason Vizio TVs keep turning off after only a few seconds is that the power button on the TV, or remote control, could be faulty.

After years of use, sometimes the power button gets stuck or other buttons on the remote stop working. It’s normal wear-and-tear but could be causing problems with your television.

The Solution

There’s a two-step process for fixing this.

First, swap out the batteries to see if that helps. Vizio TVs take two AAA batteries. If that doesn’t take care of it, you can find a replacement remote for around $9.

Broken Outlet

Oftentimes, your Vizio TV turning off prematurely could be completely unrelated to the TV itself.

The TV could be plugged into a broken or tripped outlet. Sometimes it’s possible to reset the outlet; otherwise, see if another outlet is close by.

The Solution

Let’s first rule out your Vizio TV being the issue.

Try plugging something else into the outlet to see if it powers on. If not, we know the outlet is to blame. If resetting doesn’t take care of the problem, call a local electrician to troubleshoot your electrical issue.

In the meantime, purchase an extension cord to reach the closest working outlet. This will keep your television functional until it’s fixed!

Other Device Interference

If you have multiple electronic devices plugged into the same outlet, make sure another device is not turning off your Vizio TV.

It would take something pretty powerful to shut down a Vizio TV in such a short amount of time, but it’s worth checking out. Sometimes if you have too many devices plugged into an outlet close by, it can trip the entire system.

The Solution

This takes a little bit of trial and error.

First, start by moving all of your other devices to different outlets (if you can). Avoid using extension cords with multiple plug recipients- these can overwhelm the wall outlet.

Next, move your TV plug to another spot. This should help alleviate any power surges resulting from overworking a singular outlet.

Damaged Wiring

Sometimes TV wires can get damaged or broken due to bad weather or even just old age. This might cause the television to turn off after only a few seconds, so it would be worth having an expert diagnose this further.

Identifying broken wiring can range from checking the cables behind your TV to having a professional look at the network wiring in your backyard.

The Solution

This is one of the more time-consuming issues causing your Vizio TV to keep turning off after a few seconds.

Bring in an electrician or your cable company to ensure everything is working correctly before investing any time or money into the TV. If it turns out that damaged wiring is the source of the problem, you can replace them for around $400 (parts and labor included.)

However, this price will depend on the average cost of services where you live and which wires need to be replaced.

Power Outage

If your neighborhood has recently been hit by bad weather, such as rain or snow storms, this could also explain why your Vizio keeps turning off after a few seconds.

Poor weather conditions wreak havoc on modern conveniences. A power outage won’t require any troubleshooting from you and will be quite apparent to identify.

The Solution

Really all you can do is be patient and wait.

Typically every internet/cable provider has an online platform that allows you to determine which areas lost power and how long it will take to regain it. Depending on the severity of the outage, average wait times are around 4 hours.

Look for your zip code and contact a local representative for a better estimate.

Overheating

If there are no other possible explanations for why your Vizio TV keeps turning off after only a few seconds, then it might be overheating.

This is actually quite common with many modern TVs and usually happens because of too much sunlight exposure or overuse. If you keep your Vizio TV on all day long, it’s likely a simple case of too much heat.

The Solution

A few things can be done to cool off your television.

First, touch the back of your television to see if it feels hot, and shut the blinds if sunshine is flooding your TV screen. This can overheat the electronics inside and cause it to power down.

Next, unplug your TV and wait for it to cool down for 15 minutes. After it feels cool, you can plug it back in and power it on.

Additionally, try to keep your TV turned off if you aren’t watching it. Background noise is nice, but a little downtime for your screen will extend the television’s lifespan and prevent further complications.


Related Questions

Why does my Vizio TV have no picture but still have sound?

Likely, your Vizio TV has no picture but still has sound due to a plug problem.First, make sure your television is plugged into the outlet. Then, check the HDMI cord to ensure it’s secure. If neither helps, move your HDMI connector to another port (make sure also to switch which HDMI you’re viewing from on the TV menu).The last option is to do a complete reset of your Vizio TV. Go to Menu > System > Reset > Reset to Factory Settings.


Why is my Vizio TV not turning on?

If your Vizio TV doesn’t turn on, it could be because of an outlet problem or remote issue.Make sure your outlet is working by plugging in another device. If it is- great, move on to the remote. Replace the AAA batteries on your remote first, and if that doesn’t do the trick, you can find a replacement on Amazon for under $10!


Where can I get a new Vizio TV power cord?

If you’re having problems with your Vizio TV, it might be the power cord.You can buy a new one from Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, or Office Depot. They sell for an average of $10 and come in all different lengths with the option of black or white.

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The Conclusion

Vizio TVs are great for budget-conscious buyers, but there is one glitch that can happen to even the best products.

When your Vizio TV keeps turning off after a few seconds, the cause could be many different factors, so it’s essential to identify the culprit correctly. It can be triggered by a power outage or even a loose cable.

Try all of the above tips before buying a new TV!

Emily Carr
Emily Carr

Emily is a copywriter with over five years of experience in crafting content for the home renovation and remodeling industry. She loves house projects, whether it be painting a room or tweaking small design elements to transform a space. Her favorite aesthetic is french modern because of its clean lines and airy feeling! When not writing, Emily loves to travel and check out architectural details all over the world.

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