Vizio TV Shuts Off After Five Seconds? (Possible Causes & Fixes)
Many consumers choose Vizio products for the reliability and quality of their electronic products. However, one documented problem appears to plague Vizio TVs. Many users report their Vizio TVs turn off suddenly after only a few seconds.
If your Vizio TV begins to turn itself off after only a few seconds of being in operation, a setting needs to be corrected. The issue is a problem with the power controller board, or the power supplied to your Vizio TV. You may need to explore resetting some menu settings or diagnosing an electrical issue to fix this problem.
Before you call a service technician, you should try simple procedures to fix your Vizio TV. A Vizio TV that shuts itself off after only a few seconds often suffers from an improperly set up TV or an inadequate power supply. Our step-by-step procedures can help you diagnose these problems systematically
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Start at the Beginning
We start out the step-by-step process to find why your Vizio TV turns itself at the source of the power. We will work our way from the power source to the internal components of your Vizio TV. We hope to solve your Vizio TV issues before we get to the internal parts requiring a service technician.
Step 1: Check the Wall Outlet and the Power Plug
Start at the wall outlet where your Vizio TV plugs in. Unplug the TV from the wall and look for cracks or other signs of damage on the outlet. If you find damage or signs of overheating, such as smoke smudges, your Vizio TV may be getting intermittent power.
If the plug on the Vizio TV is damaged or melted, the entire power cord should be replaced with a new power cable. Overheating can damage the power cable and allow a short circuit that can be dangerous or damage your Vizio TV.
Many people use a surge protector between the wall outlet and the TV power cable. Bypass the surge protector for the rest of these tests. If your surge protector has been damaged by a surge or spike in voltage, it may act erratically, causing your Vizio TV to turn off suddenly.
Step 2: Turn on Your Vizio TV and Listen
Turn on your Vizio TV using the remote control and listen carefully near the back of the TV where the power cable plugs in. If you hear buzzing or a high-pitched noise just before your Vizio TV turns itself off, you have a faulty power controller board that must be repaired or replaced.
If the power controller board is damaged or faulty, you should call a Vizio service technician to make the required repairs. In most cases, making this sort of internal repair on your Vizio TV is beyond the capabilities of most homeowners. This is especially true if your Vizio TV is still under warranty.
Step 3: Perform a Power Cycle on your Vizio TV
A problem with the software that operated the power control board may cause your Vizio TV to turn itself off. Resetting this software is as easy as performing a power reset on your TV. This is easily accomplished using these instructions.
- Use your Vizio remote control or the on/off button on the TV.
- Unplug your Vizio TV from the power outlet.. If you use a surge protector, unplug the TV from the surge protector for now.
- Hold the power button on the Vizio TV down for 15 to 3 0seconds. This allows any remaining electrical charge in the TV to dissipate.
- Plug your Vizio TV back into the wall outlet. Bypass your surge protector until you have completed testing.
- Turn on your Vizio TV and test to see if the power off problem recurs.
If your Vizio TV appears to operate normally, you may have solved the problem. If not, continue with the steps in our testing procedure.
Step 4: Turn Off Any Video Settings
Certain settings on your Vizio TV may cause intermittent self-shutdown issues. Turn off any extra settings on the Vizio video settings using these directions.
- Use the MENU button on your remote control to access the menu dialog box.
- Find the selection labeled ADVANCED VIDEO and press OK
- Move the cursor down the menu options and select RESET PICTURE MODE.
- The dialog box has several options. Fund and turn off these features:
Ambient Lighting – OffBacklight Control – OffAdvances Adaptive Luna – Off
- Back out of the menu selections to the main screen on your Vizio TV.
- Turn the TV off and back on and check for proper operation.
There may be instances when certain special video settings can cause your Vizio TV to act randomly and turn itself off. Resetting these options can help eliminate issues with your Vizio TV turning itself off.
Step 5: Make sure the Sleep Timer isn’t Set
An improperly set sleep timer may be the issue with your Vizio TV. Reset your sleep timer setting by following these instructions.
- Turn on your Vizio TV using the remote control or the on/off button on the TV
- Press the MENU button on your remote to access the settings menu on your TV.
- Find the menu item labeled TIMERS and press OK
- Locate the sleep timer and select the menu item
- Set the sleep timer to 0 minutes or the OFF position and press OK.
Turn your Vizio TV off and then back on. Wait a few minutes to see if your Vizio TV turns itself off.
Step 6: Do a Factory Reset on your Vizio TV
If the power reset doesn’t work, you can try a factory reset on your Vizio TV. Performing a factory reset will undo everything you have done while setting up your Vizio TV. All the internal memories and settings will return to the same state as a brand new TV. Be prepared for this by making notes of your username, passwords, and preferred settings before starting the factory reset.
- Turn on your Vizio TV. If you can’t get the TV to stay on long enough to perform the factory reset, you may need to call a service technician at this point.
- Use your Vizio remote control to access the menu by pressing the MENU button.
- On the MENU screen, scroll down to the SYSTEM menu option
- The TV will prompt you for a PIN number to access more menus. If you have changed the system password, enter it now. If you have not changed the password, the default passcode is 0000.
- Choose the RESET option and press the OK or ENTER key on your remote control.
- Be patient while your Vizio TV performs the factory reset. Your Vizio TV will turn off and then turn back on after a few seconds. You will immediately be taken to the actual setup process on the TV.
- Give the TV a few minutes to check for proper operation. If the problem appears to be solved, continue with the setup, and reenter your information as needed.
In some cases, you may need to force a firmware update to your TV from the Vizio Website. Your Vizio TV will prompt you if a firmware update is needed to complete the factory reset.
Step 7: Call in the Professionals
If none of these procedures doesn’t stop your Vizio TV from turning itself off, it’s time for professional help. More than likely, you have a problem with the power controller. Most instances of a faulty power controller require the control board to be replaced. This is a job for a professional service technician.
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Keeping the Entertainment Flowing
We hope that one of our suggestions solves your Vizio TV problems. If not, a trained service technician is an appropriate response. If your Vizio TV is under warranty, the service technician can advise you about your options to get your Vizio TV operational.
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Dennis is a retired firefighter with an extensive background in construction, home improvement, and remodeling. He worked in the trades part-time while serving as an active firefighter. On his retirement, he started a remodeling and home repair business, which he ran for several years.
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