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Sarah Tew/CNET
Yesterday, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued an official product recall for select 39-inch and 42-inch 2014 Vizio E-series TVs.
“The stand assembly can fail and cause the television to tip over unexpectedly, posing a risk of impact injury to the consumer,” according to the CPSC site.
The recalled sets include model numbers E390-B0, E390i-B0 and E420i-B0 , and applies to sets sold between December 2013 and June 2014. They were originally manufactured in China and Mexico by AmTran of Taiwan, owner of the JVC brand and maker of TVs for numerous brands including Vizio.
The defect is not visible on the outside of the stand assembly, according to Vizio. No injuries have been reported yet despite 51 cases of the recalled TVs tipping over. The recall affects 245,000 units.
Sarah Tew/CNET
CNET contacted Vizio and AmTran for comment and additional details. AmTran had no comment, but Vizio was able to elaborate somewhat:
“VIZIO received a limited number of end user reports that the neck on certain units (E390-B0, E390i-B0, and the E420i-B0) had experienced cracking at the intersection with the base, creating instability that can cause the unit to tip over, in some cases forward. VIZIO has worked with the manufacturer, and the problem has been identified and addressed and the stands have been modified to prevent further occurrences.”
Anyone who owns one of these TVs should contact Vizio via the toll-free number or the email address listed on the company’s dedicated support page. Vizio will send out a replacement stand assembly within a week. Even if your TV is wall-mounted, you’re encouraged to get a replacement stand in case you need to use it later.
To find out if your set is among those recalled, check the serial number against the list at the CPSC site, or use Vizio’s serial number lookup tool.
CNET owns an E420i-B0 that’s among the affected units. We filled out the form to get a replacement stand, and received the following confirmation notice.
The 2014 Vizio E-series currently sits atop CNET’s list of recommended TVs thanks to its combination of picture quality and value. But we didn’t like the stand: “The low-profile stand doesn’t swivel, and its stalk is a somewhat flimsy-feeling affair.”
We’re looking forward to receiving our replacement.
Updated with comment from Vizio.
