After owning my Vizio TV for 3 years, I’ve had my share fair of issues with it. One issue I commonly run into with my Vizio P-Series 75″ TV is while I’m using Netflix or another streaming app, the TV kicks me out in the middle of watching a movie or a show.
This normally happens due to Vizio’s lacking firmware. But a more serious issue I’ve encountered is the TV not turning on altogether. So, why is this happening?
If your Vizio TV won’t turn on, turn your TV off and unplug the cord from the wall socket. Press the power button on your TV for 30 seconds and wait a full minute. Plug the cord back into the wall and power your TV on. This soft reset should fix the issue.
If this doesn’t work, take the batteries out of the back of your remote. Then, press and hold the power button for 30 seconds. Plug a new set of batteries back in and try powering on your TV.
If all else fails, it’s possible your HDMI connection is faulty and you may need a new cable. Try plugging your HDMI cable into a new port or replacing the cable altogether.
In rare cases, the backlight of your TV has malfunctioned and will need repair. But let’s not assume the worst… let’s begin by troubleshooting together.
Is There A Reset Button on a Vizio TV?
While there’s no actual reset button, you can perform a Clear Memory or Reset to Default on your Vizio TV. Simply take your remote and press the Menu button. Head over to System and Press OK.
Highlight the Reset & Admin section and press OK. Click on Reset TV to Factory Defaults and press OK again. Wait for the TV to turn off completely. When it powers back on, the Setup App process will start again.
Keep in mind that doing this will delete any settings you may have had on your TV. You will have to adjust it to your favorite settings after performing this reset.
If The Power Light Fades Off
If your turn on your Vizio TV but the power light fades off, chances are you’re dealing with bad LED backlights. The easiest way to diagnose this is by shining a flashlight on your TV’s display and seeing if there’s a message on the screen.
When testing mine, I was getting a message “No Channels in Master List”. I turned my TV off and back on and was able to see the Vizio logo, but then it went away really quickly.
This means the LED lights are not functioning correctly. If there are only one or two lights blown, you can repair the TV’s display or hire a professional to do it. Of course, you’ll have to take the TV part first to diagnose it.
You can buy a new set of LED strips on eBay or Amazon. If you want to attempt to replace the lights yourself, there’s a YouTube video that shows how to do it.
Troubleshooting a Vizio TV That Won’t Turn On
1. Unplug the TV and Turn it Back On
Before unplugging the TV from the wall socket, make sure it is turned off. Either tap the power button on the remote or locate the power button on the TV itself and turn it off. The power button may be located on the back, bottom, or side of the TV. These buttons are often very inconspicuous, so a thorough search may need to happen.
Now, unplug the TV from the wall socket to perform what is called a “soft reset.” Sometimes smart TVs can get stuck and need a little nudge to get them working properly again. Simply unplug the cord from the wall and wait at least a full 60 seconds before plugging it back in.
Once the cord is unplugged, be sure to hold the power button down on the TV itself for at least 30 seconds. This makes sure to remove any residual power from the TV, and allows for the soft reset to occur.
It’s important to wait the full 60 seconds before plugging the cord back in, or the TV may not complete the reset and it will still be stuck. Once an entire minute has passed, plug the cord back in, turn the TV on and see if that has fixed the problem.
Here’s a YouTube video showing you how to perform this step:
2. Check For Power Issues
While the white light should fade out when the TV comes on, this could also indicate a problem with the power supply. A fuse or breaker could have tripped, the cord could be loose, or something else could have caused the power to suddenly turn off.
Check to make sure the plug is tight, both in the wall and at the back of the TV. A loose connection could make the TV work for a minute then blank out. If the TV is plugged into a power/surge strip, examine it to make sure it didn’t trip or turn off. Another way to check the wall plug is to plug something else in like a lamp and see if it works.
Is there a switch that turns the wall socket on and off? Some houses have this feature to be able to turn lamps on with a wall switch instead of fumbling through the dark to find the lamp switch. It could be something as simple as the switch being accidentally turned off.
Assuming there’s no power at the wall socket, check the breaker box or fuse panel. There could have been a power surge that tripped something. If there is power coming from the wall or surge strip, move on to the next step.
3. Change the Remote Batteries
Remote batteries can go out without warning, and they are often forgotten because they can last a very long time before the batteries are completely emptied. Either go ahead and replace them if they’ve been in the remote for years or switch the TV on manually.
Locate the TV’s power button and hit that to see if it comes on. If the TV comes on by pushing the button but not with the remote, then the batteries have expired.
4. Check Your HDMI Cable & Power Supply Cord
Start with the power cord from the back of the TV. Unplug it and plug it back in to make sure it’s got a snug connection to the TV. Give it a little wiggle to make sure there is no “play” in the connection. Inspect the cord to make sure it doesn’t have any cuts or frays.
Cords rarely fail on their own, but it can happen. Also, occasionally pets—especially new pets—like to chew on power cords which would prevent power from going to the TV. If there is any damage to the cord at all, replace it immediately.
If there is no problem with the cord, move on to the wall plug or power strip. Again, make sure there is a solid connection here, and check the power strip—if one is used—to see if it has been switched off, or has tripped. Switching plugs or plugging in something else that’s working can test if there is power coming from the socket.
Next, check any breakers or fuses that may have tripped. If everything here is in working order and the TV still does not come on, then chances are there’s an internal issue.
5. Check The TV’s Backlight
One last thing to check for this problem is to see if the backlight has failed. To check for backlight failure, find a flashlight and shine it on the TV screen as close as possible. If a picture shows up in the flashlight’s beam, then there’s a backlight issue.
The LEDs may have to be replaced, which will require a TV repair specialist.
6. Check The TV’s Settings
Press the options or menu button on the remote. If nothing happens, then there isn’t much to be done from here. Go ahead and check the next step. Assuming the menu appears on the screen, continue here.
Sometimes the TV’s settings can cause problems. First, check to see if there is a software update that the TV needs. Bring up the Settings menu, go to the System menu, then click the Check for Updates button. If an update is needed, go ahead and run the update to see if that fixes the problem.
If there are no updates, or the update didn’t fix the problem, check the CEC settings. CEC stands for Consumer Electronics Control, and it makes it easier to switch inputs on the TV sometimes without using the remote.
For example, if the TV is streaming Netflix and the game console is booted up, the TV can automatically switch itself over to another input. There could be a glitch in the CEC causing the TV to switch itself to another input that isn’t working.
To fix this problem, go into the Settings menu, locate the CEC tab, then click to disable it. Once that is completed, switch the input to the desired option.
7. Change the TV’s Input
When the TV isn’t receiving a signal, it could appear that it’s not working by showing a blank screen. The cable or satellite may be out, or the streaming stick hasn’t been turned on leaving a blank screen.
Change the HDMI input to something else that is plugged into the TV. For example, switch the input to the game console to see if that shows up on the screen.
If the light stays bright white, but you don’t see any images on the screen, try changing the input of the TV – there’s a chance that there’s something wrong with your source. It might be that your cable is currently out or your streaming stick isn’t turned on.
If Your Vizio TV Won’t Turn on But the Orange Light Is On
If the TV won’t turn on but the orange light is on, the most likely culprit is the batteries. Try replacing the batteries first. If this doesn’t work, it could be an internal part like the solder joints on one of the resistor packs not getting a connection.
Sadly, often enough users report that the main board for the Vizio TV goes bad. This happens when the main board isn’t processing the power command. If you’re not a techie and the usual battery change or hard reset doesn’t work, you’ll probably have to hire a TV technician.
If Your Vizio TV Won’t Turn on After a Firmware Update
While it’s possible the firmware is corrupted, the firmware is not the source of the issue here. We know faulty firmware can ruin the startup process, and there’s usually no way for you to fix the firmware.
What you can do is attempt to download the firmware once more and install it again. Hopefully, it will overwrite the old firmware. But firmware usually has to do with minor sound problems or certain functions, not power issues.
Chances are, you experience an issue with the batteries or power cord before the update and you thought it was the actual update that caused it. Try performing one of our seven troubleshooting methods above to see if fixes the issue.
Vizio TV Won’t Turn on After Power Outage
The first step to take is to drain the power cycle on your TV. Unplug your power cord from the wall and press and hold the power button on your TV for 30 seconds.
This will drain all residual power from your TV. Go ahead and reconnect the TV to the power source and attempt to try it on. It’s possible the electrical components will reset themselves.
If this doesn’t work, it’s possible the power supply regulation failed completely. You’ll have to change the electric circuit boards, which are usually located on the main board. Your best bet is to usually replace the entire board.
Finally, Attempt a Factory Reset
Start off with a soft reset as mentioned above to see if that fixes the problem. If the soft reset did not work, a factory reset can be attempted. A factory reset is an a little more drastic measure as it sets the TV back to the original settings before it was purchased.
While the Vizio TV is on, press and hold the Volume Down button and the Input button for anywhere from 10 to 15 seconds. The TV should then display a message on the screen that says press the Input button to Reset to Defaults, or something similar.
Do as the TV instructs to complete the factory reset. Now just be patient as the TV restores itself. This could take a few minutes. Once that has been completed the TV should work as normal again, but all the apps will have to be added again.
Do You Have An Extended Warranty?
When I bought my Vizio TV, I didn’t buy the extended warranty, which I ended up regretting. TVs in general are notorious for having issues, and my Vizio TV gave me a fair share of them.
Vizio offers the “Zero Bright Pixel” defect guarantee for faulty displays. Most Vizio TVs come with just a one-year manufacturer’s warranty. However, if you purchase select models at Costco or Sam’s Club, you could get a three-year warranty.
TV model numbers that end with the letters H and J and are sold at your local Sam’s Club, BJ’s, or Costco have that 3-year warranty. But in my experience, the store where I bought my TV told me to contact Vizio directly.
At any rate, your Vizio TV is highly likely to experience issues past the 12-month warranty, so getting an extended warranty for less than $50 may be worth it.
Call Vizio Tech Support
When none of the above steps get results and the TV still will not turn on, it’s time to call Vizio Tech Support.
There could be internal issues preventing the TV from turning on, and if it’s still under warranty, it could be fixed by a technician.
Although, many users are reporting that Vizio has lacking customer support and they don’t get your issue fixed promptly. If you’re in a hurry to get your TV back up and running, we recommend troubleshooting yourself or hiring someone to fix it.
Hire a Technician to Fix Your TV
After checking everything above and the TV still won’t turn on, the TV will need to be checked and repaired by a technician. There could be a problem with internal circuits or with individual parts.
On average, expect to pay between $200-400 to repair your Vizio TV. This will often include parts and labor. Ask yourself if the cost is worth it, or if it’s better to simply buy a new TV.
Pro Tip
We’ve all been there, with the remote missing a key here and there or the key simply not working.
If your Vizio remote is broken and you want to add apps to your TV, it’s still possible without a V button.
