Experiencing issues with a Vizio TV that won’t turn on and a power light that fades off can be quite frustrating. It probably means you can’t use your TV right now. So, let’s try to get you in and out of this problem as quickly as possible so you can get back to enjoying your content:
If your Vizio TV won’t turn on but the power light slowly fades, start by unplugging the TV form the wall to power-cycle it. Use a flashlight to check if there’s an image but the LED panel has failed. Unplug all HDMI devices incase of a CEC issue, but, if none of that works, contact Vizio support.
There could be multiple reasons behind this problem, and there are some even more copmlicated than what we hint at in the paragraph above. Being well-informed about the factors that lead to this situation will not only empower you to resolve the issue swiftly but also equip you with the knowledge to prevent it from recurring in the future, so let’s roll up our sleeves and get into it.
3 Causes And Solutions To This Problem
Here we’ll present the top 3 things we see causing this issue, in order of priority for you to try and troubleshoot them. Toward the end, we’ll bring our attention around to when to contact Vizio Support.
Power Cycling Your TV
One potential reason behind this issue is similar to something stuck in your TV’s flash memory or caused by a glitch in the electronics. In such cases, power cycling your TV can help resolve the problem. To power cycle your TV, follow these steps:
- Unplug your TV.
- Hold down the physical power button on your TV for at least 15 seconds to drain any residual power from the capacitors.
- Leave your TV unplugged for at least 5 minutes.
- Plug it back in and switch it back on, holding the physical power button for 30 seconds on the way up.
We can’t imagine what TV panel make/model you have here, but these directions should trigger a reset on the way down (pressing power after unplugging/waiting 5m), or when you come back up (hold for 30s after power on). Most TV’s don’t have any formal reset path–power cycling does it all–but for the one’s that do, this combination of actions should trigger a formal reset if there’s one to trigger.
If your TV still isn’t working, head to the next section.
HDMI Auto-Switching Inputs
Another possible cause could be a poorly seated cable that is automatically switching inputs on your TV without fully connecting. This could be due to a faulty or damaged HDMI cable, a damaged HDMI port with broken pins, or a poor HDMI connection where the cable and connector are not fully making contact.
It could also be from everything working just fine, maybe when an HDMI-CEC device is simply telling the TV to turn off. You can check out more about HDMI-CEC in our related article, but right now let’s just eliminate this as an opportunity for failure:
Now, remove any HDMI devices from your TV.
That’s really it! If you had an HDMI CEC device competing for control of the TV, it’s not not connected and you can try power cycling again to see if that fixed the problem.
Backlight Failure
The next potential cause is a more severe one: a backlight failure. If your Vizio TV is not turning on and the power light fades off, then the issue is likely due to a backlight failure. One of the most common failure points on a Vizio TV is the backlight, which can be linked to the voltage inverter or the power board itself. To check for backlight failure, follow these steps:
- Follow your normal process for switching on your TV.
- Get right up close to the screen and point the light on your phone or a flashlight directly at the screen.
- Try changing channels with your remote or going into the menu.
If the backlight is not working, you will see very faint images on your TV screen. To fix a failed backlight, you will need to open up your TV and replace the voltage inverter or power board–which is to say you should probably just buy a new one or check the section on Vizio’s warranty further down.
Other Things You Can Check
There are a few other things that can cause this, and we’ll mention them here, but these are more rare edge-cases that most users won’t run into.
One possibility is your home power supply. While this is a rare occurrence, it’s worth checking if other devices are facing issues with the same outlet. Test the outlet your TV is plugged into using a different device to ensure it’s functioning properly.
Another area to investigate is the other components of the TV itself. The power cable or motherboard might be damaged, but trying to replace them could prove to be difficult and time-consuming. If your Vizio Smart TV is older than 5-6 years, it is not surprising to experience failure, as electronic devices do not last forever.
Contacting Vizio Support + Vizio Warranty
If you’ve reached this point, it’s probably time to start talking with Vizio on their contact page. When contacting Vizio, be prepared to provide the model or serial number of your TV as well as a brief description of the issue you are experiencing, and all the troubleshooting you’ve done so far.
In some cases, Vizio might require a technician to assess the issue and perform TV repairs. The warranty generally covers the labor and parts needed for the repair, ensuring a more cost-effective solution from the manufacturer.
Is Your Vizio TV Fixed Yet?
If so, you should know that this isn’t the first issue we see people having with these devices. Have a look at our related guides on if your Vizio TV has no sound, how to turn it on and/or connect to WiFi if you don’t have the remote, and how to pair things like Bluetooth devices and subwoofers with these TVs. You should know about these other troubleshooting topics and features so that you can get the most of your devices in your home theater system!
Fade To Black
We hope this article has provided you with valuable insights and potential solutions to resolve the issue of your Vizio TV not turning on when the power light fades off. If your panel is busted, just note that these devices, like any other’s, don’t last forever. If you got 6-7yrs of use our of your Smart TV, that’s pretty good!
