Vizio TV Won't Turn On: Every PROVEN Fix

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You’ve probably tried everything you can think of, but still your Vizio TV won’t turn on or won’t stay on.

You might think an expensive repair or replacement is your only option, but actually it is completely possible to fix a Vizio TV that doesn’t turn on, with only a few minutes of your time and a little know-how.

This guide covers every possible way to fix your Vizio TV and get it switched on as normal again. Just follow each step in turn, and I am sure we can get your TV working.

Vizio TV Won’t Turn On

If your Vizio TV won’t turn on, fix it by checking your TV is receiving power and that all cables are firmly connected, then reset it by unplugging it, holding the power button down for 15 seconds, then plugging your TV back in after waiting a further 30 minutes.

Most people will now have their TVs working properly again with the simple fix above, but for those who need it, I’ll cover more detailed steps and every way to sort out your TV.

We’ll start with the simpler software fixes that you might have overlooked, before moving into the more complex hardware fixes.

Watch a quick overview of every fix in the video below.

1. Check Your Wall Socket is Working

It might seem obvious, but the most common reason why your TV won’t turn on is because of a household power issue, rather than a problem with the TV itself.

First, you need to confirm that your wall socket is supplying enough power, and there is no interruption of supply during use.

There’s a few methods that you can use:

Unplug your Vizio TV from your wall socket.
Remove any surge interruptors or smart plugs so that you have a direct line to your wall socket.
Plug another large device that you know works into the same socket and check that the new device works as normal. (It’s important that this device draws approximately as much power as your TV, to confirm the socket is fully working).
Remove the other device and plug your TV back into this socket.
Switch on the power and switch on your TV using the physical power button located somewhere on its case.
See if any lights show on your TV. If so, you know your TV is receiving power and you can move onto the next step.
If you get no response from your TV, repeat these steps with another wall socket to confirm your household electricity supply isn’t a problem.

2. How to Reset Vizio TV That Won’t Turn On

Although this might seem a basic step, power cycling your TV is often the best way to fix a non-working Vizio TV.

With modern electronics, it’s possible that the problem is caused by something stuck in your TV’s flash memory or by a gremlin in the electronics that simply switching your TV on and off won’t resolve.

Power cycling your TV will clear out any issues with non-permanent memory without losing your personal settings.

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 30 minutes.
Plug it back in and switch back on.

nb. Make sure that you hold down the physical power button on your TV, not the one on the remote and make sure you time 15 seconds when holding the power button down.

Make sure you do wait for the full 30 minutes before plugging your TV back in – you would be surpised how long the components within your TV can hold charge, and you want to make sure it has fully reset.

Although this seems a very basic step, don’t overlook it because in the vast majority of cases a simple soft reset fixes most issues.

Most people will now have their TV fixed and back up and running. If this isn’t you, then we’ve got a few more basic fixes to try before getting into the hardware fixes.

3. Check Your HDMI Cables

There’s a strong possibility that a poorly seated cable is automatically switching inputs on your TV, but as it’s not fully connected, it isn’t able to supply a signal and so it looks like your TV isn’t working.

This comes down to either a:

Faulty HDMI cable with a break in it
Damaged HDMI port with broken pins
Poor HDMI connection where the cable and connector are not fully making contact

To check your HDMI and other cables:

Switch off your TV.
Remove any HDMI or other physical cables connected to the back of your TV.
If you have any compressed air, use that to clean the contacts both of the cable and in the connector on the TV. If you don’t have compressed air, then blow gently on them.
Firmly push the cables back into their slots on the TV.
Switch your TV back on again.

It that hasn’t fixed the problem, then try using a different HDMI input. Most TVs have 3 or 4 HDMI ports.

If you have one that is on a different part of the TV then that would be the best one to try, as it this should have a separate connection to the TV’s main board.

Plug you HDMI cable into the new port, note the number next to it, then choose this HDMI input on your TV, by using the Input or Source button on your TV remote or the Input or Menu button on your TV itself.

You can also try removing all external devices, including those connected by Bluetooth and any coaxial or signal cables, so that the TV only has a power cable going into it.

When you turn your TV on, this means the screen will be black as it is not receiving any picture, potentially making it tough to see if it is truly working or not.

Try to pull up the on-screen menu. If you can see this, then it means that your external connections are the problem, and you should try reseating your HDMI cables one by one, until you find the damaged cable that needs replacing.

4. Check for Power Cord Damage

If you didn’t check when changing the wall socket that your TV is plugged into, you should now confirm that the power cord itself isn’t damaged.

In particular, look for kinks and knots in the power cable, which can damage the copper wires both mechanically and from increasing the electrical resistance, which generates heat causing damage that may not necessarily be obvious.

Because of potential damage within the cable that you cannot see due to the protective sheath, it can be a good idea to use a new power cable, if you have one or can borrow one.

Also, be sure to carefully look at the power connector on your TV, if available, to confirm that the port is free from corrosion, dirt and dust.

5. See If Your Remote is Working

If you can see that your Vizio TV is getting power – perhaps your Vizio TV is not turning on but white light is on, or because you can hear sound from the speakers – there is a chance that the remote is not working.

If you are using an IR remote, then confirm that you have a good line of site to your TV.

If you are using an RF remote, confirm that it is connected to the same local network as your TV.

Don’t forget to check the batteries in your remote, replacing the existing ones with brand new batteries if you have no way of checking them.

For IR remotes, it’s possible to check if the remote is working by using your smartphone’s camera.

Simply point the IR transmitter on the end of your remote at your phone’s camera and you will see a red light appear when you press any button on the remote.

This doesn’t work for some cameras though, notably some iPhones, so check with another remote if in doubt.

6. Vizio TV Not Turning On But Light is On

If your Vizio TV is not turning on but the light is on, then the issue is likely to be a more serious one: either a main board failure or a backlight failure.

It should still be possible to fix yourself, but may require some tools and replacement parts.

One of the most common failure points on a Vizio TV is the backlight.

Usually, the backlight itself does not fail, but either voltage inverter (depending on the precise model) or the power board itself fails, meaning that the backlight is no longer receiving power.

Backlight failure is most likely if you Vizio TV is not turning on but the light is on.

To check for backlight failure:

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.

Luckily, this is pretty easy to fix, but it will require you to open up your TV. If you’re not confident with that, then your options are to either go to a repair shop, or get a new TV.

To fix a failed backlight:

Unplug your TV, hold down the power button and wait for at least 30 minutes. There are large capacitors in the power board for the backlight and these can hold charge for an extended period of time.
Place your TV face down on a large table or workbench. Make sure there is nothing that can scratch the screen on your work surface.
Ground yourself.
Open your TV by unscrewing the screws in the backpanel. It should come apart in two pieces: front and back.
Put the back panel somewhere out of the way and take a look at the circuit boards that have been revealed.
You will see a T-Con board for translating the signal into a TV picture, a power board and a main board. Any wires or ribbons that are near the edge of the TV should be disconnected.
Then remove the screws around the edge that hold the bezel of the TV.
With some care, you should be able to remove the bezel, panel and reveal the TV backlight underneath, which will be in strips of LED lights.
Use a voltmeter or TV backlight tester to check whether they are working, and replace any failures.
If these still work, you can test the power board (a circuit board identified by the obvious power connector) using your voltmeter or tester, and replace this if failed.

The position of the boards and their precise shapes and sizes will vary by model, but the T-Con board can be identified by the ribbon cables connecting it to the TV’s panel. Identify the main three boards you will see in the images below.

You can also take a look at the video below to see how to replace your Vizio TV’s backlights.

Is this hasn’t diagnosed the issue, then you should investigate the main board and any other connections you see using your voltmeter. Try to determine if all components are receiving power.

If you need to replace the power board or main board, then eBay generally offers a wide selection of relatively cheap parts.

Vizio TV Support and Warranty

You can check your warranty information direct with Vizio.

Unfortunately, warranties typically only last a year unless you have already paid to extend it.

Because problems where the TV doesn’t come on can occur at any time, if your TV is under one year old, return your TV under warranty and get it fixed.

You can use the Vizio support site to help diagnose your problem, but if you are at this stage, then you are better off calling them direct on:

844-254-8087 (Mon. – Fri., 8am – 11pm CST, Sat. – Sun., 9am – 8pm CST)

You can also contact them directly through live chat, or text them a short description of your problem on 205-301-3729.

Even if Vizio won’t fix your TV, they might still offer you a discount off a future model if you pester them hard enough! This is always worth a try in my experience.

What to Do if Your Vizio TV Won’t Turn On

To wrap up, if your Vizio TV is not turning on, then to fix it you can:

Check your TV is receiving power by testing your wall sockets.
Reset your TV by leaving it unplugged while holding the power button.
Remove any connected Bluetooth and physically connected devices.
Look for damage to your power cable.
Check your remote is working and has batteries.
Test if the backlight and other components are working.

If none of these options work, then you are most likely looking at a failed main board. These are replaceable, but you might be better off getting a professional to look at it for you.

Before going down this path though, try Vizio support one last time, and if nothing else, they might well offer you a discount off a new model.