Magnavox Flickering screen

[Luis Juarez]

I havea Magnavox 40mf401b that has a flickering screen, RGB colors flash continously. I've contacted Magnavox support and they had me try troubleshoot it different ways which didn't work. For example, unpluggin the TV for an hour, and pressing a combination of buttons on the original remote. Such as up, down, left, right, power. They walked me through 4-10 combinations of this and told me to just keep doing combinations and it will work as the tv is on service/test mode. I haven't been able to solve the problem and I have found a few similar issues online, the solution is a combination of these buttons. This isn't listed on the manual. Final solution from Magnavox is pay them $110 as a one-time fee for unimited lifetime repairs. I found this far fetched as no company offers unlimited lifetime repairs at no additional costs. They couldn't send me a contract showing where it states this so now I'm here hopefully to get a solution.

One other thing, when I power up, the red led light on the tv flashes 18 times.I've had the tv for exactly a year, just my luck.

Thanks,

Luis

 

[ur6beersaway]

What did Magnavox tech services say 18 flashes means?

 

[Luis Juarez]

What did Magnavox tech services say 18 flashes means?

they weren't too confident in the answer they gave me, they said it's just the power up flash. I said, I googled it and it came up as a service code, but no answer on what the service code is. I only found the 18 flashes online once. I just got off the phone with magnavox yet again. Sure enough, their reps don't know squat.
-The $110 payment does not cover lifetime repairs. I have to pay that, get it shipped to them and I'll have 30 days warranty on the repair. After that I'm on my own. I stated that because I'm getting conflicting info I want it in writing before I pay and commit otherwise they may nickel and dime me. The supervisor said they don't have this info in writing so I just have to trust them .

-The supervisor agreed the tv is stuck on service mode and indicated the $110 for repair by them may be uncalled for as it does not need repairs. However he couldn't help troubleshoot the problem. He agreed it is a combination of opposite buttons on the remote - up, down or left, right then a menu will appear asking if I want to exit service mode, then power off. The menu did not come up.

He gave me a website, funaiservice.com so I can find a local authorized repair shop that may help me, at a cost of course.

So no luck.

 

[Luis Juarez]

Update: I went to funaiservice, forgot I was there as I surfed the net. Lo and behold a CSR from Funai starts chatting "what can I help you with" I told him my issue, what magnavox said, and how they sent me there to look for a repair shop on my dime. The CSR went through the same troubleshooting with me, then he suggested the remote may be the issue. He was charging me $27, but I told him my issue started the day my 1 year warranty expired. He verified and is mailing me a free remote. He will also annotate the account, if this doesn't solve it I still get the in warranty price of $110 if I choose.

I will keep this forum posted. Why didn' t Magnavox offer this initially! I know, because they wanted my money for a repair that wasn't even a repair.

 

[ur6beersaway]

Good news, It didn't cost anything YET but your time. I hope the new remote does the trick. The coincidence of one year & a day. They should still honor (warranty) something that has a problem that close. just good business not a conspiracy.
cheers