Sony recalls 1.6 million Bravia TVs due to risk of overheating

By Rick Marshall October 12, 2011

Sony is clearly not having a good week — but then again, neither are consumers.

Hot on the heels of yesterday’s news that Sony had to lock 93,000 user accounts after yet another hacking attempt, the company is issuing a recall of 1.6 million models of its popular Bravia LCD televisions.

According to Bloomberg, the Japanese trade ministry first asked Sony to issue a recall for the televisions after a September incident in which one of the sets caught fire. Eleven other incidents have been reported in Japan since 2008.

In the wake of the incidents and the trade ministry’s request, Sony announced that the Bravia model was indeed at risk of overheating due to defective parts. The recall is currently restricted to Japan, though U.S. and European recall announcements are expected today.

During the recall, Sony will dispatch service crews to inspect suspect televisions and the sets will be repaired if they contain the faulty part. The company may offer a rental set while repairs are being made, though there won’t be any refunds or replacements.

The Bravia line is one of the world’s most popular lines of HD and 3D televisions, and the recall is expected to affect televisions sold as far back as 2007. The component suspected of causing the problem is part of the backlight system for the models, and could potentially melt the top of the television when it overheats.

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