Cracked TV screen, don’t think it was me

Got damage on our 10 month old Samsung TV screen, it’s apparently cracked under the screen itself, or something like that. Basically the external part of the TV is unmarked but it shows the crack when turned on, and then swiftly turns off as it senses something is wrong, so it’s basically unusable.

Retailer just says cracked screens are considered as user damage so tough luck but I’m at a loss to understand how it’s been caused. It’s a 2nd TV in a rarely used room, the outside of the TV is immaculate with no signs of damage, not even a thumb print on it so I can’t understand what would have caused it. Is there any chance something like this could happen due to a fault with the TV itself, could that sort of thing happen. I guess could have been us but would at least expect a mark on the external body if it’s cracked underneath. Everyone pleading ignorance, obviously the kids can be sneaky but they are too young to be able to polish up a screen to get rid of any evidence of having touched it, and surely if it’s impact you would see something?

Is there anything else that can cause such damage to LCD screens or is this just going to come back to user error.

How old are the kids?

If there was a nick in the edge of the glass, hidden by the trim, it could develop into a crack after a while

Or maybe something fell against the frame and stressed it such that the inside screen cracked but the outside was unmarked 

You need to refer to the Consumer Rights Act (CRA) to understand what rights/options you have and then decide what to do.

Is it definitely a crack rather than a single line of pixels lighting up? It can look pretty similar on a 4k screen as the pixels are so tiny.

If so, that changes everything from a warranty point of view.

You’ve got kids and you think this happened by itself?

Iirc Samsung had an issue with screens cracking a year or two ago.
My folks bought one that cracked. My dad having nothing else in his life to worry about proper went to town on it and bored the shit out of me about it.

Is it definitely a crack rather than a single line of pixels lighting up? It can look pretty similar on a 4k screen as the pixels are so tiny.

I’m not really sure how to tell the difference given it’s under the glass, any tips?

You’ve got kids and you think this happened by itself?

I’m willing to be wrong, but they are generally pretty terrible liars and adamant they didn’t touch it. Also don’t see how it could have been done by them on the inside of the TV without there being a mark anywhere on the outside of it??

Iirc Samsung had an issue with screens cracking a year or two ago

Interesting, this is the sort of intel I was looking for. I’ll fish around to see if I can find anything more about those issues

Retailer just says cracked screens are considered as user damage so tough luck

I’d perhaps argue that it’s not a cracked screen but an internal fault on the panel.

It’s a tricky one given the timing. Seeing what Samsung has to say might not be a bad idea here. It’s likely a warranty claim, but if nothing else if they can confirm the fault then that’s something you can nail the retailer with.

A photo might be useful.

A photo might be useful.

I agree.👍

Get them in daylight if you can and close as you can. Take one with the fault showing (if it only shows when on briefly?) And one of the same area with the TV off.👍

Interesting, this is the sort of intel I was looking for. I’ll fish around to see if I can find anything more about those issues

I’ve just had a quick look but couldn’t find much. Iirc my dad bought it from richer sounds, the screen cracked after a few months iirc and my folks were fretting it wouldn’t get replaced. I can’t remember the chain of events or where the Samsung cracked screen info came from but they ended up with a Sony instead.

I set up TVs/ fit aerials for a living and I often get calls from people who have similar on their sets. Faulty screen but no visible marks on the outside. Generally the tv having been knocked has caused the fault.

Should have said knocked over.

The kids didn’t touch it . The Sharpie they loaded into their netf gun however…….
It will be the kids , it’s always the kids . adults get old and forget about the stuff that kids do. I know , I shall invent a space ship out of a fork ,some tin foil , a take away lid and some blue tack. Voila , finished , so let’s see how she flies . Straight into the bottom corner of the tele

@Tenacious_doug if you let me have the make and model I can let you know if there are any stock faults with that tv that cause that fault. Might be early next week before I can find out for you though.

We moved hgouse a few months ago, the 32” TV was moved in the back of my car, sat up, screen against the rear seat back rest, perfect position I thought, it wont get bashed there. Got to the new house, TV, externally, in perfect condition, turned it on, and it was bashed in 3 places, completely unusable. Just some pressure on the screen had caused it, with not a mark anywhere on it.

When I was a kid my ex navy uncle gave me a giant magnet from a radar or something. It was about the size of half a brick

Naturally the first thing I did was put it on the telly. Of course, the picture went very strange indeed. But there was no external damage and I denied everything

Until now I’ve told nobody

let you know if there are any stock faults with that tv that cause that fault.

Thanks!

Samsung UE43AU7100 (2021) HDR 4K Ultra HD Smart TV, 43 inch with TVPlus, Black

Have gone back to retailer so will see what they say. Also noticed this morning when getting some more photos that the area on the screen previously showing “damage” is now clear, it’s now showing halfway across the other side of the screen which I can’t understand. Surely if this was impact damage the impacted part can’t suddenly be fine and the damage move elsewhere??

Ask the retailer, don’t say crack, say fault in variable locations on the panel. Good luck!

@kormoran that used to be another common call out on crt TVs, kids with magnets or speakers placed too close to the TV caused the degaussing to go belly up! Was a 5 minute job to put it right with a little device we had.

@tenacious_doug just spoke to my mate who repairs TVs and he says the fault you describe is well known on that model tv. He’s had lots in for a similar thing. Whether the retailer will know that is a different matter.

I demand an apology for the kids!

Was a 5 minute job to put it right with a little device we had.

Oh god, we had one of those at work. Like a motorised bin lid. Plastic disc maybe a foot across with a big spinny magnet inside.

@cougar yeah that was the one. Degaussing machine, pressed a little button in the middle, turned it round in an ever decreasing circle in front of the TV and then let go of the button and hey presto job done!

We had 37″ Mitsubishi CRT monitors as foldback screens years ago. Rotate it on a hotel carpet and you had to run the built in degaussing it was so prone to it. 

Have posted about Samsung “customer service” in this thread, you may find it of interest:

On the subject of soundbars