Today, Vizio is among the most popular smart TV brands in the market. With it, you can pair your streaming device to watch TV shows, movies, and various media content. Vizio smart TVs are also known for their great picture quality and affordability.
However, you might come across a black screen on your Vizio TV. The causes for this problem are mostly hardware-related but can be fixed if it’s not too severe. In this guide, we’ll go over reasons why your Vizio TV turns on but has no picture and how to fix this Vizio TV black screen of death issue.
Read this guide to learn more.
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Common Causes For Vizio TV Black Screen Problem
Display problems are a shared dilemma among various TV brands. In this case, your Vizio TV can only play sounds but is unable to display images on its screen. You want to watch the ESPN app on your Vizio TV but instead you get nothing. Here are the most common causes of the Vizio TV black screen issue:
- Faulty Power Boards – Your Vizio TV has two or more power supply boards that help in supplying adequate power throughout the smart TV’s internal components. If one of these power boards fails, it can result in critical issues such as the Vizio TV black screen of death and also cause your Vizio TV to shut off randomly.
- Damaged Backlight Inverter Board – Another critical component of your smart TV is the backlight inverter board. Damage to this part of the LCD screen can cause the display to appear dead due to lack of power. To diagnose this, you can perform the flashlight test, which will be discussed later.
- System Glitch – Glitches can happen on your smart TV’s internal components. Unfortunately, it can affect some of its crucial features such as its display. You can try to power cycle your Vizio smart TV and see if it solves the black screen problem.
How to Fix Vizio TV Black Screen of Death
You might be overwhelmed when fixing this problem, especially when trying to replace internal parts of your smart TV. But worry not, as this can be done if you follow these steps safely and purchase compatible replacements for the damaged internal components.
Another thing to do is to check all cable connections and see if they’re properly plugged in. If some cables are worn down due to wear and tear, it’s best to have them replaced immediately. Then, you can check if the display goes back to normal.
Here are some fixes that you can try to solve the Vizio TV black screen of death issue. Make sure to go over every fix and see which one works the best.
Fix #1: Power Cycle your Vizio TV
To fix glitches on your Vizio TV, you can try to do a power cycle. This resets all internal components that might cause this display issue. Power cycling your Vizio TV is similar to power cycling other smart TVs. We also have more detailed instructions on how to reset your Vizio TV.
To power cycle your Vizio TV, follow these steps:
- Turn off your Vizio smart TV and unplug its power cord from the socket.
- Press and hold the Power button on the side of the TV for five seconds.
- Plug the power cord back in and turn on your Vizio TV.
- See if the display works properly.
This may also fix your Vizio TV if the Audio is out of Sync.
Fix #2: Perform the Flashlight Test
If your smart TV appears dark but has no sound problems, its backlighting system might be faulty. To be sure, you can do the flashlight test; in this test, you’ll need to have a working flashlight to shine onto the screen.
To do the flashlight test, do the following:
- Turn on your Vizio smart TV.
- Next, place yourself two inches away from the TV screen and point your flashlight directly onto the screen.
- If you see an unclear image on the LED screen, your smart TV’s backlight inverter board might have problems.
The backlight inverter board is a component that powers up the LCD backlighting system of your screen which is responsible for illuminating your LCD screen, especially in low-light conditions. To replace this, you’ll need to consult Vizio Support.
Fix #3: Replace Damaged Power Boards
Depending on the model of your Vizio TV, its power boards can be different. However, removing and replacing it can be similar to other TV brands. To replace your Vizio smart TV’s power board, follow these steps:
Important: Ensure that the power cord of your Vizio TV is unplugged from any power source. Also, it helps to drain all the power for a few minutes to avoid electrocution and hardware damage.
- Turn off your Vizio TV and unplug its power cord from the power source.
- Lay your smart TV flat with the screen facing down onto a wide towel or cloth to protect its screen.
- Using a Philips screwdriver, remove all screws that are holding its rear casing.
- Next, check the TV fuses and see if each is in good condition. If some of them are damaged, replace them with a new one.
- Then, locate the power board and remove all connected wires.
- Unscrew and remove the damaged power board.
- Put the new power board into place and put all screws back in.
- Reconnect all wires onto the new power board and place the rear casing back into place. Use the screwdriver to return all screws on the casing.
- Plug your Vizio TV back in and see if the display works normally.
Final Thoughts
Vizio TVs are a reliable brand of smart TVs at an affordable price. But similar to other LED TVs, you can encounter display problems. Hopefully, this guide can help you to fix the Vizio TV black screen of death issue.
If all fixes don’t work, it’s best to contact Vizio Support and let their trained technicians handle repairs for your smart TV.