Signs of a backlight failure
- Sound works, but the screen is black or very dark
- The picture appears for a second, then goes dark
- Red standby light blinking 6 times on many Sony LED models
- Dark patches, uneven brightness or bright spots on the screen
- Torch test: shine a phone torch close to the dark screen — if you can see the picture faintly, the backlight is the problem
Seeing this on your Sony TV?
How we repair it — and why we replace the full set
LED TVs are lit by strips of LEDs behind the panel. When one LED fails, the whole chain goes dark — and the remaining LEDs, which have aged the same way, usually fail soon after. Replacing a single LED is cheap but rarely lasts, so we recommend replacing the complete strip set, checking the LED driver on the power board, and refitting the diffuser sheets and lenses correctly so there are no bright spots.
After the repair we test the TV at full brightness and run it for a while before we leave.
Help your new backlight last longer
- Avoid running the TV at maximum backlight / brightness all day — the "Standard" or "Auto" picture mode is gentler on LEDs.
- Keep ventilation slots clear; heat shortens LED life.
- Use a stabiliser to protect the LED driver from voltage spikes.
Visit and diagnosis charges are told to you on the phone before the visit. Repair work starts only after you approve the quote.