Samsung Class Action Says 3D Smart TVs Contain Faulty Capacitors

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Samsung is facing a proposed consumer class action lawsuit alleging the electronics giant manufactured defective television sets that contain faulty internal components.

Plaintiff John Howe says he purchased a Samsung Smart 3D Television for his home in January 2014 for $847 at a Florida retail store.

Samsung televisions contain a number of internal electronic components. One of these components is the power supply board (PSB) that controls power regulation and distribution to the televisions.

Capacitors are an integral part of the PSBs in televisions. Capacitors function as energy storage centers, allowed to help smooth voltage spikes that are caused by lightning or electrical switches opening and closing, thereby allowing a steady current to be supplied to circuits inside a television.

It is this specific component that Howe alleges is the source of his and other consumers’ defective Samsung televisions.

According to Howe, when the capacitors on the PSB overheat, they can no longer relay signals and cause the PSB to malfunction. Specifically, the PSB malfunction causes the Samsung televisions to fail to power on when prompted or automatically shut off.

When this happens, the television emits a series of clicking noises as the television attempts to turn on, and the red light on the bottom front panel of the television blinks on and off.

“The defect manifests itself over time and ultimately results in the failure of the televisions themselves well before the end of their expected useful life, and rendering the televisions unsuitable for their principal and intended purpose,” the Samsung lawsuit states.

Upon contacting Samsung several times regarding his defective television, Howe was reportedly advised that his television was not under warranty and he would have to pay to repair it.

However, Howe says that Samsung knew or should have known that the alleged faulty component parts in Samsung televisions would fail after only a few years of normal use, in part due to the number of consumer complaints and returns.

Instead Samsung omitted information about the reduced lifespan of their televisions and when customers contacted Samsung about the purported defect, they were referred to independent repair facilities.

Howe is seeking to represent a Class on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated in the state of Florida who have purchased certain allegedly defective Samsung televisions manufactured between Jan. 1, 2009 and the present.

The lawsuit is asking for judgment for injunctive relief, pre-and post-judgment interest, attorney fees and damages as the Court deems “just and proper.”

In 2012, Samsung settled a similar class action lawsuit over defective televisions filed by Oklahoma residents. This complaint alleged that malfunctioning capacitors caused certain Samsung televisions manufactured between Jan. 1, 2006 and Dec. 31, 2008 “experience symptoms such as not turning on, a significant delay in turning on, making a clicking sound, cycling on and off, and other similar problems.”

Among the terms of the 2012 settlement, Samsung agreed to offer free repairs to Oklahoma residents who purchased certain LCD, Plasma, and DLP TVs from the company that malfunctioned due to capacitor issues.

Howe is represented by Paul S. Rothstein.

The Samsung Defective Televisions Class Action Lawsuit is Howe v. Samsung Electronics America Inc., et al., Case No. 1:16-cv-386, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, Gainesville Division.