Vizio Television Recall Issued Due To Tipover Injury Risk

About 245,000 VIZIO flat-panel televisions are being recalled due to a defective stand, which may cause the large TVs to tip over and injure consumers or young children. 

The VIZIO recall was announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on August 6, following at least 51 reports indicating that the televisions tipped over while mounted to the stand assembly.

Although no injuries have been reported to date, this may pose a serious risk for young children.

The recall includes Vizio E-series 39 and 42 inch Full-Array LED flat panel televisions sold with a black stand. Model numbers for the 39 inch TV being recalled are E390-B0 and Smart TV model E390i-B0 and the 42 inch model being recalled has model number Smart TV E420i-B0. The television were sold in the color black and have the “VIZIO” brand name printed on the lower right former and the brand logo in the center on the back. Model and serial numbers can be located on the televisions by locating the label on the back of the TV.

The recall is being initiated for repairs only. The televisions do not need to be returned and can be safely used again once a free replacement stand is received from the manufacturer, according to the CPSC

The recalled TV sets were manufactured in China and Mexico under AmTRAN Technology Company Ltd., of Taipei City, Taiwan where they were distributed for sale by VIZIO Inc., of Irvine, California at Best Buy, Meijer, Target, Wal-Mart and other major retailers nationwide and online at Amazon.com, Costco.com, Meijer.com, Sams.com, and other various online retailers. The TV sets were sold from December 2013 through June 2014 for between $370 and $450 per set.

The CPSC recommends that customers immediately detach the recalled televisions from the stands and place the TV somewhere safe until they receive a free replacement stand. The stands can be ordered by calling Vizio at 855-472-7450, or by visiting them online at www.vizio.com and navigating to the “Safety Notice” link. Customers using a wall mount for the recall TV’s should still contact Vizio for a free replacement stand in case it is needed for future use, the CPSC advised.

According to a study in the medical journal Pediatrics, the Child Injury Prevention Alliance recorded nearly 400,000 children emergency room visits due to television-related injuries over a 22-year period.

Among the data collected, 50% of the injuries sustained occurred from televisions falling from some sort of entertainment center and 64% of the injuries were to children under the age of five.

Many injuries sustained from television sets falling from entertainment center are sustained to the head and neck region by children due to the height levels. In fact, 63% of the injuries sustained over the 22 year period study were caused to the head and neck of young children.

Incidents can be prevented through simple approaches, such as never placing the remotes on top of the TV’s or directly in front of it where it could encourage a child to climb on to the entertainment center. Consumer can also prevent falls by using either wider bases or placing television away from frequently traveled walkways in the home and away from children’s play areas.