New HDTV: Smells like something is burning?


Two weeks ago I replaced a TV with a 24&#8221; smart TV (Vizio Model E241i-A1)
I have the same problem. It smells like its burning even with it unplugged.
FYI it is inside a cabinet, in the bedroom, my wife but an air freshener behind it, but I can still smell it when I open the doors. For now I am leaving the door open in hopes of the smell goes away.
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Apparently its not only TV's with an odor. I found this about Dell laptops

Dell offers to fix laptops that smell like cat urine
Dell offers to fix laptops that smell like cat urine -

Dell says in article "We would like to reassure customers that the odor was not related to biological contamination nor did it present a health hazard,"
Dell offered to replace only the laptops' palm rests and blame odor on manufacture process.

I would rather have a burn smell then a cat urine smell
The smell should eventually go away. Some out gassing of new plastic and electronic parts is normal. I try not to get too paranoid about the safety of breathing the fumes. New electronics is kind of like new car smell. Placing electronics in a cabinet is seldom a good idea. Heat is an enemy to electronics. Keep in mind all electronics works on the smoke principal when the smoke comes out it quits working. Now if I could just find a way to put all that smoke back in there I know it would work again. I am all too familiar with the smell of burning electronic components.


I've read some older threads about smelly flatscreens. There are some on amazon. No doubt it is due to some kind of gas is a scent. I have a mobile sound trailer that always has a certain scent. I call it the electronics smell. It is unique to professional audio equipment. car stereos don't have it. Home gear does not have it. It may be due to the miles of cables I have in the trailer. There is also an odor my amps make when they get warm. BUT wait. Take a look here!


jerry Troy

I wrote the Geek Squad from Best Buy and they told me nothing except to get the app from them to put on my phone and it could diagnose my television...……..not a good answer. I've also read from blogs that due to the Chinese plastics, a harmful smell may emit, causing damage to thyroid and estrogen levels. Who knew. I don't know what to do.

The Technician

Usually the smell will go away within about 80 hrs. of use. If it doesn't, take it back to the store.