I purchased a Panasonic 50" plasma TV, model TH-50PZ850UA in early 2009. We use the set about three hours each evening. Recently the TV would not come on.
After some checking on line I found that this very same condition was being widely reported. It seems that the power board in this model was defective and subject to premature failure.
I contacted Panasonic customer service and they pointed me to an "authorized" Panasonic repair service provider. This business is located about 70 miles from my home.
I contacted them and reported the problem. They asked for some symptoms that the set was exhibiting, namely the count of "blinks" that an indicator light was displaying on the TV. I told them the count was "2" and they responded that the problem most likely was the power board failed and that was a common problem with this model and age TV.
They further told me that the replacement part would cost $220 and that the labor to install would be $250 and the travel expense would be $148.
They reported that they had to furnish certain information to Panasonic and that I would hear from Panasonic customer service about getting the TV repaired.
Neither the repair service or AI heard anything from Panasonic for a week or 10 days. I contacted Panasonic customer service and they told me that the case (for repair assistance) was under review and that I would hear from them in "due time".
About two weeks later neither the repair service or I had any communication from Panasonic, but the repair part was sent to the repair service.
They installed it promptly and the TV is now working properly. However, I paid the repair service $398 out of pocket.
I sent a copy of the repair bill to Panasonic asking that they reimburse me for the labor and travel expense in that the cause of all of this was their selling equipment knowing that they had defective parts in the TV's.
They responded that they replaced the part and that was all that they were going to do. I offered to "split" the $398 expense, but the Panasonic rep rejected that idea, saying that they had done all that they were going to do in this matter.
I think that 1.) taking three weeks to resolve the matter was out of order. The customer service reps were less than helpful in keeping me abreast of the status of the claim and 2.) only replacing the defective part and stiffing me with the labor and travel expense is outrageous.
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