Sony offers free checks on 'smoking' TVs

Sony has announced plans to offer free safety checks on several of its television models after reports of sets emitting smoke and overheating.

The Japanese electronics giant warned that a component used in eight sets in the Bravia range could be faulty and, in certain extreme cases, overheat causing the upper casing to melt.

However, the company has stopped short of issuing a full product recall.

"To date, there have been no reports of any damage to other property or physical injuries," Sony said.

Sony is instead advising anyone concerned that their set could be at risk to visit their local Sony Centre for a free inspection of their TV, and, if necessary, a free repair.

All the models affected are LCDs that were manufactured in 2007 and 2008 and sold mostly in Europe and the US.

They are: KDL-40D3400, KDL-40D3500, KDL-40D3550, KDL-40D3660, KDL-40V3000, KDL-40W3000, KDL-40X3000, KDL-40X3500. (Users can find the model number on the back of their sets.)

It is thought that 1.6 million of the TVs have been sold worldwide, including 630,000 of them in Europe, but all the reports of overheating sets have so far come from Japan.

Sony said that customers should look out for any usual noises, smells or smoking from their sets, and unplug the power cable immediately if they become concerned.

"If you own one of the products and if you notice any abnormality (eg unusual noise, unusual smell or smoking), please turn it off immediately, unplug the power cable, stop using the TV, and contact us," Sony said.

"We have confirmed that this symptom does not occur when power is switched off. In the unlikely event that you are affected by the issues above, we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause."

It has been a poor week for Sony after the company reported another hacking attack involving a group attempting to access 93,000 customer accounts, including ones on the PlayStation Network.

The PSN was taken down completely in April this year after hacker activity put millions of accounts containing personal information and credit card details at risk.