Sony issues we see most often in Chicago
Some failures are common across all TV brands; others are specific to Sony. Here are the ones our techs handle weekly:
- Won’t turn on, red light blinking 2–6 times. Sony codes the blink pattern. 2 blinks usually means main board, 4–6 usually means power supply. We diagnose before quoting.
- Random shutdowns / restart loops. Common on the X90J, X95J, and X95K generations. Usually a failing capacitor on the power board or a backlight protection trip. Both repairable in-home.
- Black screen with sound. Picture goes black but Android TV audio plays. On OLED Sonys this usually points to T-Con; on LED models it’s backlight failure. Both repairable.
- Bravia X1 processor / main board failures. Less common than power supply issues but they happen. Symptoms include slow Android TV response, HDMI handshake failures, and HDR not engaging. Board-level repair when economical.
- Android TV slowness or app crashes. Often the main board is fine and a factory reset or firmware reflash resolves it. We try the software path before recommending a board swap.
- HDMI 2.1 ports not negotiating 120Hz / VRR. Newer X95L and A95L models have HDMI 2.1 inputs; sometimes the input panel needs replacing if a port stops handshaking properly with a PS5 or Xbox.
- Audio Quality / Acoustic Multi-Audio issues. Sony OLEDs use the panel itself as a speaker driver. When the acoustic surface stops working we diagnose the driver coils and amp board.
- Backlight LED strip failure on mini-LED. The X95L and X90L mini-LED panels can lose local-dimming zones; usually a backlight strip or driver IC. Repairable.
Sony models we service
Effectively all of them. We work on:
- Bravia OLED & QD-OLED — A95L, A95K, A90J, A80L, A80K, A80J.
- Bravia mini-LED — X95L, X95K, X95J, X93L, X90L, X90K, X90J.
- Bravia LED — X85L, X85K, X80L, X80K, X75L, X75K.
- Older Bravia — XBR series, A8H / A8G OLEDs, and full-array LED Sonys from the 2018–2020 generations.
- Sony plasma / older LCD — still serviced when parts are available. Call first if your set is over 8 years old.
What it costs
Power board replacement$180 – $280
Backlight / LED strip repair$220 – $360
Main board / T-Con replacement$160 – $320
HDMI port / input panel repair$140 – $210
Speaker / audio$120 – $190
Parts and labor included. Final price depends on model, size, and exact failure. Flat-rate diagnostic credited toward the repair.
About cracked Sony screens
If the OLED panel is physically cracked or has impact damage, replacement is almost never economical — a new Sony OLED panel costs more than buying a new Bravia of the same size. We’ll save you the service call and explain your options on the phone.
How fast we get there
Next-day appointments are typical across Chicago and suburbs. We confirm an arrival window the day of service and notify you when the technician is en route.
Service area
Chicago plus every suburb within a 45-mile radius, including Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Wicker Park, Naperville, Oak Park, Evanston, Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Aurora, Elmhurst, Skokie, Wheaton, and points in between.
Sony and Bravia are registered trademarks of Sony Corporation. Chicago TV Repair is an independent service company and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Sony.