Toshiba DLP Television Bulbs: "An Inconvenience"

St. Louis, MOWhen Julie B. and her husband purchased their 62-inch Toshiba projection television from a local Best Buy, they thought they were getting a quality product. Unfortunately, in the two-and-a-half years since they made the purchase, they have had to replace the bulb on the television three times. Now, they're left wondering why Toshiba is not replacing the whole television.

"The first time the bulb went out, it was covered by the warranty," Julie says. "The second time, we paid for it. The third time, they sent if for free because we complained. The bulb costs $232 each. The television cost us between $3,500 and $4,000 with the stand and everything. It's an inconvenience to go without a television for several days."

When consumers pay top dollar for an item, they expect it to last a long time. However, Julie says that they purchased their television in October 2005. The first time the bulb went was just under a year later, in October 2006. The second bulb stopped working in September 2007 and the third in February 2008. So far, none of the bulbs has lasted up to a year.

"My son spoke to a Toshiba representative but they didn't seem willing to accommodate us with a new television," Julie says. "We reported it to the Better Business Bureau and they are going to send Toshiba and Best Buy a report that we complained. We are upset about it because this can happen frequently, and if they are going to send us a new bulb every time that will be days that we go without our television working. We put out money for a big screen television and I'd be happy if they would give us a different kind of television.

"Every time the bulb goes out it takes at least three to four days to get a new bulb. We have our son-in-law put the bulb in himself. He has to take off the back of the television and send the defective bulb back to Toshiba."

For now, Julie's television is working. But it appears as though it's only a matter of time before this new bulb explodes, and Julie and her husband are stuck waiting for yet another replacement bulb to come in the mail.

Consumers are now considering joining a class action lawsuit against Toshiba, alleging that bulbs in the company's DLP televisions burn out much earlier than advertised. While many consumers allege they were told their bulbs would last between 6,000 and 8,000 hours, they claim the bulbs are actually expiring in less than half that time. They also note that they are losing money not only on the cost of replacement bulbs, but on the cost of television services, such as DIRECTV, that they are unable to use while they await replacement bulbs.