Why Does my Sony TV Turn On or Off By Itself?

Sony TVs are known for their dependability. So it was a little upsetting when my Sony Bravia Android TV started turning off by itself. 

As it turns out, Sony TVs turning off or on by themselves isn’t that uncommon. After some digging and research, I found the perfect way to troubleshoot and fix it. 

If you’re having the same problem, this guide will cover how to troubleshoot it, so your Sony TV acts normally again.

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What To Do If Your Sony TV Turns On or Off By Itself

Seeing your TV turn on or off by itself can be annoying at best or downright creepy at worst. 

Here are some of the best strategies for troubleshooting this error.

Check the Power Cord

This may seem like an obvious step, but the power cable is the culprit more often than not. Make sure the power cable to your Sony TV is securely plugged in at both ends. 

Vibrations such as kids or pets jumping around could cause the cord to wriggle out of the socket. This may be enough to briefly trip the TV’s power circuit, resetting the screen. 

A bigger problem is when the outlet or port wiggles around. We’ve all experienced this with smartphones or laptops, but it can also happen to TVs. 

Sometimes, this is a simple case of a loose screw inside the housing. However, it can also be a sign of major power issues that need to be fixed by a professional. 

Reset the TV’s Power

A power issue often causes a TV to turn on by itself. Many of these issues will resolve themselves when you do a power reset/power cycle. 

Turn your TV off and unplug its power cord to perform a power reset. Keep the TV unplugged for at least a full minute. Hold the TV power button down for 10-15 seconds while unplugged to drain any residual energy. Then, plug the power cord back into the wall.

When troubleshooting, Sony recommends plugging your TV into different wall outlets. Faulty surge protectors, power strips, or extension cords can cause your TV to malfunction. 

Power resets are a simple and efficient way to troubleshoot minor power issues. 

Remove Any External Devices

From media players to game systems, it’s easy to lose track of the devices we plug into our TVs. One of these external devices may be causing your TV to turn on or off by itself. 

This is more common when newer media players or devices are connected to older televisions or HDMI-CEC devices. We’ll cover those in the next section.

Unplug every wire and cord from your Sony TV except the power cord. Then, while the TV is on, plug each device back into the TV one at a time and turn it on.

If one of these devices shuts your Sony TV off, you may have your culprit. 

Turn HDMI-CEC Off

HDMI Consumer Electronics Control (HDMI-CEC) is a feature on most Sony TVs. This turns your TV on whenever an HDMI-connected device turns on too. 

For example, I have my NVIDIA Shield Pro, and AV receiver plugged into the CEC-HDMI port on my Sony TV. This allows me to turn on all three devices from one remote. 

However, it doesn’t always work out as planned. It might turn your TV on or off by mistake. To see if HDMI-CEC is the cause of your problem, you need to turn the setting off.

Using your remote, hit “Settings,” “Watching TV,” then “External Inputs.” Find “Bravia Sync/Link” and turn everything from “On” to “Off.” 

However, disabling this feature means you’ll have to turn on your devices individually instead of being able to use just one remote control. 

Once HDMI-CEC is off, keep an eye on your TV going forward. If the TV doesn’t turn on by itself anymore, you’ve found the issue. If the problem persists, move on to the next step. 

Check Timer / Shut-Off Settings

If your Sony TV shuts off consistently each day, it may be from an internal timer or schedule. Thankfully, this problem is typically easy to solve. Depending on your model, specific Sony TV settings instructions may vary. 

In general, go to your TV’s settings menu and find “Clocks/Timer.” Ensure that both your Timer and Sleep Timer are off to avoid triggering your TV to turn off.

Under “ECO,” double-check to ensure you have no other shut-off options turned on. Auto Shut-Off turns your TV off when it hasn’t received any new input for a preset amount of time. Idle TV Standby works similarly, turning your TV off if it’s been inactive for a preset amount of time. 

Either of these Eco settings could be unnecessarily impacting your TV. For example, the TV may turn off because your Auto Shut-Off is set for only 5 minutes. The TV may also turn off because the Idle TV Standby setting isn’t registering the input of a specific device.

Check for Updates

Whatever is causing your TV to turn on by itself may stem from software issues, and a previous update may have fixed this glitch. 

Fortunately, Sony regularly patches and updates its TV software. 

If your TV has an internet connection, go to “Settings.” Select “Customer Support,” “Setup,” or “Product Support.” 

Next, hit “Software Update” and select “Network,” if available. 

This should start a software update if one is available.

If your TV isn’t connected to the internet, other options are available. In some cases, software updates may come through your cable signal. 

Switch the “Automatic Software Update” to “On in your TV’s settings.” Otherwise, you can also download the software update onto a USB flash drive and insert it into the TV.

Never unplug or turn your TV off while updating it.

Check the Remote

A malfunctioning remote may be the cause of your TV issues. A faulty or low-battery remote may send your TV continuous commands. This includes turning it on, changing the channel, altering settings, or turning it off.

To troubleshoot your remote, start by swapping your remote’s batteries with brand new ones. For best results, don’t use rechargeable batteries during this test.

Stand within 3 feet of your TV and point the remote right at the sensor. For most Sony TVs, you can locate the infrared (IR) sensor at the bottom of the TV, just underneath the screen. Double-check that nothing is blocking this sensor while troubleshooting.

Confirm that you can turn your TV on and off, then test other settings. 

Most Sony TVs have a red light to show when they receive a signal from the remote control. 

The critical part of this test is verifying that your Sony TV receives signals when you press a button on the remote but not anything else.  

If the IR sensor light doesn’t match your remote commands, your remote is defective. The best option is to replace the remote entirely, which Sony sells through most retailers.

Reset Your Sony TV to Factory Settings

Performing a factory reset on your Sony TV is a last resort. This will erase your log-in information, storage, and video calibration settings. Depending on what model Sony TV you have, there may be other impacts as well.

Unplug your TV’s power cord for at least a full minute, then plug it back into the wall. If the TV does not turn on by itself, hit the power button. Wait at least 40 seconds for its start-up process to complete.

On your remote, press and hold the up button of the circular keypad. At the same time, press and hold the power button on the back/side of your TV. Make sure you press the power button and not the “Energy Saving” switch. If you do not have the Sony remote on hand, hold the volume down button on the TV instead.

Continue holding these two buttons until you see the words “Reset” or until the TV turns off. A moment after shutting off the TV, an initial setup menu should appear on the screen. Follow the TV’s setup steps to continue resetting your TV.

A factory reset should fix the issue if you’ve gone through the previous troubleshooting steps without success. If not, it’s time to get a professional involved. 

Contact Sony Support

If your Sony TV is still turning on or off by itself after these tests, your only choice may be to contact the manufacturer. 

If your TV is still under warranty on your Sony TV, follow the steps detailed in your warranty information. Otherwise, reach out to Sony directly.

Sony has a support team dedicated entirely to TVs and projectors. You can contact the support team through text message, online chat, or phone at (239)-245-6354. 

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Conclusion

Most Sony TVs have features specifically designed to shut on or off to make things more convenient for us. So it’s ironic when a malfunctioning Sony TV turns on and off by itself.

In most cases, a Sony TV that turns on or off by itself is relatively easy to fix, and this guide should help you along that process.

The post Why Does my Sony TV Turn On or Off By Itself? appeared first on AndroidTVNews.

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