Sony recalls 1.6 million Bravia TVs following fire reports

Sony is recalling 1.6 million of its Bravia TVs around the world, after it emerged that the LCD sets are prone to melting and catching fire. Here in the UK, if you own one of the affected sets, a nice man will come and fix it for you.

Sony was ordered to recall the tellies by Japan's trade ministry, citing an incident in September when a customer called the fire brigade after noticing a small fire and some smoke, Bloomberg reports.

Over the last few years, eleven incidents have been reported. A Sony spokesperson said that a faulty component in the Bravias' backlight systems could be responsible. That component could be overheating, causing the incendiary idiot boxes to melt.

There have been no reports of any such incidents outside of Japan, though a worldwide recall indicates that tellies across the globe could use the component in question.

Sony is avoiding the word 'recall' in Britain, preferring to call this a "safety inspection and rework programme" for the eight affected Bravia models. Those affected model numbers are as follows: KDL-40D3400, KDL-40D3500, KDL-40D3550, KDL-40D3660 KDL-40V3000, KDL-40W3000, KDL-40X3000 and KDL-40X3500.

Never let it be said that Sony can't conjure up a snappy name.

In a statement Sony says, "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. We have confirmed that this symptom does not occur when power is switched off."

Sony's provided some handy instructions on how to identify your own TV's model number, and says if your telly is an affected model, you should contact your nearest Sony Service Centre to arrange an inspection. They'll then send a cheery person to fix it for you "as promptly as possible, if it has the affected component". Sounds like a jolly way to spend a weekend.

The news is another round of ill tidings for Sony -- this morning we reported the Japanese tech giant's online networks had been hacked once more, with 93,000 users' accounts compromised.

Do you own an affected Bravia? Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary? Let us know in the comments section below, or on our Facebook wall.