 If a single LED fails, by becoming either open-circuit, short-circuit, or leaky (developing a parasitic parallel resistance, which allows current in both directions), the impact will be catastrophic for the display as a whole.Furthermore, the actual problematic LED may be very difficult to identify, because potentially a large set of LEDs which should not be lit may all come on together, and—without detailed knowledge of the circuit—the relation between which LED is bad and what set of LEDs all come on together cannot be easily established.If the failed LED becomes an open circuit, the voltage between the LED's 2 electrodes may build up until it finds a path through two other LEDs.