Dell to Recall 4.1M Batteries Due to Fire Hazard

Computer maker Dell is recalling 4.1 million laptop computer batteries because of a potential fire hazard, the company said Monday.

The lithium-ion batteries being recalled are installed in 2.7 million laptops sold in the United States and 1.4 million sold overseas between April 2004 and July 18 of this year, Dell said.

“Under rare conditions, it is possible for these batteries to overheat, which could cause a risk of fire,” said Dell, of Round Rock, Texas, in a statement.

Dell said it is cooperating with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in conducting the recall. The federal agency described it as the largest recall in the history of the consumer electronics industry, according to published reports.

Dell urged customers to visit the firm’s website, beginning at 1 a.m. U.S. Central Daylight Time Tuesday, or call toll-free at 1-866-342-0011, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT.

According to the CPSC website, lithium-ion batteries have been cited in recalls of other laptop models, including computers from Hewlett-Packard of Palo Alto and from Apple Computer of Cupertino, both in California.

Dell made other voluntary recalls of 22,000 laptop batteries in December 2005, 284,000 in 2001 and 27,000 in 2000, according to the CPSC.

In those instances, Dell and the CPSC urged consumers to stop using the laptops’ batteries until they received a replacement. Lithium-ion batteries are used in cell phones, camcorders, digital cameras and other consumer electronics products.

Dell reported six instances in which laptops overheated and caused fires since December of last year, although no one was injured in any of the incidents, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal reported Monday. Dell said the overheating was caused by a manufacturing defect in the batteries made for it by Sony, of Japan.

The recalled batteries were sold with the following Dell notebook computers: Dell Latitude D410, D500, D505, D510, D520, D600, D610, D620, D800, D810; Inspiron 6000, 8500, 8600, 9100, 9200, 9300, 500m, 510m, 600m, 6400, E1505, 700m, 710m, 9400, E1705; and Dell Precision M20, M60, M70 and M90 mobile workstations; and XPS, XPS Gen2, XPS M170 and XPS M1710.

The batteries were also sold separately, including in response to service calls. “Dell” and one of the following are printed on the batteries: “Made in Japan” or “Made in China” or “Battery Cell Made in Japan Assembled in China,” Dell said.

-Robert Mullins, IDG News Service (San Francisco Bureau)

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