Lenovo and IBM are the latest companies to instigate a recall of Sony-made laptop PC batteries - over half a million of them in this round. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the joint "voluntary" recall of lithium-ion battery packs for ThinkPad notebook computers is necessary because they pose a fire hazard. There's a surprise.
An estimated 526,000 lithium-ion battery packs are involved - 168,500 in the USA and 357,500 more worldwide. ThinkPad owners should check out Lenovo's Battery recall page.
The USCPSC says that:
The
recalled lithium-ion batteries were sold with or sold separately to be
used with the following ThinkPad notebook computers: T Series (T43,
T43p, T60); R Series (R51e, R52, R60, R60e); and X Series (X60, X60s).
The recalled batteries have the following part or model numbers, which
can be found on the battery label:
Part/model number:
Sold Through:
Part/model number:
ASM
P/N FRU P/N
92P1072 92P1073
92P1088 92P1089
92P1142 92P1141
92P1170 92P1169 or 93P5028
92P1174 92P1173 or 93P5030
92P1072 92P1073
92P1088 92P1089
92P1142 92P1141
92P1170 92P1169 or 93P5028
92P1174 92P1173 or 93P5030
Sold Through:
Lenovo and IBM's Web
sites, telephone and direct sales, and
Lenovo and IBM authorized distributors between February 2005 and
September 2006 as an accessory for between $150 and $180 and as part of
a ThinkPad notebook computer for between $750 and $3500.
The USCPSC recommends that:
Consumers
should stop using the recalled batteries immediately and contact Lenovo
to receive a replacement battery, free-of-charge. Until a replacement
battery arrives, consumers can continue to use their computer by
turning off the system, removing the battery, and plugging in the AC
adapter and power cord. Consumers should use only genuine ThinkPad
batteries obtained from either Lenovo or an authorized reseller.
Let's do the sums - that's 526,000 on top of the 4.1 million batteries that Sony's going to have to replace for Dell, the 1.8 million involved in Apple's recall and the mere 340,000 for Toshiba's 'no-safety-risk' recall. So, coming up for seven million (well, over 6.75 million, any way). That's going to hit Sony hard in the pocket and who'd bet against there being more large-scale battery recalls to come?
So, millions of laptop batteries having to be swapped (what about Sony lithium-ion batteries used for other applications such as camcorders, are they immune?) and big losses likely for Sony from PS3 and Blu-ray Disc. Who'd be a Sony shareholder, eh?
Oh and sorry to bang on about this but the question that still seems unanswered is, when is someone going to start doing something about UK and EU laptop makers, some of whom, surely, must have been using similar batteries to those that caused all these big-name firms to be caught short (circuiting)?
These firms aren't under the watchful eye of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, but that doesn't mean there are no safety issues, just that nobody over here - at EU, national or local level - is taking responsibility.
Thoughts? Share them with us in this thread in the HEXUS.lifestyle news forum.
HEXUS.links
HEXUS.community :: discussion thread about this articleHEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Toshiba's turn to recall laptop batteries - but 'no safety risks'
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Apple recalls 1.8 million laptop batteries. But who's next? And what about UK-based laptop makers?
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Dell recalls 4.1 million notebook batteries worldwide
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Oz airline tells Dell owners to whip 'em out and tape 'em up
External.links
Lenovo - battery recall pageLenovo - battery recall FAQ
US Consumer Product Safety Commission - Lenovo and IBM Announce Recall of ThinkPad Notebook Computer Batteries Due to Fire Hazard
US Consumer Product Safety Commission - Recalls and product safety news
US Consumer Product Safety Commission - Apple Announces Recall of Batteries Used in Previous iBook and PowerBook Computers Due To Fire Hazard
Apple - Battery Exchange Program iBook G4 and PowerBook G4
Apple - FAQ - Battery Exchange Program iBook G4 and PowerBook G4
Dell USA - Battery Recall page
Toshiba - battery recall page
