More Exploding Laptop Batteries - Toshiba Satellite and Tecra Computers

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Toshiba America Information Systems, today announced a voluntary recall of about 1,400 laptop computers. Consumers should stop using the recalled Toshipa laptops immediately and contact Toshiba to receive a free replacement laptop battery. In the meantime, computer users can continue to use the laptops safely, by turning the system off, removing the battery, and using the AC adapter and power cord to power the system until the replacement battery is received.

The lithium-ion laptop batteries (made by Sony Energy Devices Corp., of Japan) are being recalled because the pose a fire hazard to computer users. Toshiba has received three reports outside of the United States of notebook batteries overheating. No injuries have been reported.

The recalled lithium-ion laptop batteries were sold with, or sold separately to be used with the following notebook computer models: Satellite A100, Satellite A105 and Tecra A7. The battery model is printed on the battery. To see pictures of these recalled Toshiba laptop batteries, including the battery and the laptop unit, please scroll down below the video.

These recalled laptop batteries were sold through authorized electronics retailers nationwide from January 2006 through April 2006 for between $680 and $1,300 for the computer systems and for between $90 and $120 when the batteries were sold separately.

Manufactured in: China (battery packs)

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Toshiba at (800) 457-7777 anytime or visit their Web site at www.bxinfo.toshiba.com

Video of Exploding Lithium Ion Battery in a Notebook Computer

Recalled Gateway Laptop Computer Batteries

Gateway has recalled about 14,000 lithium ion notebook computer batteries due to fire hazard.

These lithium-ion battery packs can overheat, which could pose a fire hazard to consumers. This is not an internal battery cell defect.

Incidents/Injuries: Gateway has received four reports of battery packs overheating, including minor property damage. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recalled battery packs were shipped as the primary or spare battery pack for some Gateway 400VTX and 450ROG series notebooks, and are identified by part numbers: 6500760 or 6500761. The part number and "made by SMP" are printed on a label on the underside of the battery pack.

The batteries were sold at Gateway's professional and direct distributors and Gateway Country stores nationwide from May 2003 through August 2003. The laptop computers with these batteries cost between $1,200 and $2,400 and individual batteries sold for between $60 and $90.

Manufactured in: China

If you own one of these Gateway computers with the batteries mentioned above, you are advised to stop using these recalled batteries immediately and contact Gateway to receive a replacement battery.

Consumers can continue to use the laptops safely by turning the system off, removing the battery pack, and using the AC adapter and power cord to power the system until the replacement battery is received. Do NOT use your laptop while the recalled Gateway battery is still attached!

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Gateway at (800) 292-6813 between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. CT seven days a week or visit the company’s Web site at www.gateway.com/battery