Lenovo, IBM and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today issued a recall for 526,000 Sony batteries in Thinkpad notebooks.
The recall comes after reports that a Lenovo system had caught fire at the Los Angeles LAX International Airport. The latest recall brings the tally to more than 6.4 million Sony batteries that are being recalled due to a fire hazard.
The recalled lithium-ion batteries were sold as standalone units or in combination with the:
- Thinkpad T-Series (T43, T43p, T60)
- R Series (R51e, R52, R60, R60e)
- X Series (X60, X60s)
The batteries recalled carry the part numbers of the ASM P/N and FRU P/N series: 92P1072, 92P1072, 92P1088, 92P1142, 92P1170, 92P1174 92P1073, 92P1089, 92P1141, 92P1169, 93P5028, 92P1173 or 93P5030.
This recall is the third recall related to a potential fire hazard in Sony batteries, which prompted Dell to recall a total of 4.1 million notebooks and Apple 1.8 million notebooks. Toshiba also recalled 340,000 batteries dues to a charging or discharging problem.
Sony, which estimated that the Dell and Apple recalls would cost the company about $267 million, announced on Thursday that it has initiated a “global replacement program for certain battery packs that utilize Sony-manufactured lithium ion cells used by notebook computer manufacturers in order to address concern related to recent over-heating incidents.”
According to the company, metal particles in the recalled battery cells may come into contact with other parts of the battery cell, “leading to a possibility of short circuit within the cell.” Sony said that in a typical case, “a battery pack will simply power off when a cell short circuit occurs. However, under certain rare conditions an internal short circuit may lead to cell overheating and potentially flames.”
Q1 Which ThinkPad notebook PC models are affected by the recall?
Customers who bought a ThinkPad or optional or replacement battery between February 2005 and September 2006 may have a Sony battery subject to the recall.
Q2 How can I find out if my battery is being recalled?
Go to www.lenovo.com/batteryprogram to determine if your Sony battery is affected by the recall. If you prefer to call a Service Center, a worldwide phone list is also available at www.lenovo.com/batteryprogram.
Q3. If my battery is recalled, how much will the replacement cost?
Lenovo is replacing the recalled batteries free of charge. If you return your recalled battery, your replacement battery will have a one-year warranty.
Q4. Do I have to return my defective battery?
Yes. Lenovo will send a prepaid shipping container to facilitate the return. To ensure customer safety, it is very important that all recalled battery packs be returned.
Q5. If my battery is recalled, how long will I have to wait for it?
Early in the process when demand is heaviest, it could take 3 to 4 weeks to receive a new battery.
Q6. If my battery has been recalled, may I continue using my system while I’m waiting for my replacement battery?
If your battery has been recalled, to continue using your ThinkPad notebook PC safely:
- Turn off the system
- Remove the battery
- Power your system with an AC adapter.
Directions for removing the battery are available at www.lenovo.com/batteryprogram.
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