Lithium-ion batteries are part of items that we use every day and we hardly think about them, but they can cause explosions and fires if they’re prone to overheating. That’s the case for batteries that are part of laptop computers sold in the last few years by HP and by Sony, and now those batteries have been recalled.
Both HP and Sony recommend powering down your computer and removing the battery if you have an affected model. Run the computer on A/C power, and contact the company for a replacement that should be less prone to overheating.
The HP recall includes batteries sold between March 2013 and August 2015, and that work with the HP ProBook, HP ENVY, Compaq Presario, and HP Pavilion. They may have come with the computer or been purchased separately for a backup battery. The CPSC has the specific battery barcodes that you should look for if you have an HP or Compaq laptop. If you have an affected model, go to HP’s recall site or contact the company at 888-202-4320.
Sony also announced a much smaller recall last week, but we thought we’d mention it as long as we’re talking about laptop batteries. The risk of overheating and fire is similar, and these batteries also came from Panasonic. There haven’t been any reported fires or injuries, though, since there are significantly fewer of these batteries out there.
The Sony batteries were for sale from February 2013 through October 2013, and customers could have received them as part of their computer, from a repair by Sony, or purchased separately for a backup battery. The CPSC has the list of affected Vaio models, and you should contact the company at 888-476-6988 for a replacement battery if you have one of them.
by Laura Northrup via Consumerist
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