Dell-branded lithium-ion batteries made with cells manufactured by Sony
CPSC Recall #06-231 — August 14, 2006
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 06-231 |
| Recall Date | August 14, 2006 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | About 2.7 million battery packs (an additional 1.5 million battery packs were sold outside the U.S.) |
| Manufacturer | Battery Cell Manufacturer: Sony Energy Devices Corp., of Japan. |
| Manufactured In | Japan and China |
Where It Was Sold
| Dell's Web site |
| phone and direct sales as part of a service replacement program |
| and catalogs from April 2004 through July 2006. The computers with these batteries sold for between $500 and $2850 and individual batteries sold for between $60 and $180. |
Product
Dell-branded lithium-ion batteries made with cells manufactured by Sony
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Dell Inc., of Round Rock, Texas, is voluntarily recalling about 2.7 million battery packs. These lithium-ion batteries can overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers.Name of Product: Dell-branded lithium-ion batteries made with cells manufactured by SonyUnits: About 2.7 million battery packs (an additional 1.5 million battery packs were sold outside the U.S.)Battery Distributor: Dell Inc., of Round Rock, TexasBattery Cell Manufacturer: Sony Energy Devices Corp., of Japan.Hazard: These lithium-ion batteries can overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers.Incidents/Injuries: Dell has received six reports of batteries overheating, resulting in property damage to furniture and personal effects. No injuries have been reported.Description: The recalled batteries were sold with or sold separately to be used with the following Dell notebook computers:- 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;- Dell Precision™ M20, M60, M70 and M90 mobile workstations; and- XPS,™ XPS Gen2, XPS M170 and XPS M1710."Dell" and one of the following markings are printed on the batteries: "Made in Japan," "Made in China," or "Battery Cell Made in Japan Assembled in China." The identification number for each battery appears on a white sticker.Sold through: Dell's Web site, phone and direct sales as part of a service replacement program, and catalogs from April 2004 through July 2006. The computers with these batteries sold for between $500 and $2850 and individual batteries sold for between $60 and $180.Manufactured In: Japan and ChinaRemedy: Consumers should stop using these recalled batteries immediately and contact Dell to receive a replacement battery. Consumers can continue to use the notebook computers safely by turning the system off, ejecting the battery, and using the AC adapter and power cord to power the system until the replacement battery is received.Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Dell toll-free at (866) 342-0011 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, log on to the firm's Web site at www.dellbatteryprogram.com, or write to: Dell Inc., Attn: Battery Recall, 9701 Metric Blvd., Austin, Texas 78758.Firm's Media Contact:- Dell: Gretchen Miller, (512) 728-0308, [email protected] or- Ira Williams, (512) 728-8545, [email protected] Sony: Rick Clancy, (858) 942-3020, [email protected]
Hazard
These lithium-ion batteries can overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers.
Incidents & Injuries
Dell has received six reports of batteries overheating, resulting in property damage to furniture and personal effects. No injuries have been reported.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should stop using these recalled batteries immediately and contact Dell to receive a replacement battery. Consumers can continue to use the notebook computers safely by turning the system off, ejecting the battery, and using the AC adapter and power cord to power the system until the replacement battery is received.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Replace at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Replace) at no cost to you.
If the product caused a fire or burn injury, document the incident with photos and preserve the product if it is safe to do so. Report the incident to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov and to your local fire department. Contact the manufacturer to inform them of the incident — they are required to track and report injuries to CPSC. You may also want to consult a personal injury attorney, as fire and burn injuries caused by defective products can be grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.