Dell laptop owners got some unwelcome news this week when the PC maker, in conjunction with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, issued a massive recall of batteries used in several lines: Latitude, Inspiron, Precision and XPS. (For more details on the models, click here.) The Dell-branded lithium-ion batteries, made with cells manufactured by Sony, can overheat and pose a risk of fire.\r\n
\r\nPictured here is one of the affected battery packs. Laptop owners can tell if they have the item by looking at the part numbers printed on the back–in this case, it’s the designation F5132, highlighted in the inset.
The battery packs come with a standard warning about risks from improper handling or replacement. \r\n
\r\nFor the batteries in the current recall, Dell said it has received six reports of overheating that resulted in property damage to furniture and personal effects, but no reports of injuries.
Another of the affected battery packs. They were included in laptops shipped between April 2004 and July 18, 2006, sold through Dell’s Web site, phone and direct sales as part of a service replacement program, and catalogs.
Bill Detwiler is the Editor for Technical Content and Ecosystem at Celonis. He is the former Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and previous host of TechRepublic's Dynamic Developer podcast and Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Previously, Bill was an IT manager in the social research and energy industries. He has bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Louisville, where he has also lectured on computer crime and crime prevention.
