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By Mark Huffman
ConsumerAffairs.com
August 15, 2007
It’s not just overheating batteries in notebook computers you have to worry about. Lithium-ion batteries in cell phones also pose a potential fire hazard, and phone maker Nokia has recalled 46 million such batteries.
The batteries, identified as BL-5C, were produced by Matsushita Battery Industrial company of Japan from December 2005 to November 2006. Nokia said a fire hazard potentially exists when the batteries short circuit during recharging. Nokia is offering its customers replacement batteries.
A year ago Sony was forced to recall more than 10 million notebook computers after it was determined the lithium-ion batteries that powered them could present a fire hazard. In some cases consumers posted videos online showing their laptops bursting into flames.
A year ago ConsumerAffairs.com reported on two outdoorsmen whose vehicle was destroyed by fire when a Dell laptop computer in the vehicle burst into flames. Twelve months later the computer battery recalls continued, with Sony recalling another 1,400 laptop batteries made for Toshiba.
As for the cell phone batteries, Nokia says the chances of a fire are remote. A spokesman notes there have been 100 reported problems out of 300 million batteries sold.
To see if your cell phone is included in the recall, check the Nokia Web site..
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