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Sony Recalls VAIO Laptops Due to Overheat Risk

Sony Electronics Inc. on Thursday announced a worldwide recall of certain VAIO TZ-series notebook computer models, because faulty parts could cause the units to short circuit and overheat. Sony has received reports of minor burns to a handful of VAIO users, and is advising owners of the affected laptops to contact the company to resolve the defect.

The problem stems from "irregularly positioned wires near the computer's hinge and/or a dislodged screw inside the hinge," which can cause the affected VAIO models to short circuit and overheat, according to an announcement from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The CPSC news release issued Thursday indicates that the recall impacts about 73,000 laptops, but a number of media outlets -- including the Associated Press and Bloomberg.com -- state that at least 440,000 computers are affected. The Chicago Tribune reports that "Sony has received 209 reports of overheating worldwide, including seven cases in which people received minor burns."

CPSC is advising consumers to stop using the recalled computers immediately, and to contact Sony toll-free at (888) 526-6219 to arrange for inspection and repair. Sony announced Thursday that customers can enter their VAIO's product code and serial number at http://esupport.sony.com/fixmypc to see if their laptop has been recalled.

• CPSC News Release on VAIO Recall
• From Sony: Important Notification for the Sony VAIO TZ Series
• Chicago Tribune: Sony Recalls Vaio Laptops Worldwide
• Defective and Dangerous Products (FindLaw)
• Recall Announcements and Product Safety Alerts (CPSC)

Full post as published by FindLaw's Common Law on September 04, 2008 (boomark / email).