In one of its controversial moves in 2017, Hewlett-Packard is now asking owners of numerous laptop models to return their gadgets' batteries as they could overheat and result to fire.
The Verge has reported that HP is recalling an approximate 101,000 laptops with lithium-ion batteries. The batteries are reportedly used in the California-based company's range of laptops. These include the HP ProBook, HP Envy, Compaq Presario and HP Pavillion notebooks which were sold and distributed between March 2013 and Oct. 2016. Some of the bar codes which were included are 6BZLU, 6CGFK, 6CGFQ, 6CZMB, 6DEMA, 6DEMH, 6DGAL or 6EBVA.
According to Consumer Product Safety Commission, the 101,000 laptop batteries in question could result to overheating, "posing fire and burn hazards". CPSC has urged consumers, recommending them to remove the problematic batteries from the devices and reach HP for a free replacement. Meanwhile, the said laptops can still be used accordingly by plugging them into AC adapters right before the replacement is shipped off successfully.
Furthermore, an HP spokesperson has revealed that less than 1 percent of the entire number of laptops sold within that timeframe has been known to have been affected. On the other hand, the company has also shared that it received a report indicating that a consumer's product has experienced an overheating battery. CPSC has noted that the electronics manufacturing company has received an "additional report of the battery overheating, melting and charring and causing about $1,000 in property damage."
To further help its consumers, HP has created a battery recall site in which the users can check again whether or not their laptops are affected by the said recall.
Apart from this year's and 2016's recall, HP was also hurled into controversy back in 2014 when the company was forced to recall a massive six million laptop cords which were overheating.
