The Recall Desk
Our severity:HighCPSC·06007·Announced 2005-10-14

HP and Compaq Notebook Computer Battery Packs Recalled for Fire Hazard

Hewlett-Packard is recalling about 135,000 notebook computer battery packs worldwide because an internal short can cause overheating, posing a burn and fire hazard.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a fire and burn hazard with reports of overheating and minor property damage, but no injuries or fatalities have been reported, fitting the 'High' severity criteria for risk-of-harm products where injury has not yet been reported.

Plain-English summary

Hewlett-Packard Company is recalling about 135,000 HP and Compaq notebook computer battery packs worldwide, including about 85,000 in the U.S. The recalled lithium-ion rechargeable battery packs are a subset of those manufactured between March 2004 and September 2004. These specific battery packs will have a bar code label starting with GC, IA, L0, or L1.

The recall is being issued because an internal short can cause the battery cells to overheat and melt or char the plastic case, posing a burn and fire hazard. HP has received 16 reports of batteries overheating, including four in the U.S. No injuries have been reported, but four cases of minor property damage were reported, including one in the U.S.

The battery packs were sold at national and regional computer and electronics stores, online stores, hp.com, and hpshopping.com from March 2004 through May 2005. They were sold as part of notebook computers for between $1,000 and $3,000, or separately for between $100 and $130. Consumers should stop using the recalled batteries immediately and contact HP to arrange for a free replacement battery by visiting the Battery Replacement program website or calling HP. After removing the recalled battery, consumers should plug in the AC adapter to power the notebook until a replacement battery arrives.

The recalled product

Product
HP and Compaq Notebook Computer Battery Packs
Manufacturer
Hewlett-Packard Company, of Palo Alto, Calif.
Category
Consumer Product — Electronics
Hazard
Affected units
135,000

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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