Apple G4 Powerbook battery recall

19 August 2004 19:29 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Apple is recalling almost 30,000 faulty batteries used in its 15in Powerbook G4 laptops. The fault has arisen from an internal short circuit in the batteries that causes them to overheat and possibly pose a fire hazard to consumers. So far no injuries have been reported.

In a statement posted on the Apple website Apple asks customers if they are anxious to stop using their Powerbook straight away:

“The affected batteries could overheat, posing a fire hazard. Apple received four reports of these batteries overheating. No injuries have been reported. Apple urges you to stop using your battery and to order a replacement battery immediately. If you continue to use your battery, do not leave it unattended and check for signs of overheating.”

Batteries that are affected are the lithium ion rechargeable batteries that were sold worldwide from January 2004 through August 2004 for use with 15-inch PowerBook G4 (Aluminum) notebook computers. These batteries were manufactured by LG Chem, Ltd. of South Korea.

The recalled batteries have the Model Number: A1045 and serial numbers that begin with: HQ404, HQ405, HQ406, HQ407, or HQ408. However the 12in or 17in models of the Powerbook or the iBook laptops are not affected by the recall.

Customers are asked to contact Apple to begin the battery exchange process, you will be asked for the serial number of your 15-inch PowerBook G4, the serial number of your PowerBook battery and a ship to address.

After serial number verification, Apple will ship a new battery to you free of charge.

Full tags

Hardware, Laptops, Apple, Batteries