DELL will recall 4.1 million notebook batteries after finding they could overheat and posed a fire hazard.
Dell said the voluntary recall, issued together with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, was the biggest in its 22-year history. The devices' lithium-ion batteries could, in rare cases, produce smoke and catch fire, Dell spokesman Jess Blackburn said. No injuries have been tied to the defect, Dell said. Dell has received six reports of batteries overheating, causing damage to furniture and personal belongings, the safety commission said.
The recall comes as Dell is trying to refresh its image, launching a marketing campaign to demonstrate improvements in its customer service after the company was hit with complaints of inferior after-sales service. Dell is investing about $US100 million this year and hiring 2000 people to improve service in the US.
The company also has taken a beating on Wall Street, with its stock falling 47 per cent over the past 12 months while rival Hewlett-Packard Co.'s stock surged 37 per cent. Dell's growth has slowed amid tougher competition.
The battery cell is used by other computer makers, including Apple. A spokeswoman said Apple was looking into the issue.
"We are currently investigating whether batteries that have been supplied to Apple for our current and previous notebook lines meet our high standards for battery safety and performance," said Apple spokeswoman Lynn Fox.
The recall of batteries in machines sold from April 2004 through to last month spans the company's notebook lines, including Latitude, Inspiron and Precision models, Blackburn said.
Mr Blackburn also said that the recall would have no financial "material impact" on Dell. Officials from Sony Energy Devices, which made the cells, could not immediately be reached for comment.
The recall involves 18 per cent of Dell's 22 million notebook computers sold between April 2004 and July 2006. It comes three days before Dell is scheduled to report its fiscal second-quarter earnings.
The batteries are Dell-branded but contain Sony battery cells, spokesman Blackburn said.
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