CPSC, Dell Inc. Announce Recall of Power Adapters for Notebook Computers

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #04560) was formally reported on July 1, 2004. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Dell Inc., of Round Rock, Texas is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 28,000 units units are affected.

The documented reason for this recall is: Using power cords not intended for these adapters can pose a shock hazard. Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details. The remedy documented by the agency is: Free retrofit kits are provided by the manufacturer. These retrofit kits will prevent incorrect cables from being connected to the adapters. In the meantime, consumers should only use the power cable… — consumers holding this product should act on that instruction rather than relying on general guidance.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls, of which 6 were also issued by CPSC. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 22 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.