CPSC, Dell Announce Recall of Notebook Computer Batteries

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #06056) was formally reported on December 16, 2005. 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 22,000 in the U.S. units are affected.

The documented reason for this recall is: These batteries can overheat, which could pose a fire risk. 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: Customers should contact Dell to determine if their notebook computer battery is part of this recall. If it is, consumers should immediately stop using the battery as a power source for their noteboo… — 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 21 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.