Wireless Headset Batteries Recalled by GN Netcom Due to Fire Hazard

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #09010) was formally reported on October 14, 2008. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. GN Netcom Inc., of Nashua, New Hampshire is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 525,000 (an additional 675,000 were sold outside the U.S.) units are affected, placing this recall in the million-unit bracket that typically triggers nationwide consumer alerts and retailer sweeps.

The documented reason for this recall is: An internal short circuit in the lithium-ion polymer batteries can cause the batteries to overheat, posing a fire 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: Consumers should immediately stop using and unplug the headsets. Consumers should contact GN Netcom to receive a replacement battery. — 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 18 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.