Users who have a laptop made by Hewlett-Packard (HP) need to check their power cords immediately; as HP announced that it is voluntarily calling back almost six million power cords due to them being a fire hazard.
The recall alert was first issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which was confirmed by HP on Tuesday. It involves all HP notebooks and mini notebooks that use the AC power cord with the label LS-15 and are black in color, as well as Compaq mini notebooks using the same power cord. The recall also affects docking stations and other HP accessories that come with the power cord. The computer and accessories affected were manufactured from September 2010 to June 2012.
"Customers should immediately stop using and unplug the recalled power cords and contact Hewlett-Packard to order a free replacement," writes the CPSC in its recall alert. "Consumers can continue to use the computer on battery power."
Up to 5.6 million power cords affected in the recall were shipped in the United States, while another 446,700 are found in Canada. HP says it has so far received 29 reports of incidents where the cords were found to have overheated and melted or charred. Thirteen of these reports include claims of minor property damage, while two others involve minor burns.
Reuters cites a source familiar with the issue, who says that the power cords were made by an unidentified Chinese manufacturer.
The Palo Alto-based computer maker is offering to replace all verified LS-15 power cords free of charge and has apologized to its customers. However, HP says not all power cords with an LS-15 label are affected, which is why the company urges its customers to head over to the HP replacement program website to have their power cords checked and validated for free replacement.
"HP believes that certain power cords shipped with notebook PC products and AC adapter accessories may pose a risk of a fire and burn hazard to customers," says HP in its announcement page. "We are taking this action as part of our commitment to provide the highest quality of service to our notebook customers."
